In order to engage fruitfully in the See, Judge, Act method of bible study we need both an open mind and a willing heart. Our desire is to truly listen to the voice of the Spirit in our midst. Take a deep breath as you invite the Spirit to whisper into your soul as you study ...
Luke 13:10-17 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’ But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Context: Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Synagogues were common in the time of Jesus. Most towns with at least 10 Jewish men/families had a synagogue while larger communities may have had more than one. The Greek word ({soon-ag-o-gay'} sunagoge) that is translated synagogue means gathering. The Synagogue was an assembly of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayers and listen to the reading and expositions of the scriptures. Synagogues seem to date their origin from the Babylonian exile. (Source: Strong’s 4864 in BibleWorks™ Copyright © 1992-2005 BibleWorks, LLC) The Synagogue was the center of life for the Jew and served to keep the community together, especially in times and places of disconnection and foreign rule. A Synagogue should not be confused with The Temple in Jerusalem. Jewish people were required to observe the Sabbath, which was the seventh day of each week during which the Israelites gathered for prayer and study. They were required to abstain from all work on the Sabbath. During Sabbath worship, the prayer leader, readers, and even those who delivered the short sermon could be any adult member of the community. All were recognized as being able to share the meaning of the Word as revealed to them in their daily walk with God. In this way, the community encouraged even its youngest members to be active participants in religious life. (Source: Follow the Rabbi)
See (Read the Text closely/Examination:) In this movement we pay attention to the story, the characters, and their context. Read the text slowly. How would you describe the scene as it unfolds in your imagination? As you read the story, who do you understand … who do you identify with?
Imagine you are sitting in the synagogue listening to Jesus teach. Into this gathering wanders a woman who has been stooped over for 18 years, unable to see where she was going or to look people in the eye. Do you know this woman or is she new to the worshipping community? What is your immediate reaction to her? Jesus calls her to him and says, “You are set free … from your ailment” as he lays his hands upon her. How would you describe her “ailment” to someone? How does this “healing” make you feel about Jesus? What does it teach you about Jesus? When he reaches out to touch her … and she stands up … what do you think? Do you join her in praising God?
Suddenly, everything turns. Stand in the shoes of the synagogue leader who objects to this “work” on the Sabbath. How would you describe his display of emotion? Can you understand where this leader is coming from? What are leaders generally charged to do in a community? Rules are rules, right? What is the purpose of rules? Are you a “rule-follower” or a “rule-breaker?” What does his “rule-breaking” tell you about Jesus? How does Jesus confront hypocrisy? How does Jesus help the people to see “Sabbath” in a new way? Did the leader join in praising God after being shamed into it? If so, was his praise sincere? Does it matter?
Walk for a moment in the shoes of the women … what is it like to look at your shoes every waking moment? Why do you walk into the synagogue this Sabbath day? Did you know this healing man was there? What are you hoping for? What do you feel in your body as the healing spirit courses through you? When was the last time you felt such joy? How do you feel when such controversy arises from your situation? What does it mean to you to be restored to community?
Sit for a moment as Jesus in the synagogue … teaching. How is it that you become the teacher for the day? When the woman walks in what do you “see” in her? Why do you touch her? Is her infirmity physical or spiritual? What causes you to break the Sabbath? How would you describe Sabbath to someone today who doesn’t have the Jewish sense of Sabbath? Where do you get your sense of what is really important? What causes you to confront the synagogue leader?
What is the overall message the writer of this story wishes to convey? What do you think the writer is trying to say to his community? Can you hear that message coming through without explanation? What does Jesus want to say to your community?
Judge (Look at your Life/Spiritual Discernment:) In this movement, we are seeking to examine our own lives as we live in community. Keeping the context of the passage and your examination of the text in mind, meditate on these questions: In what ways does this passage speak to our community today? Who are the “crippled” people in our midst? What is the good news they need to hear? How should I view my community in light of what I “see?” What is God's purpose for the community that takes this passage seriously? Jesus made a difference in the lives of one crippled woman and an entire community. Are we making a difference in the life of our church, our community, our world? How does this passage challenge our way of "being" the church. How can we embody and encourage the flourishing of the kingdom of God … wherever we are … in the church and in the world?
How does this passage challenge the way I live my life? What changes do I need to make in ... my behavior, my perspective, my way of thinking or my way of praying in light of what I have learned through this text? What invitation do I hear the Spirit whispering in my soul?
