“JESUS CHRIST - A MAN APPROVED OF GOD (Acts 2:22)”
  Miracle #31-   “BOWED WOMAN WITH AN INFIRMITY ”
Luke 13:10-13,14-17   

THE TEXT with commentary:
10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

Of course … the Pharisees would be watching and waiting to accuse Christ for breaking the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

‘Eighteen’ is an interesting number with 18 = 3 x 6 = 6 + 6 + 6 … which is almost like a 666.

However ‘eighteen’ is also 18 = 2 x 3 x 3 … Christ 2^nd person x Godhead #3 x Godhead #3.

The number 18 can stand for a Satan bound infirmity (Luke 13:16) or healing from Christ … however Christ will always have power over the kingdom of darkness (Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20).

In addition, today, as then, many people are also spiritually bowed down to their gods (Numbers 25:2).
12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight,
That is, virtue went out of Christ (Mark 5:30).

Christ was touched by many people, but his virtue was applied only when he wanted, as in this case, or by the genuine seeker as with the woman with an issue of blood.

and glorified God.
We are reminded of the scripture as follows …

“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down …” (Hebrews 12:12)

Many people ‘know’ God but do not glorify him (Romans 1:21) … as in the case of those who want to be like Christ, or those that want to follow Christ. But when you know Christ in the true sense of the word, you will want to glorify Christ.

This woman’s physical healing represents the spiritual healing that all may have … the true healing is the salvation from sin.  

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation,
The synagogue ruler had anger, wrath, mocking and annoyance (Deuteronomy 29:28; Nehemiah 4:1; Psalm 78:49)

because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
It’s like dog-in-the-manger Christians today … like the Calvinists for example … aka Doctrines of Grace (D.O.G.S)  … they don’t mind people getting saved, but they want to limit who Christ is. Just as the ruler here said Christ was allowed to heal six days a week, but not on the sabbath, your basic DOG says you don’t have a free will to get saved, but Christ selects you. They limit Christ’s shed blood to the few.

See how they cut Christ down to their own image? Your basic DOG Christian is a mean, controlling and miserly ‘dog in the manger’.

Back to the story … the ruler thought he was correct, but none of their 619 laws and commandments prohibited Christ healing on the sabbath.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
And here Dear Reader, is your basic Hindu religion, where people worship the creature more than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

Why are people more important than animals? Animals, only having a body and a spirit, have no soul to be saved.

Indeed, the second law was to love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:39).
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Indeed Dear Reader, Satan can spiritually bow you down with bad doctrine if he can’t stop you from getting saved.
17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed:
They were convicted as with the woman caught in adultery … they were guilty as well (John 8:9)
and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
Yes Dear Reader, this will be the song in heaven … with those around the throne (Exodus 18:9; Revelation 4:10; 5:11; 5:13)

“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:10-11)

Harley Hitchcock
May 2023

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

“JESUS CHRIST - A MAN APPROVED OF GOD (Acts 2:22)”
  Miracle #32-   “RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS’” John 11:1-45 

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