“It was the day of Preparation.
The Sabbath was beginning.”
καὶ ἡμέρα ἦν Παρασκευῆς, καὶ σάββατον ἐπέφωσκεν.
Only Luke uniquely said that it was the day of Preparation (καὶ ἡμέρα ἦν Παρασκευῆς). The Sabbath was beginning (καὶ σάββατον ἐπέφωσκεν) since Sabbath began at sunset. Thus, they hurried to bury him before the sun had set. Do you start you day at sunset?
“Woe to those
Who are pregnant!
Woe to those
Who are nursing infants!
In those days,
There will be
Great distress
On the earth.
There will be
Wrath against this people.”
οὐαὶ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ,
Luke indicated that Jesus said woe to those who would be pregnant (οὐαὶ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις) or nursing infants (καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις) in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις). There would be a great distress (ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη) on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), as there would be wrath or anger against this people (καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ). This is the same, almost word for word, in Mark, chapter 13:17, and Matthew, chapter 24:19. All three synoptic gospels have the same wording for this curse. According to Mark, the cursed ones (οὐαὶ δὲ) would be those women who were pregnant with a baby in their womb (ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις) or those women nursing infants (καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις) in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις), during the end times. Matthew indicated that Jesus said that the cursed ones (οὐαὶ δὲ) would be those women who were pregnant with a baby in their womb (ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις) or those women nursing infants (καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις) during the end times, in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις). There would be no earthly future for their infants. However, Mark and Matthew did not mention anything about great distress or anger, but it might be assumed. Luke, on the other hand, did not mention like Mark chapter 13:18, and Matthew, chapter 24:20, that it would be better if this was not in the winter time or on the Sabbath. Is it a distressful time for women who are pregnant or nursing?
“But they were silent.
Then Jesus
Took hold of him.
He healed him.
He sent him away.”
οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν. καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος ἰάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν.
Luke uniquely stated that the lawyers and Pharisees were silent (οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν). Then Jesus took hold of the man with dropsy (καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος) and healed him (ἰάσατο αὐτὸν). Then Jesus sent him away (καὶ ἀπέλυσεν). Apparently, this was a perplexing problem for the Pharisees since helping people on the Sabbath was not unlawful as indicated in chapter 13:14-16 with the crippled woman. Besides, it would be hard to tell if the fluid retention in the body of this person with dropsy had stopped. Are you perplexed about anything?
“On one occasion,
When Jesus was going
To the house
Of a leader
Of the Pharisees
To eat a meal
On the Sabbath,
They were watching
Him closely.”
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκόν τινος τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν Φαρισαίων σαββάτῳ φαγεῖν ἄρτον, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν παρατηρούμενοι αὐτόν.
This is another unique story of Luke, one of the 5 times that Jesus cured someone on the Sabbath as in chapter 4:31-35, the man with the unclean spirit, chapter 4;38-39, Simon’s mother-in-law, chapter 6:6-11, the man with the withered hand, and chapter 13:10-17, the crippled woman. This was also the 3rd time that Jesus had dinner with some Pharisees. The other times were in chapters 7:36 and 11:37, thus indicating a friendly personal relationship between Jesus and some of the Pharisees. Luke said that on one occasion or it happened (Καὶ ἐγένετο), when Jesus went into a certain house (ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκόν τινος) of a leader of the Pharisees (τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν Φαρισαίων) to eat a meal or break bread (φαγεῖν ἄρτον) on the Sabbath (σαββάτῳ), they were watching him closely (καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν παρατηρούμενοι αὐτόν). Even when Jesus was with the Pharisees in a social setting, they were still observing him, since he was under constant surveillance. Do you feel that people are watching you?
“When Jesus said this,
All his opponents
Were put to shame.
The entire crowd
Was rejoicing
At all the wonderful things
That he was doing.”
καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ.
