SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:11
Y he aquí una mujer que tenía espíritu de enfermedad hacía dieciocho años, y andaba agobiada, que en ninguna manera se podía enderezar.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 13:11
Verse 11. A woman which had a spirit of infirmity] Relative to this subject three things may be considered:-I. The woman's infirmity.
II. Her cure. And III. The conduct of the ruler of the synagogue on the occasion.
I. The woman's infirmity.
1. What was its origin? SIN. Had this never entered into the world, there had not been either pain, distortion, or death.
2. Who was the agent in it? Satan; ver. 16. God has often permitted demons to act on and in the bodies of men and women; and it is not improbable that the principal part of unaccountable and inexplicable disorders still come from the same source.
3. What was the nature of this infirmity? She was bowed together, bent down to the earth, a situation equally painful and humiliating; the violence of which she could not support, and the shame of which she could not conceal.
4. What was the duration of this infirmity? Eighteen years. A long time to be under the constant and peculiar influence of the devil.
What was the effect of this infirmity? The woman was so bowed together that she could in no case stand straight, or look toward heaven.
II. The woman's cure.
1. Jesus saw her, ver. 12. Notwithstanding her infirmity was great, painful, and shameful, she took care to attend the synagogue. While she hoped for help from God, she saw it was her duty to wait in the appointed way, in order to receive it. Jesus saw her distress, and the desire she had both to worship her Maker and to get her health restored, and his eye affected his heart.
2. He called her to him. Her heart and her distress spoke loudly, though her lips were silent; and, as she was thus calling for help, Jesus calls her to himself that she may receive help.
3. Jesus laid his hands on her. The hand of his holiness terrifies, and the hand of his power expels, the demon. Ordinances, however excellent, will be of no avail to a sinner, unless he apprehend Christ in them.
4. Immediately she was made straight, ver. 13. This cure was- 1. A speedy one-it was done in an instant. 2. It was a perfect one-she was made completely whole. 3. It was a public one-there were many to attest and render it credible. 4. It was a stable and permanent one-she was loosed, for ever loosed from her infirmity. 5. Her soul partook of the good done to her body-she glorified God. As she knew before that it was Satan who had bound her, she knew also that it was God only that could loose her; and now, feeling that she is loosed, she gives God that honour which is due to his name.
III. The conduct of the ruler of the synagogue on the occasion.
1. He answered with indignation, ver. 14. It would seem as if the demon who had left the woman's body had got into his heart. It is not an infrequent case to find a person filled with rage and madness, while beholding the effects of Christ's power upon others. Perhaps, like this ruler, he pretends zeal and concern for the honour of religion: "These preachings, prayer meetings, convictions, conversions, &c., are not carried on in his way, and therefore they cannot be of God." Let such take care, lest, while denying the operation of God's hand, they be given up to demonic influence.
2. He endeavours to prevent others from receiving the kind help of the blessed Jesus-He said unto the people, &c., ver. 14. Men of this character who have extensive influence over the poor, &c., do immense harm: they often hinder them from hearing that word which is able to save their souls. But for this also they must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Reader, hast thou ever acted in this way? 3. Jesus retorts his condemnation with peculiar force; ver. 15, 16.
Thou hypocrite to pretend zeal for God's glory, when it is only the workings of thy malicious, unfeeling, and uncharitable heart. Wouldst thou not even take thy ass to water upon the Sabbath day? And wouldst thou deprive a daughter of Abraham (one of thy own nation and religion) of the mercy and goodness of God upon the Sabbath? Was not the Sabbath instituted for the benefit of man? 4. His adversaries were ashamed, ver. 17. The mask of their hypocrisy, the only covering they had, is taken away; and now they are exposed to the just censure of that multitude whom they deceived, and from whom they expected continual applause.
5. His indignation and uncharitable censure, not only turn to his own confusion, but are made the instruments of the edification of the multitude-they rejoiced at all the glorious things which he did. Thus, O Lord! the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder thereof thou shalt restrain.
A preacher will know how to apply this subject to general edification.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And behold there was a woman , etc.] In the synagogue, who, as infirm as she is hereafter described, got out to the place of worship; and which may be a rebuke to such, who, upon every trifling indisposition, keep at home, and excuse themselves from an attendance in the house of God: which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years ; or a weakness that was brought upon her by an evil spirit, by Satan; as appears from ( Luke 13:16) who, by divine permission, had a power of inflicting diseases on mankind, as is evident from the case of Job; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, “whom a demon had made infirm”: and this disorder had been of a long standing; she had laboured under it for the space of eighteen years, so that it was a known case, and had been given up as incurable, which made the following miracle the more illustrious and remarkable. And was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself ; or lift up her head, look up, or stand upright; it was a thing utterly impossible, which she could by no means do; her body was convulsed, and every part so contracted, that, as the Persic version renders it, “she could not stretch out a hand or foot”.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-17 - Our Lord Jesus attended upon public worship on the sabbaths. Eve bodily infirmities, unless very grievous, should not keep us from public worship on sabbath days. This woman came to Christ to be taught and to get good to her soul, and then he relieved her bodily infirmity This cure represents the work of Christ's grace upon the soul. And when crooked souls are made straight, they will show it by glorifying God Christ knew that this ruler had a real enmity to him and to his gospel and that he did but cloak it with a pretended zeal for the sabbath day he really would not have them be healed any day; but if Jesus speak the word, and puts forth his healing power, sinners are set free. Thi deliverance is often wrought on the Lord's day; and whatever labou tends to put men in the way of receiving the blessing, agrees with the design of that day.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S γυνη 1135 N-NSF ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S πνευμα 4151 N-ASN εχουσα 2192 5723 V-PAP-NSF ασθενειας 769 N-GSF ετη 2094 N-APN δεκα 1176 A-NUI και 2532 CONJ οκτω 3638 A-NUI και 2532 CONJ ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S συγκυπτουσα 4794 5723 V-PAP-NSF και 2532 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N δυναμενη 1410 5740 V-PNP-NSF ανακυψαι 352 5658 V-AAN εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN παντελες 3838 A-ASN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Spirit of infirmity. A spirit which caused infirmity. An evil demon, see ver. 16, though it is not certain that it was a case of possession. The details of the disease, and the noting of the time of its continuance, are characteristic of a physician's narrative.Bowed together (sugkuptousa). Only here in New Testament.
Lift herself up (anakuyai). Only here in New Testament, unless John viii. 7-10 be accepted as genuine. Used by Galen of strengthening the vertebrae of the spine.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:11 {A spirit of infirmity} (pneuma asqeneias). A spirit that caused the weakness (asqeneias, lack of strength) like a spirit of bondage (#Ro 8:15), genitive case. {She was bowed together} (en sunkuptousa). Periphrastic imperfect active of sunkuptw, old verb, here only in the N.T., to bend together, medical word for curvature of the spine. {And could in no wise lift herself up} (kai me dunamene anakuyai eis to panteles). Negative form of the previous statement. anakuyai, first aorist active infinitive of anakuptw (ana, kuptw, same verb above compounded with sun). Unable to bend herself up or back at all (eis to panteles, wholly as in #Heb 7:25 only other passage in the N.T. where it occurs). The poor old woman had to come in all bent over.
