Who is the bent woman in this passage and what was wrong with her?

The woman in this passage had a “spirit of infirmity” for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten herself up at all. Her body was so drawn down that she could not lift her head. Jesus later says that Satan had bound her, so her condition was more than a normal sickness. It was a long, heavy burden that affected her whole life. Yet she was still in the synagogue on the Sabbath, showing she kept coming to hear God’s word even in her pain.

Why did Jesus heal this woman on the Sabbath instead of another day?

Jesus healed her on the Sabbath to show what the Sabbath is really for. The synagogue ruler thought healing was “work” and should wait for another day. Jesus pointed out that they already did small acts of care for animals on the Sabbath, like untying an ox or donkey to give it water. If that was allowed, how much more fitting to set free a woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. He showed that the Sabbath is a day when God’s mercy should not be held back.

What does it mean that the woman had a “spirit of infirmity” and was bound by Satan?

The passage says the woman had a “spirit of infirmity” and that Satan had bound her for eighteen years. This means her twisted, bent condition was not only a physical problem but was also linked to evil spiritual power. God still ruled over all, yet he allowed Satan to afflict her for a time. When Jesus healed her, it was not only a medical change but a breaking of Satan’s grip. Her being made straight showed Jesus’ authority over both sickness and the devil’s chains.

Why did Jesus call the synagogue ruler a hypocrite?

The synagogue ruler was angry that Jesus healed on the Sabbath and told the people they should come on the other six days to be healed. Jesus called him a hypocrite because his rule was two-faced. He and others would untie their ox or donkey on the Sabbath and lead it to water, which is a kind act toward animals. Yet he complained when Jesus set free a suffering woman. The ruler claimed to guard the law, but his hard heart toward a child of God showed he was using the law without mercy.

What is the meaning of calling the woman a “daughter of Abraham”?

When Jesus calls her a “daughter of Abraham,” he is saying she belongs to God’s covenant people. She is not just anyone in the crowd but one of those whom God has claimed as his own. This title shows her worth in God’s sight and underlines how wrong it is to care more for animals than for her. If they would help an ox or donkey, how much more should they care about a daughter of Abraham who has suffered under Satan’s bondage for so many years and now can be set free.

How did the woman and the crowd respond after Jesus healed her?

Right after Jesus laid his hands on her and she was made straight, the woman glorified God. Her first response was praise, not to Jesus as a mere healer, but to God who had shown kindness to her. At the end of the passage, when Jesus has answered the ruler, his adversaries are put to shame. In contrast, all the people rejoice because of the glorious things done by him. The healing and Jesus’ words led to open joy and worship among the ordinary people.

What does this passage show about Jesus’ authority over sickness and Satan?

This passage shows that Jesus has real authority in both the physical and spiritual worlds. With a word, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity,” and a touch of his hands, he straightens a back that had been bent for eighteen years. He names Satan as the one who bound her and then proves his claim by breaking that bondage in a moment. No spirit of infirmity can stand against him. The people’s praise and his enemies’ shame show that what happened was clearly God’s work.

How does the healing of this woman help us think about the Sabbath today?

In this story the Sabbath is not a day when God’s grace stops but a day when his mercy is clearly seen. The synagogue ruler treated the Sabbath as a fence to keep certain things out, even acts of kindness. Jesus showed that the Sabbath is a fitting time to do good, to relieve suffering, and to honor God’s work in people’s lives. This passage invites readers to see any day set apart for God as a time to seek his help, care for those who suffer, and rejoice in the ways he sets people free.

Luke.13.10

Luke 13:10

KJV

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.