Luke uniquely indicated that when Jesus said this (καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ), all his opponents (πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ,) were put to shame (κατῃσχύνοντο). The entire crowd (καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος) was rejoicing (ἔχαιρεν) at all the wonderful things that he was doing (ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ). Jesus had turned this Jewish synagogue crowd around. Now they were rejoicing and happy about him curing this crippled woman on the Sabbath. So ends this unique story of Luke about curing the crippled woman on the Sabbath. What do you think is the relationship between sickness and satanic possession?
“Ought not this woman,
A daughter of Abraham,
Whom Satan bound
For eighteen years,
Be set free
From this bondage
On the Sabbath day?”
ταύτην δὲ θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ Σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου;
Luke uniquely indicated that Jesus said that this daughter of Abraham (ταύτην δὲ θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ), whom Satan had bound up (οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ Σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ) for 18 years (δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη), ought to be set free from this bondage (οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου) on the Sabbath day (τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου). Jesus wondered why this daughter of Abraham, a Jewish woman, should not be freed from her 18-year long Satan bondage on the Sabbath. In other words, her infirmity was explicitly due to her Satanic possession. Do you know anyone who has suffered from the same disease for 18 years?
“Then the Lord
Answered him.
‘You hypocrites!
Does not each of you,
On the Sabbath,
Untie his ox
Or his donkey
From the stall?
Do you not
Lead it away
To give it water?’”
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν Ὑποκριταί, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει;
Luke uniquely said that the Lord, not Jesus, answered this synagogue leader (ἀπεκρίθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος). He called them hypocrites (καὶ εἶπεν Ὑποκριταί) in the second person plural. He asked each of them (ἕκαστος ὑμῶν) whether they had untied their ox (οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ) or donkey (ἢ τὸν ὄνον) from the stall or manger (ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης) and led them away (καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν) to give them water (ποτίζει) on the Sabbath (τῷ σαββάτῳ)? Despite the sacredness of the Sabbath, they took care of their farm animals by providing water for them, as Jesus questioned how they handled their animals on the Sabbath. What are you Sabbath practices?
“Now Jesus
Was teaching
In one of the synagogues
On the Sabbath.”
Ἦν δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν.
Next Luke uniquely had this story of the crippled woman at the Sabbath worship service. Luke said that Jesus was teaching (Ἦν δὲ διδάσκων) in one of the synagogues (ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν) on the Sabbath (ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν). There is no direct reference to a specific individual synagogue. However, this was fairly normal for Jesus to be teaching on the Sabbath in a synagogue. Do you normally attend a church worship service?
“After looking around
At all of them,
He said to the man
With the withered hand.
‘Stretch out your hand!’
He did so.
His hand was restored.”
καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντας αὐτοὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου. ὁ δὲ ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ.
Luke said that after looking around at all of them (καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντας αὐτοὺς), Jesus said to the man with the withered hand (εἶπεν αὐτῷ) to stretch out his hand (Ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου). He did so (ὁ δὲ ἐποίησεν), and his hand was restored (καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ). All 3 synoptic gospels have this healing the same way. Matthew, chapter 12:13, and Mark, chapter 3:5, have something similar where Jesus cured the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. Thus, Mark may have been the source of this healing story. Mark said that Jesus was angry, because he was upset at the hardness of their hearts. Finally, after all this discussion about the Sabbath, Jesus said to the man with the withered hand to stretch out his hand, which he did. Then his hand was restored like new. Jesus healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath without doing any physical activity. His hand was restored just like his other hand.
“Even though
He knew what
They were thinking,
He said
To the man
Who had the withered hand.
‘Get up!
Stand in the middle!’
He got up.
He stood there.”
αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, εἶπεν δὲ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα Ἔγειρε καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
Luke said that even though Jesus knew what they were thinking (αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν), he said (εἶπεν) to the man with the withered hand (δὲ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα) to get up (Ἔγειρε) and stand there in the middle of them (καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον). The man got up (καὶ ἀναστὰς) and stood there (ἔστη). This is similar to Mark, chapter 3:3, while Matthew, chapter 12:11-12, had Jesus go on to talk about saving lost sheep on the Sabbath. Mark simply indicated that Jesus said to the man with the withered hand to come to him, somewhat like Luke here.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 