Do not heal on the Sabbath! (Lk 13:14-13:14)

“But the leader

Of the synagogue,

Became indignant

Because Jesus

Had cured

On the Sabbath.

He said

To the crowd of people.

‘There are six days

On which work

Ought to be done.

Come on those days!

Be cured!

But not

On the Sabbath day!’”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἔλεγεν τῷ ὄχλῳ ὅτι Ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν αὐταῖς οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου.

 

Luke uniquely said that this physical healing made the leader of the synagogue become indignant (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν).  Jesus had cured this crippled lady on the Sabbath (ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  This leader said to the crowd of people (ἔλεγεν τῷ ὄχλῳ) that there were 6 days when work ought to be done (ὅτι Ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι).  They could come on those days to be cured (ἐν αὐταῖς οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε), but not on the Sabbath day (καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου).  This synagogue leader took offense at Jesus for physically curing this crippled woman on the Sabbath at the very Sabbath service itself.  He told the synagogue crowd that healings should take place anytime during those days, but not on the Sabbath.  Would you think about going to a doctor on a Sunday?

The scroll of Isaiah (Lk 4:17-4:17)

“The scroll

Of the prophet Isaiah

Was given to Jesus.

He unrolled

The scroll.

He found the place

Where it was written.”

 

καὶ ἐπεδόθη αὐτῷ βιβλίον τοῦ προφήτου Ἡσαΐου, καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ βιβλίον εὗρεν τὸν τόπον οὗ ἦν γεγραμμένον

 

This is unique to Luke, who described in detail what was happening at a Sabbath service in Nazareth.  The question would be whether this small town could afford a synagogue or have a special scroll of the prophet Isaiah.  Luke said that a scroll of the prophet Isaiah (βιβλίον τοῦ προφήτου Ἡσαΐου) was given to Jesus (καὶ ἐπεδόθη αὐτῷ).  Although the Greek word for a book βιβλίον was used, it would have been extremely rare to have a book, since even today, the scroll is used more often.  Jesus then unrolled this scroll (καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ βιβλίον), until he found the place where it was written (εὗρεν τὸν τόπον οὗ ἦν γεγραμμένον) about what he was looking for.  This would have been the common practice at a synagogue, but it certainly was not a book, but rather a scroll.