Luke 13:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The suffering endured by the woman stemmed from the malice of the devil, as the Lord states, ‘whom Satan had bound for eighteen years.’ It may be the case that Satan afflicted her because she was abandoned by God due to some transgression. For he, when granted permission from the Almighty, wreaks havoc upon the bodies of humanity (Job 2:6-7). He was also the initial cause of our loss of the incorruptibility for which we were formed (Prem. 2:23), resulting in our current condition of being connected to a frail and susceptible body. This is what is hinted at by the reference to the leathern vesture (Gen. 3:21). It is worth considering that these miracles also pertain to the inner self.

In the synagogue, there was a woman who had endured an affliction for eighteen years. Her situation may hold significance for those who are discerning, as we can glean important lessons from it. This incident reveals that the adversary often exerts influence over certain individuals, particularly those who have stumbled into sin and weakened their resolve towards righteousness. Those he ensnares may find themselves afflicted with physical ailments, for he delights in their suffering and shows no mercy. The all-knowing God permits this opportunity, allowing individuals, worn down by their trials, to find peace and be led towards a more righteous path. This is analogous to St.

How swiftly the evangelist indicates that he refers to the synagogue! Through His preaching in the synagogue, the Lord reveals His arrival at the fig tree. This weak woman represents the Church, which, having fulfilled the law and experienced the resurrection, will ascend to eternal rest on high, free from our frail limitations. This woman could only be restored through the law and divine grace: by obeying the commandments and undergoing the sacred baptism, where we die to the present age and rise with Christ. The ten commandments embody perfection, while the concept of the resurrection encompasses wholeness.

She was afflicted by a spirit of weakness, a demonic presence that inflicted suffering upon her and hindered her healing.

It has been mentioned earlier that this marked the Lord's third visit to the unproductive fig tree, symbolized by the number eighteen associated with the twisted woman. Humanity was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1:27), and it was on that same day that all of God’s creations were completed. When we multiply six by three, we arrive at eighteen. Thus, because humanity, formed on the sixth day, resisted divine works and was weak before the Law, under the Law, and in the early days of grace, it is represented by a bent woman aged eighteen. She suffered and could not stand straight. Every sinner who fixates on worldly matters and neglects to pursue the things of heaven remains unable to look upward.

The ailing woman was of Hebrew lineage, tracing her ancestry back to Abraham. Her faithfulness led her to attend the assembly on the Sabbath, where she could hear the reading and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. However, the Evangelist did not describe her condition as merely physical sickness; instead, he referred to her as having an infirm spirit, illustrating how she was tormented by an evil force, specifically Satan, for many years. This condition, described as a debilitating backwardness of the head, caused her to be hunched over, making it difficult for her to lift her gaze towards the heavens. The affliction was so severe that she appeared almost like an iron ring, rather than a human being. This portrayal serves as a metaphor for humanity, influenced by the devil, perpetually focused on earthly pursuits, failing to look up towards God and forgetful of judgment and eternal life.

Following an extensive dialogue, whether with the Pharisees, the legal experts, the disciples, or the gathered crowds, we find the Lord within the synagogue, surrounded by the same community. The people accompanied Him tirelessly, actively engaging with Him, even while remaining loyal to their previous leaders. Despite it being the Sabbath, the Lord performed a healing miracle for a woman who had suffered for eighteen years, right before the ruler of the synagogue. This ruler, fearing to criticize the Lord for His healing work, instead admonished the crowd for seeking healing on the Sabbath, which he deemed contrary to the law; nevertheless, the people rejoiced in the marvelous act of Christ.

During the same period that Christ responded to the news of Pilate's massacre of the Galileans, Luke recounts another significant event. While Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, He encountered a woman who had been disabled by the oppression of Satan for eighteen years and was unable to stand straight. Jesus healed her, which provoked the anger of the synagogue leader. He and his associates instructed the crowd that no work should be performed on the Sabbath, even healing the ill, while Jesus, in a display of divine authority, demonstrated the opposite through His miraculous workings on that day. By doing so, He challenged the traditional interpretations held by the scribes and Pharisees who positioned themselves as the law's authority.

During His time in Galilee, Jesus visited the synagogue on the Sabbath and performed a miraculous healing, restoring a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years. While the Pharisees remained silent, the synagogue leader voiced his disapproval, urging the congregation to seek healing on the other six days instead of the Sabbath. Christ had repeatedly taught that performing acts of kindness on the Sabbath was permissible. He illustrated this by pointing out that if they could attend to their animals on that day, then it was certainly right to aid others and alleviate their suffering, even on the Sabbath (refer to Matthew 12 regarding healing on the Sabbath). Concerning the afflicted woman, Jesus declared that Satan had held her captive for eighteen years.

In accordance with His teachings, Christ carried on His ministry in Galilee for a period, during which He performed multiple miracles, including the healing of a woman who had been afflicted for eighteen years and restoring a man suffering from dropsy. As these miracles took place on the Sabbath, they once again provoked discontent among the Pharisees. However, this also provided the Savior an opportunity to elucidate the true intention of the Sabbath, which is not opposed to doing good for others. If the legalists are willing to assist animals on the Sabbath, such as rescuing a donkey or an ox from a pit, it is even more justifiable to extend kindness to our fellow beings. This reasoning embarrassed those present, leaving them without response. See also the interpretation of this healing: Mk. 3:1-6.

Eighteen years signifies that the duration of her suffering added to the magnificence of the miracle. The term "having a spirit of infirmity" indicates that the woman's condition stemmed from a malignant spirit, as further clarified by the Savior's remarks about Satan being bound (Luke 13:16).

During a Sabbath teaching in one of the synagogues, Christ noticed a woman who was crippled due to an evil spirit, unable to stand or bend. The Lord had permitted this affliction, reminiscent of His allowance of suffering in Job's life (Job 1:12; Job 2:6-7). She had endured this condition for eighteen years. Jesus called her to come near and, laying His hands on her, proclaimed, ‘Thou shalt be delivered from thy affliction.’ Instantly, she was healed and began to glorify God (Luke 13:10-13).