There is a powerful story in the book of Luke which recounts the story of Jesus performing a miracle of healing and deliverance on a descendant of Abraham, a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years because of a demonic spirit. This miracle makes it so clear that the seed of Abraham is not under the authority of satan and should not be living a life oppressed by demonic spirits.
Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (Luke 13:10-13)1
Imagine this woman bent over looking at the ground, at the dust, satan’s food, for eighteen years.2 I can hear that demon saying to her, “From dust you came and to dust you will return.” What hopelessness! And then all of a sudden, Jesus laid His hands on her, and immediately she stood straight up to look in the eyes of her Deliverer and Healer.
And everyone rejoiced!!! Right? …Not quite… Believe it or not, her “pastor” wasn’t too happy about it.
But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” (Luke 13:14)
Here he is admitting that Jesus healed the lady, but shows absolutely no joy at her freedom! Those who have a law mentality care more about the rules than the people.
The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. (Luke 13:15-17)
Here was this woman in the synagogue bent over, symbolic of the heavy burden of the law. Can you hear Jesus’s outrage at this woman’s bondage? It wasn’t just wrong, it was illegal and unjust according to the courtroom of heaven. “Ought not, the woman BEING a daughter of Abraham be loosed?!” In this story I can hear the cry of Jesus’s heart, “IT’S TIME! It’s time for the righteousness of faith to be revealed to the world! They have been in bondage to the law and human effort for too long!”
What is the significance of eighteen years? 6 is the number of man. 666 is the number of the anti-Christ who will come during the final days with a great deception, leading people away from Jesus in order to rule the world.3 The spirit of antichrist is the spirit of humanism. It’s the demonic spirit that came against Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: I can be like God without God. 666 is the number of human effort because relying on man – ANY man – is “anti-Christ.”
Why did Jesus heal her on the Sabbath? Sabbath means rest. Jesus did more healings on the Sabbath than any other day. Why? I think He was sending us the message that if we are at rest, His grace will flow in our lives.
(from pages 235-237 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Genesis 3:14
3Revelation 13:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; 1 John 2:18, 22; 2 John 1:7; Daniel 7:8, 21
