Luke 13 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

2716loosed from this bond on the Day of the Rest-Day?" 13:17 And as he was saying these2717 2718 2719things, all those withstanding him were being ashamed; and all the crowd was rejoicingover all the glorious things being done by him. 27202716Nolland comments that "The woman's restriction is compared to that of an animal that isnot free to get to the drinking water that it needs. The animal is not left tethered for one day; thewoman has been restricted in this way for eighteen years!" (2, p. 724)Marshall comments that Jesus draws the conclusion: "What is right for cattle is all themore right for [a human being]..." The Jewish scholar Montefiore questioned Jesus' reasoning,stating that the crippled woman who had been in this tragic condition for eighteen years couldsurely wait one more day, until the Day-of-Rest was over, before coming to Jesus for healing. Herneed was not as great, or as pressing, as that of thirsty cattle.But the woman hadn't come to Jesus for healing, Jesus had come to her, and had givenher release from her paralyzing bond that had held her for those many years. And Jesus did so,then and there, on the Jewish Day-of-Rest, and in the Jewish house of worship, on the Day ofRest--because he wanted to emphasize that this is the kind of "worship" and "ministry" in whichthe people of God ought to be engaged, every day of the week, but especially on their days ofhonoring God--if they want to be true to the Word of God revealed to Israel by the Spokespersons(see footnote 2710, especially the quotation from Isaiah 58). And if a cow's, or an ox's needscould be met on the Day-of-Rest, how much more should that unfortunate woman's long-timeneed be met, and not put off one day longer. If Jesus was to fulfill the ministry to which he hadbeen called, it was necessary (e;dei) that the Satanic, evil bond that was holding her down, andfrustrating her life, be broken.2717The phrase tau/ta le,gontoj auvtou/, literally "these things saying he," or ''as he wassaying these things," is omitted by Bezae and the Old Latin Manuscript e. This is once again aneditorial enhancement of the original text, in which the words are unnecessary for the meaning,and seem somewhat awkward; the omission does not change the meaning of Luke.2718The nominative masculine plural adjective pa,ntej, "all," is omitted by P45, Bezae and amajority of the Old Latin witnesses, thereby avoiding at least part of the obvious "all-fallacy" of theoriginal text.2719Compare Isaiah 45:16, the shame and confounding that comes upon idolaters in theface of YHWH's mighty actions in history: aivscunqh,sontai kai. evntraph,sontai pa,ntej oi`avntikei,menoi auvtw/| kai. poreu,sontai evn aivscu,nh|... "They are put to shame, and they are madeashamed, all of those opposing him, and they will go in shame..." which is very similar to Luke'slanguage, kath|scu,nonto pa,ntej oi` avntikei,menoi auvtw/, "they were being put to shame, all ofthose withstanding him..."2720The phrase toi/j evndo,xoij toi/j ginome,noij u`pV auvtou/, literally "the glorious things, theones happening by him," is changed to read oi-j evqew,roun evndo,xoij u`p v auvtou/ ginome,noij, "inthings they were seeing, glorious things by him happening," by Bezae, the Old Latin Manuscript e(continued...)1289