Luke 13:10-17 comments: thou are loosed from thine infirmity

13:10 ¶  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 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? 17  And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

I have known elderly people who were bent over from various diseases. Some call this ‘old-age posture’. This does not say, though, that the woman was elderly although old-age in this culture came a lot earlier than it does now for women with primitive medical assistance and unending, back-breaking work day-in and day-out. There could have been several reasons for this woman’s trouble. But, Jesus healed her with words here that are classic, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. If we are not loosed here we will be loosed upon our physical body’s death and we will not be in the presence of the Lord in a crooked, broken body of flesh but in a glorified body, redeemed by God.

Romans 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

As Jesus made His statement of why it was perfectly justified to heal this woman on the Sabbath He made a point that Satan had bound her. This gives us a clue as to the origin of certain diseases. A careful reading of the book of Job will show us that this is possible. Although it is clear that God can directly ordain someone to suffer from a disease it is also clear that He can give Satan permission to do that and we would never know the difference on this earth, while we are in this body.

Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4  And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5  But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he

will curse thee to thy face. 6  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but

save his life.

2Corinthians 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

And yet;

Deuteronomy 28:58  If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59  Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60  Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61  Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

You cannot possibly know whether God has permitted Satan to harass you or whether it is part of God’s perfect, direct will. You can treat the physical symptoms and underlying physical and emotional causes of a disease but you will not know now from where it came. But, it is clear in this passage that Satan doesn’t just afflict important people like Job. He deals his misery to common people as well. In fact, death is his bailiwick on this earth now.

Hebrews 2:14 ¶  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

There is an implication in passages like this that while we seek the most advanced medical knowledge to treat the unpleasant, painful, and even deadly issues of life we must also look to the spiritual side of illness. Consider the following;

James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.