Act (Take action in Light of your Faith/Transformation:) We are called to work so that the reign of God can be realized in the world today. As we work with creativity and compassion, we follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Meditate on these questions with the expectation that God will show you how to take action as you sincerely seek empowerment of Spirit: What steps does my community or do I need to take in order to respond to the invitation of God through this story? Who needs to be involved as I work through the hypocrisy that emerges and manifests itself? How will changes happen? How can I make this world a better place for people who are burdened? How can our community support people who are in desperate need of healing? How can we be the healing hands that reach out into the world? What would my life look like if the reign of God were realized in my heart? in my community?
Pray this simple prayer: Dear God, thank you for the way Jesus confronts us in our complacency. Mold me into a faithful follower of Christ so I can reach out with healing hands to set free those who are stooped over from their burdens. Amen.
Bible Reflection and Prayer: The second movement of Encountering Jesus is Bible Reflection. Take a deep breath and engage in a time of praying with Scripture called Lectio Divina, which means "sacred reading." We are using the monastic Lectio Divina method you can find on the Contemplative Outreach Website.
Lectio (Reading) Read the Scripture passage as if for the first time and listen with the "ear of your heart." Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’ But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. What phrase, sentence or even one word stands out to you? Repeat that phrase, sentence or one word over and over, allowing it to settle deeply in your heart. Repeat the phrase, sentence or one word, savoring it in your heart.
Meditatio (Reflecting) Reflect as you relish the words. Let them resound in your heart. Let an attitude of quiet receptiveness permeate the prayer time. Be attentive to what speaks to your heart.
Oratio (Responding) Respond spontaneously as you continue to listen to a phrase, sentence or word. A prayer of praise, thanksgiving or petition may arise. Offer your prayer, and return to repeating the word in your heart.
Contemplatio (Resting) Rest in God. Simply "be with" God's presence as you open yourself to a deeper hearing of the Word of God. If you feel drawn back to the scriptures, follow the lead of the Spirit.
As you move from your prayers and go "on your way" take a word or a phrase with you … carry it in your heart to help you stay focused on God's movement in your life ... Peace be with you
When it comes to rule, especially in church, there is a dichotomy. On the one hand, we read a passage like this and cheer Jesus. He's right, we know he's right, and the church leaders are just too rigid to see things the way they should be. That's one of Jesus's main teachings: when something doesn't work, fix it. Cut to modern day and here we are with our churches and our rules and our ways. True, they're fashioned after Jesus's teachings but they have become rote and set in stone. Are we not, now, the very people Jesus rebelled against? But, then, if we constantly rebel and do things our own way, anarchy results. Then, there must be some rules.
ReplyDeleteAh, but then which rules are really set in stone and which rules can we feel okay with breaking. Jesus healed the woman on the Sabbath. Was it work? Hard to say as he only placed his hands on her as we might place our hands on bread to eat it. It certainly doesn't appear to *be* work since the work is invisible. I've always taken this story as the church leader getting angry because he sees his power eroding in the face of Jesus.
Dichotomy. The gray middle area. Is that not where most of us live our lives anyway, despite the desire to create black-and-white rules? I once had a history professor who stated on day one that an 89 is a B. An 89.4 is still a B. And 89.9 is still a B. Period. End of discussion. Rules, as good and practical as they are, tend to remove emotion from decisions. There is a place--a necessity--for decisions to be based not on emotions but the rules. I always subscribe to the gray areas. Human judgement is just as important as solid rules. Thus, I realize that, as I cheer Jesus and fist-pump as he sticks it to the church leader, I also realize that I am, often, the church leader.
Well said ... I too find myself in the gray area most of the time. Yet that means I err on the side of (almost) anything goes most of the time. I think what I love about Jesus the most is that he challenges me to to "see" each person who crosses my path and to think through every situation I find myself in. Yet that means I have to try to "see" those with whom I disagree with compassion even if that one doesn't see me that way! That is my real challenge.
ReplyDeleteFeedback from Sunday Night Bible Study: We had a great discussion tonight! As we walked in the shoes of the woman, we found our focus turning toward what Jesus did for her rather than on the power struggle between Jesus and the Pharisee. Even today women are often treated as inferior beings and live under a spirit of condemnation ... a spirit that "cripples." We reached up and pulled down the New Interpreters Bible Commentary. It pointed out that "several features of the story suggest that the woman's condition may be seen as indicative of her diminished status as a woman. As in other scenes in Luke in which Jesus responds to the needs of a woman, this scene points to a new status for women in the kingdom of God!" This story is not just the story of one woman ... it is the story of all women who are set free from the bondage of worthlessness because "Jesus says so!"
ReplyDeleteLet us join together with all the saints "rejoicing at all the wonderful things" Jesus does for the daughters of Abraham.