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A Day of Healing and Joy, May 17
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
, NKJV.
“And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 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. And when Jesus saw her, he called
her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he
laid his hands on her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”
The compassionate heart of Christ was touched at the sight of this suffering
woman, and we should suppose that every human being who looked upon her would
have rejoiced that she was loosed from her bondage, and healed of an affliction that
had bowed her down for eighteen years. But Jesus perceived by the lowering, angry
countenances of the priests and rabbis that they felt no joy at her deliverance. They
were not ready to utter thankful words because one who had been suffering and
deformed by disease was restored to health and symmetry. They felt no gratitude
that her deformed body was made comely, and that the Holy Spirit made glad her
heart till it overflowed with thankfulness, and she glorified God.
The psalmist says, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.” But in the midst of
the words of gratitude is heard a discordant note. “And the ruler of the synagogue
answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day.” He
was indignant that Christ had caused an unhappy woman to sound a note of joy
upon the Sabbath. In a loud voice, harsh with passion, he said to 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.”
If this man had really had conscientious scruples in regard to the true observance
of the Sabbath, he would have discerned the nature and character of the work that
Christ had performed.... The work that Christ had done was in harmony with the
sanctification of the Sabbath day. The people on this side and that side wondered
and were glad at the work that had been wrought for the suffering woman; and
there were those whose hearts were touched, whose minds were enlightened, who
would have acknowledged themselves the disciples of Christ, had it not been for
the lowering, angry countenances of the rabbis.—
The Signs of the Times, April 23,
1896
.
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