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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain Luke 13:15:
The Sabbath in the Time of ChristLuke 13:10-17
Excerpted from: The Fourth Commandment (Part 2)The New Testament shows that there are two types of Sabbath keepers. The epitome, of course, was Christ—who was always looking for ways to save life, to relieve burdens. And then there were the Pharisees who used Sabbath time looking for faults, even going to the extent of thinking of methods of killing and accusing. Brethren, we need to be concerned for people's potential. That honors God! Redemption, the new creation, love of neighbor—that is the essence of the Sabbath.
We've advance through time a little bit from what was done in Luke 4. This time, we find that Jesus didn't wait for somebody to ask any questions. He just went out and did what needed to be done. This episode shows God's purpose for the Sabbath very clearly. Jesus said, "You are loosed." What happens when people are in bondage? Can you think of somebody who is tied up? Their hands are tied at the wrists, and so are their legs at the ankles. And so when you are loosed, you are what? You are made free. The lesson is so clear. This woman was in bondage to an infirmity. She was in bondage to something that Satan had inflicted upon her.
On the other hand, there were the Pharisees. And, to them, what was the Sabbath for? The Sabbath, to them, was rules to obey. That is—their rules, their traditions. And so to the man here (to the ruler of the synagogue) the Sabbath was unfit for loosing somebody from their pain, from their infirmity.
After Jesus said that, He came right back in His reply—calling the man a hypocrite, in verse 15. "Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose [untie, free] his ox or donkey from the stall?" And then in verse 16, "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed [freed, delivered, redeemed] from this bond on the Sabbath?"
Do you see how clear it is? Once you begin to see what Jesus did and what Jesus talked about on the Sabbath, it begins to become so clear that He was magnifying its use. The Sabbath is the day of liberation. The Sabbath is the day God blessed so that we can remain free, and no longer be brought into bondage. (Incidentally, those verbs that are translated "loose" are the Greek word that means "to free." It's just that they chose to translate them in that way.)
So again, does Jesus say, "Oh, it doesn't matter; We're going to do away with the Sabbath anyway. I'm trying to make this very clear"? No, He doesn't do anything like that. Instead, what He argues for is a right, merciful evaluation of a person who is under a heavy burden—and then using the Sabbath in that way. He is arguing for true values in the use of God's Sabbath.
ArticlesGod's Kingdom in the Parables (Part Three)
The Fourth Commandment (Part Two): Christ's Attitude Toward the Sabbath
Bible StudiesThe Fourth Commandment
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Man With Dropsy
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Stooped Woman (Part One)
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Stooped Woman (Part Two)
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Stooped Woman (Part Two)
EssaysDid Christ's Resurrection Change the Day of Worship? (Part One)
SermonsTwo Contrary Visions
The Commandments (Part Six)
John (Part 15)
The Commandments (Part Seven)
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