Daily Exegesis

Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity

2013-05-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 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. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." And He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

- Luke 13:10-17

We were told in yesterday's reading that here were present at that season some who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of the vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'" See The fig tree.

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 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. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." And He laid His hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Let us take a good look at this woman: a binding, an infirmity and affliction for eighteen years. Jesus calls her out of the crowd, seemingly No one has prayed or asked Him to help her, but He spots the woman and calls her to Him. He lays His hands on her, a healing by touch. Immediately she is straight and glorifies God. It is similar to the story with the healing of Peter's mother-in-law: she was immediately up and about her work. When this woman is able to be upright, straight, she is in her "right place" and glorifying God.

But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" My study bible tells us, "Acts of help toward others on the Sabbath were considered work and were forbidden, except in life-threatening situations. Jesus notes that if animals needing water were cared for on the Sabbath, certainly a woman of Israel could be delivered from Satan's bondage on the Sabbath." Jesus teaches us what kind of Liberator He is. In the reading from this past Saturday, Jesus was accused of casting out demons by the power of demons. He taught then, "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." He spoke as the "Stronger Man" and in His role as liberator He expresses here what that means; it is ultimately to heal. The woman "standing straight" is a clear symbol for correction, restoration, the "right way."

And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. Here the multitudes respond appropriately; everyone can see the sense of what He does and says. As often happens in His confrontations with the leadership, the common people are pleased to see His victories.

What do we make of this story in today's reading? It is quite unusual. This woman doesn't ask for help, doesn't come up from behind Him as the woman who touched the hem of His garment. She's not a public sort of figure as was the widow of Nain who mourned her son. No friend brings her to Jesus. But instead, He is in the synagogue and picks her out of the crowd, because of the intensity of her affliction. She is literally bent over and cannot be straight; but in redeeming her from her affliction which bends her over, Jesus restores her position in the temple, and she glorifies God. This is a great and powerful metaphor for healing, on all levels that we can receive it. As Liberator -- and the language in this story is very much a "liberating" kind of talk -- Jesus is here to free us from what afflicts us. Our reconciliation and salvation -- our restoration -- are found in His healing. I read an interesting article lately on the nature of the Persons of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). It said that we know God not by "what" God is -- for we can't know that, this is a mystery beyond our understanding and capability. Rather, through grace such as the healing witnessed here, we know "how" God is. We see in this gift of this story what God is "like" -- because we see how Christ is in the world: His liberation is one of mercy, of a desire to heal and to restore, to take away affliction, and to give us capabilities in turn to be "like Him." His liberating mission is to relieve us from what binds us, in all sorts of ways. This is "how" Jesus walks in the world, in the revelation of God to us through His incarnation as a human being, and this is "how" we know what it is for us to grow in God-likeness, to be "like Him." Let us remember that healing and liberation are synonymous, and that His plea here is for a kind of mercy that people know, but that abstract concepts and rules can get in the way of. Does it make sense that farm animals are cared for in a way that expresses their value, but that human beings are not? Let us remember the Liberator and what He teaches us; from His "how" we learn "how" we are to be too.

The fig tree

2013-05-20T11:22:00.004-07:00

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of the vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

- Luke 13:1-9

On Saturday, we read that Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." My study bible has a long note: "These two historical incidents are reported in no other source except Luke. The slain Galileans were probably Zealots, Jewish nationalists who triggered some disturbance against the Romans in the temple area. The collapse of the tower in Siloam may have been simply an accident, rather than an act of sabotage, which people thought of as divine justice on sinners. Jesus passes judgment on neither group. He only registers these tragic events to warn that, unless His listeners response to His message and repent, they would all likewise perish. Perish may have the double meaning of both physical and spiritual death." The word here for "perish" is one that indicates a kind of absolute death or destruction. It emphasizes more the judgment of God, the loss of life in fullness of that meaning. It tells us of complete destruction.

He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of the vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'" My study bible tells us that "here Luke gives his account of the fruitless fig tree. It is spared from the curse, at least for a time. In the Old Testament the fig tree symbolizes Israel, which receives God's loving care in the expectation of a fruitful harvest. Three years probably represents the three-year ministry of Christ. Because of the pleading of an unknown vineyard keeper, the Master allows additional time for true repentance and fruitfulness before judgment occurs." Here Jesus emphasizes spiritual judgment again, and its connection with our own (and Israel's) spiritual fruitfulness.

