Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman
Check out the figs on her
In this article, I will continue with another miracle from Jesus. In my last, I focused on the miracle where Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead.
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath (Again)
This miracle is different from the last one in that this new one takes place on the sabbath and you know how angry that makes these guys.
Except, when we looked closely at this sort of strong response connected to miracles performed on the sabbath, it had nothing to do with the sabbath and everything to do with the nature of the affliction being healed. We saw this clearly in the case of the man with the withered hand.
In this instance, there is a woman with a back so bent that she is practically folded in half. Jesus helps her to stand up straight and she is completely healed. But the ruler of the synagogue is upset. Keep in mind that Jairus, whose daughter Jesus resurrected was also described as the ruler of a synagogue and I do not believe that it is a coincidence. Notice also the manner in which an ox and an ass is mentioned, drawing another connection to the case of the withered hand.
The most important clue is the number of years the woman is said to have been suffering from her bent back. Eighteen, which is specifically mentioned at both the beginning and the ending of the section.
“Coincidentally” the number eighteen was mentioned earlier in the same chapter of Luke:
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luk 13:1–5 KJV)
This first section of text is just filler. The whole bit about Galilaeans and how Pilate misused their blood is just decorative scaffolding from which to hang the real message.
The real message begins at the number eighteen, and the tower that fell.
Then the story switches to the parable of a fig tree which really only makes sense if we consider the earlier versions found in Mark and Matthew.
Jesus saw this fig tree and he was hungry. But when he got to the fig tree, there were no figs because it wasn’t the right season. So he cursed it. At least until Luke had a go at things.
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luk 13:6–9 KJV)
The next part of the chapter is Jesus healing the woman who has been suffering for eighteen years. The number eighteen is repeated three times in the chapter. In fact, these three instances are the only times the number appears in the entire synoptic Gospels.
Two of the eighteens bracket the story of the woman being healed. The first and the second eighteens bracket the story of the fallen tower and the fertilizing of the fig tree.
The key is to merge them into one. The woman who was crippled for eighteen years had once been a barren fig tree. A man had come, expecting to find some nice figs, but he went away, disappointed. He had come too early.
He came back, year after year for three years, until she was seventeen, but still no fruit. Her gardener asked for one more year. He explained that he would clear away the weeds and use more manure.
The girl fruited when she turned eighteen when she apparently grew a gorgeous set of figs. But then the leaders of the synagogue shamed her into concealing her assets by walking bent and crouched over.
This demonstrates the hypocrisy of men first desiring women with prominent breasts and then demanding that these same women conceal their breasts by binding them and stooping.
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. 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, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, 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. 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? 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? (Luk 13:11–16 KJV)
The manner in which Jesus repeated the terms for bindings being loosened suggests that he was all about releasing breasts from their bindings. He wanted women to stand tall and glorify God.
It was this that infuriated the leaders of the synagogue, or the Pharisees, or whoever. They almost certainly were of the opinion that women should dress modestly, careful not to excite the imagination of men. This dovetails nicely with the case of the withered hand. Lots of hands were going to need withering if Jesus had his way.