Luke 13:10-17
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had ailed her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day." But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
It's a simple enough story: on the way to Jerusalem, while Jesus is teaching in a synagogue, a "bent-over" woman passing by evokes Jesus' compassion.
Today I want to focus mostly on the subject of the story
On this woman who went to synagogue – who she was and what this encounter with Jesus meant to her
on what it means to be bent or challenged and straightened out
Feminist Biblical scholar Sharon Ringe describes the life of the bent-over woman very well,
Her condition could be translated as "a spirit of weakness."
She calls that weakness a kind of power that kept her bent-over and captive in "a world defined by the piece of ground around her own toes or looked at always on a slant".
Ironically, while this woman's line of vision has been severely affected by her ailment these many years, she has no problem seeing that help is on the way, standing right in front of her, in the person of Jesus.
She has no problem recognizing the source of her healing as God.
Does the woman ask for healing? No.
Does Jesus seem to care that it's the Sabbath, when healing non-life-threatening conditions is not permitted? No.
Without being asked, he calls her over to him, and sets her free from her longtime ailment by placing his hands on her, just as one would in blessing.
The woman is blessed and freed and has sense enough to recognize the source of the freedom she's been given at last, freedom from the little bit of square footage she's been limited to visually for almost twenty years.
Years ago when I was studying this passage I wrote a few poems that express some of my musings on being bent, those who are bent among us and the joy of being freed— living standing straight
Poetic Musing on
the Bent Over Woman
in Luke 13:10-17
I can see her
over there
that old, bent over woman
aching to stand straight
always looking down
needing to be lifted
to meet all eye to eye
cranky and embittered
from being ignored
dragging herself around
longing to be included
challenged by her mind
and her physical imperfection
daring to dream of what some call
wholeness
missing the gifts that her infirmity brings
will it be any better
when she can walk straight?
Each Sunday, all sorts of burdens are carried into our church.
Some, like the bent-over woman's condition, are more visible than others.
If we looked around the room today we might be able to see the weight of many years of suffering on one person's face, the crushing hurt of a new and painful reality in another's eyes: divorce; the loss of a loved one; financial worries; poor health; a child who is struggling with addiction.
Is it enough?
Is it enough?
I’ve read all your comments
I’ve studied the text
but still have questions
unanswered
What of the women still bent?
What of the men challenged by addiction,
children unable to walk straight?
Each week they come here to worship
and no healing of body is seen
we make room for their wheelchairs
or provide self help groups
They still live bound by Satan
some well
and some bitter
Is there hope here for them?
will the healing of their spirits
be enough?
God,
I don’t know.
Living Life as A Straightened Up Woman
(Luke 13: 10-17)
I have questions about questions
and unknowingness to spare
there are tears I long to share
I stand here ready to jump
ready to go after my dreams
yet to be dreamt
It’s all open
and I’m ready
yet I can’t believe it’s true
Someone pinch me
someone wake me
to this life that I am living
to this smile that I am giving
to myself
I am no longer burdened
by a spirit of heaviness
I am strengthened from within
by a touch from without
I see everything differently
I face life…straight on
We should not lump all of Jewish teaching on the reaction of the synagogue leader who rather than rejoicing in the healing of this woman, is irate.
Who by speaking for the theologically and liturgically orthodox, criticizes Jesus for going to work on the Sabbath.
Jesus responds that whenever someone is in great pain and suffering, we embody the meaning of the Sabbath when we become agents of healing.
The Sabbath is made for rest, and it is also made for showing God’s love through acts of care and hospitality.
The text tells us that those present (Jews at synagogue) rejoiced at the wonderful things they saw Jesus doing
We are fortunate in many ways in our culture, but we are burdened, too.
For example, many children in our society are as pressed down as the bent-over woman with schedules that leave them no time to play or to just "be" with their families, friends, and nature itself.
And there are many children within 20 miles of here who live with the burden of poverty which presses down on them
And there are the men and women of color across our country bent over with the fear of being stopped by the police — mother and
We as adults are often over scheduled, and our health and the well-being of our families, our churches, and our communities are affected.
If we are bent over by worries then we cannot be a force for God’s good in a world in desperate need of our care.
I want to invite you to begin with Sunday, just to begin with Sunday, as a time of peace and rest, but even more, as a time to immerse ourselves in the promises of God, the promises that sustain us each day, during "regular" time, too.
As the bent-over woman's gaze was "lifted up" to God in praise, perhaps our perspective, too, will be raised and will lead us to new and deeper faithfulness and praise.
To new acts of showing God’s love in care and hospitality.
To live lives that are straightened out. Amen
Resources:
http://www.ucc.org/worship_samuel_sermon_seeds_august_21_2016
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/livingaholyadventure/2016/08/the-adventurous-lectionary-pentecost-14-august-21-2016/
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