There are strong messages regarding judgment in Jesus' teachings in today's reading. First of all, what we see with our eyes is not the be all and end all of judgment. When we see tragedies befall people around us, we can't simply use that to understand judgment at all, because, Jesus implies here, there may be all kinds of people who are perfectly comfortable but for whom the lack of repentance or "change of mind" really indicates a similar judgment they simply can't see nor taste. The lectionary has skipped over chapter 12, but there Luke gives us Jesus preaching to the disciples against hypocrisy. He tells them, beginning in verse 4, "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" The great emphasis here is on the spiritual death that comes from a failure to bear spiritual fruits. The warnings against hypocrisy teach us too: you can't go by appearances. The appearances of this world, the horrible things we see happening to others, the tragedies we may view, don't really tell us the full story and they don't tell us about the full judgment. So we can't judge those upon whom tragedies fall, as if somehow they are "worse sinners" -- but our job is to look to ourselves. Jesus' messages here about judgment, and the parable of the fig tree, all point to one thing: that if we want to truly think about death, then we must look to ourselves and to our own spiritual fruits. Whatever scandalizes us, whatever makes us afraid, ultimately there is one place we should look toward, if we want real security, and that is in ourselves. His teachings in chapter 12 against hypocrisy (which He calls "the leaven of the Pharisees") make this very clear. Again and again, our gaze must turn back to ourselves, our focus must be on our own repentance, the things we need to do to bear spiritual fruit. St. Paul says that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). Let us remember that these are the things which must concern us, when we turn from tragedies which scandalize us, when we seek what we think must be the judgment on others. We can't see fully into the future, into God's life, but our concern is our own fruitfulness -- and an awareness of what the spiritual life teaches us about real death, and real life in abundance. When we do that, when we shift our focus accordingly, we come to know our job is to clean up our own act, to mind our own business, and tend the tree of spiritual fruit. Where do you start today? This is a positive and optimistic picture: there is always something we can do, something positive we can be about. Let us remember that good focus!

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

2013-05-18T09:50:00.003-07:00

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

- Luke 11:14-23

In yesterday's reading, it happened as they went that Jesus entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." In between today's reading and the verses from yesterday, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, "Our Father in heaven."

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." My study bible teaches us that Beelzebub was a pagan god, "derided by Jews as 'The Lord of the Flies.' Here it is a direct reference to Satan."

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. My study bible says that "a sign from heaven would be a spectacular miracle validating Jesus' authority. Jesus refused to do such a sign in His temptations in the wilderness by the devil, and He declines here as well."

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub." As rulers and kings only rule through the strength and loyalty of their own houses, and fall when betrayed by inner strife or mutiny, then how could Satan's kingdom stand if demons were cast out by the ruler of the demons?

"And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges." Jesus is referring here to exorcisms which were a part of Jewish tradition. Jesus is telling them that if He is accused of using satanic power over demons, then those who cast out demons in Jewish tradition will be judges against His accusers as well.

"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you." My study bible says that the finger of God is the Holy Spirit.

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." Jesus gives an image of Himself as liberator, a spiritual liberator. He is the stronger man who overcomes, and takes away the armor of the evil one, and divides his spoils. The image is one of spiritual power and authority, a direct reference to the casting out of the demons that oppress and afflict human beings in the Gospels. My study bible says of the last sentence here, "This verse is seemingly the opposite of 9:50: 'He who is not against us is on our side.' Here however, the unique action of gathering or scattering in the issue: each person does one or the other."

My study bible's note about "gathering" or "scattering" rings home. In the Greek, the word for "gather" here is συνάγων/synagon. Its obvious relationship to the word synagogue, a place for spiritual assembly, tells us what Jesus is driving at. He's emphasizing His power in this realm of spiritual warfare, and the fact that He casts out demons by "the finger of God" or the Holy Spirit. As we look around in our world, we see a great deal to be concerned about. There is violence, dissension, misunderstanding, terrible crimes reported in the news, and all around us, people abusing their power -- people who victimize others. We ask ourselves why this is so. As believers, we ask ourselves why this is so. If we remember, we look back to our own Leader, who was also a victim of violence, of corruption, of envy. His power was not used to prevent His crucifixion. And I think we have to remember what kind of Liberator He is. Jesus invites each one of us to gather with Him. He welcomes us into His kingdom. But we come as volunteers. He doesn't compel any one of us to enter. He invites us. He welcomes us with love. It is the oppressive kingdom, the "ruler of the demons" who enters and occupies without consent. It is the demonic that bullies and scapegoats. Let us understand, then, what it means to be a part of God's kingdom, to be one of Christ's followers. It doesn't mean there is no longer evil in the world, nor that our lives will be free of encounters with evil, as was the case with the earliest apostles. Martyrdom was a byword for the early saints, as it is even in our time for believers in many parts of the world. But it does mean that we act and live in His name, our good works are done in His name, and every act of healing is a declaration of His power in the world when it is done in His name. "The finger of God" lives and dwells within us and among us, and it is up to us to be bearers of His light into the world. He invites us as loving volunteers, not conscripts. How do you join His assembly? What is your witness to His kingdom? We remember He told the Seventy, when they went upon their first mission, "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves." Let us gather with Him, and remember whose tradition we continue.