“And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.”
Luke 13:11
The Lord is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Scripture describes a significant event that happens on that day.
Behold While the Lord is teaching something happens that is unusual and draws our attention. It is something that always draws the Lord’s attention – a person who is in need.
There was a woman First we are told this person is a woman.
Jewish culture of the time taught women belonged out of sight and in the back of the synagogue. They were not to be noticed. This is of course is not the attitude of the Lord. In God’s sight every person is important for each soul will spend eternity in either heaven or hell.
Who had a spirit of infirmity Not only is the person who draws
attention a woman but she is also disabled. God tells us something
significant here. The woman has a spirit – here referring to a demon of
infirmity The word means lack of strength, weakness, illness, suffering or frailty. Spurgeon says of this woman, “Our Lord never laid his hand on a person possessed with a devil. Satan had not possessed her, but physically impacted her eighteen years before, and bound her up as men tie a beast in its stable, and she had not been able to get free all that while.” In some way this woman had a disease which was initiated by a demon but one who did not control her being. In Jewish society, this meant she was unclean. People would be hesitant to touch her or speak with her. In essence she would be an outcast. Despite this she makes an effort to go to the temple. Likely she doesn’t come to the temple to be healed. She has probably become convinced that this is her lot in life, that she is unworthy of healing or blessing. She knows she is in a hopeless situation. There is nobody or no solution that can help her with her problem. But she does the right thing. Her bodily infirmities do not keep her from worshipping God on the sabbath day. She comes to the synagogue to be taught God’s word and in doing so she finds Jesus.
Eighteen years Luke tells us that she has suffered from this infirmity for eighteen years, almost two decades of pain and grief.
Was bent over Luke, the beloved physician, notices her problem medically. The Greek word he uses for her condition is synkyptō, “bent forwards, stoop,”” a fixed bent-over position”, ”to be bent over, bent double.” Her spine has fused together and she is bent over almost double. For years she has not been able to look straight ahead or at the sky or moon and stars. Her view of life is the dirt in front of her and people’s feet. She may not be able to look up but she can hear so she comes to the synagogue to listen to God’s word.
Could in no way raise herself up. people might tell her to straighten uo but she couldn’t. Luke tells us of the severity and hopelessness of her condition. She is unable to lift herself up or straighten her body. She probably had seen a myriad of doctors and received countless home cures but nothing helped. No matter what she did her life remained miserable. Likely she had come to grips with the fact that this was the way she was going to have to live for the rest of her life. Not only was this condition horrible and probably painful but it would be noticed by everyone who came in contact with her. Her life was lived trying to figure out how to stay in her home and to avoid people when she had to go out. Despite her pain, despite her shame on this day, she makes her way to the synagogue to hear God’s word – it was probably the only consolation that she had in her life. Little did she know that this was the day the Lord had appointed to meet with her one on one.
What can we learn? We live with hope in our lives because we know two things – God cares and God is in control. Our situations may appear irresolvable but we know God can, whenever he wishes, intervene. We may not think it will happen to us. Maybe we feel this is God’s way for us to bring Him glory – not because we do not think He is able. In any case we have no hope it will get better. So never discount how God may choose to work in your situation. God’s will in God’s way in God’s timing. For this woman, it was on a Sabbath.