Lucas 13

Lucas 13

Lenski writes that the Greek text introducing her with “and behold” “shuts out the idea that this woman was in the synagogue from the start and presents her as slowly and painfully making her way into it while Jesus was in the midst of his teaching." (Ed comment: While this is possible it does not exclude that she had been listening to Jesus the entire time and at this time behold is inserted to direct our attention to her presence.) And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness (astheneia) caused by a spirit - For eighteen years should be read literally. Jesus certainly interpreted it literally (Lk 13:16). More literally caused by a spirit reads a "spirit of infirmity" or of weakness. This links her physical malady with a spiritual condition. However it does not allow us to state with certainty that she was possessed by Satan (who clearly is identified by Jesus as the cause in Lk 13:16). There was no statement that a demon was cast out when her infirmity was corrected so those who say she was possessed are reading between the lines. How was Satan involved? We do not know specifically how he bound her in this awkward posture. However, we do know from the story of Job that Satan was intimately involved in Job's afflictions, for we read "Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head." (Job 2:7) Recall that in Lk 13:1-3ff we discussed that the Jews frequently associated suffering and/or tragedy with sins (cf John 9:1-3). Imagine what the Jews thought about this woman! Talk about social stigma! One is surprised she even had access to the synagogue. Mattoon - She was not demon-possessed because Jesus did not cast out any demon in her and no demon spoke through her. She was, however, demon-oppressed. In some way, Satan was afflicting her. (Note: some speculate that this was specific medical condition - see below). (Treasures from Luke) Hendriksen on caused by a spirit - “having a spirit of infirmity” would seem to favor the suggestion that she was—at the very least, she was demon-influenced. (Borrow Exposition of the Gospel of Luke) Fitzmyer - "“A spirit of infirmity” may be an Aramaism, indicating that the sickness was caused by this spirit." Spurgeon on bent double - He (EVIL SPIRIT) must have bound her very cunningly to make the knot hold all that time, for he does not appear to have possessed her. You notice in reading the evangelists that our Lord never laid his hand on a person possessed with a devil. Satan had not possessed her, but he had fallen upon her once upon a time eighteen years before, and bound her up as men tie a beast in its stable, and she had not been able to get free all that while. (Luke 13 - exposition) Adam