Jesus read their thoughts and said, "Is it lawful
to heal on the sabbath day?"

If there had been any mercy in them, they would
not have stood in the way of this man's chance to
be healed.

But really his misery didn't matter to them, their
only interest was in whether or not Jesus would
heal on the Sabbath day.

There were those present who were curious to
see if Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath
day.

According to their Law, remedies could be taken
on the Sabbath only if the person's life was in
danger.

Some think the man was planted there to see
what the Lord would do, but it's not known for
certain if that was the case.

There was a custom at that time, that the doors
of a house were left open so that those who had
not been invited by the host could come in to
listen to what the guests had to say, especially if
they were someone notable.

On this occasion there was a man who came in
who was afflicted by dropsy. The man didn't
say anything but
hoped that Jesus
would see him
and notice of his
condition.

There was another time when Jesus was in a
Pharisee's home on the sabbath. He was invited
by one who was called a "chief Pharisee". Also
invited were other Pharisees and lawyers.

Jesus wasn't really invited out of friendship but
more of curiousity. It said that during the meal
He was watched continually.

Today a number of objections have come up
against scriptural healing. Some think the heal-
ing of the sick is unholy, that it shouldn't be
associated with the preaching of the Gospel.

Others say that the salvation of the soul is
more important than healing of the body and
it is true; but they imply it is more sufficient
without the healing of the body that isn't true.

Many have come to Jesus as Savior of their
souls because of the healing of their bodies.

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The opposition by the

ruler of the synagogue to
Jesus' healing is a lot like

those of today.

Some will go to ridiculous

lengths to oppose the truth.

This ruler was trying to

make out that he was
just trying to keep the sabbath sacred, but he
appeared more angry that the woman had been
healed. He may not have wanted her to stay in
the afflicted condition but the miracle won many
of the people to Jesus which he really apposed.

There is a difference between oppression and
actual possession by evil powers.

It is true that some believers like the woman
in the synagogue are bound by evil spirits in
their bodies. Those who are victims of elilepsy
are more severe cases of oppression.

Some good christians have been affected by
epileptic spirits.

Even though Jesus spoke of the woman as a
daughter of Abraham, He made it quite clear
that physically she had been bound by Satan
and needed deliverance.

There are those today who bacause of pride and
wrong teaching do not recognize that afflictions
are oppressions of Satan, so they continue to
remain in their bondages.

Jesus would show that the physical bondage of
Satan was not restricted only to sinners and the
unsaved people.

He spoke of this woman as being "a daughter of
Abraham," or one under covenant promise.

Jesus recognized the people as being sons and
daughters of Abraham, only when they were
sons and daughters by faith.

To the wicked Jews who claimed to be children
of Abraham, Jesus said, "If ye were Abraham's
children, ye would do the works of Abraham"
John 8:39

Peter had seen Jesus heal many people and knew
that it was true.

When he preached to the house of Cornelius he
told them about Jesus who went about doing
good and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil (Acts 10:38).

Jesus pointed out that many sicknesses are a
result of a "spirit of infirmity" like this woman
who was bound.

There are those who claim evil spirits have not
a thing to do with sickness; so, of course, the
devil enjoys being ignored so he can be free to
continue his evil work.

Jesus said that she had been bound by Satan
for eighteen years.

Jesus saved the Sabbath as an institution of love
from a narrow and formal Jewish tradition. They
had made that a time of inactivity but Jesus
revealed it as a day of worship and rest, not full
of meaningless restrictions.

It was not to be a day of bondage but for the
freedom of the spirit. Jesus' teachings are needed
today by those who have fallen into that bondage
of Sabbatarianism.