Sabbath Healing

Sabbath Healing sees the healing of the woman crippled for eighteen years through the eyes of the ruler of the synagogue. He was, after all, the one who expressed his indignation to the whole congregation in v.14. The thoughts of Zedek may well provoke a modern-day congregation to reflect on their own reactions to unwanted intrusion into their well-ordered worship by some untutored seeker for God! Zedek needs to be well-selected and the monologue well-practised.
Reader:Luke 13.10-13.
ZEDEK:I don't like this! I mean to say - it's my synagogue, and it's the Sabbath day!

Why did this woman come today? I'm not suggesting that she shouldn't be here - provided she doesn't cause a disturbance! provided the synagogue service isn't hindered! Well, it has been! What a stir! What an embarrassment! In my synagogue! Wait till this gets to Jerusalem - what will they think of me?

I'm not suggesting she shouldn't be healed. In itself, that's good! I hear she's been sick for eighteen years. I can't recall having seen her much during that time. Guess that's not her fault. But why come today? Did she hope to be healed today? right in the middle of my synagogue service? How out-of-place! How inappropriate!

No - it's not just inappropriate! It's wrong! It's work on the Sabbath! Mustn't work on the Sabbath! It breaks the Sabbath rule! Most of the Rabbis would agree on that!

And why did Jesus do it? Downright provocative! Who does he think he is? Doesn't he care about the Sabbath rule? Doesn't he care about me?

Reader:Luke 13.14-17.
From Between the Lines. Dialogues for Worship by Peter J. Blackburn published by Testimonium Fellowship 1992, (c) Peter J. Blackburn.
Permission is given for copying of this document for local use with this copyright notice intact. For any other proposed use the specific permission of Peter J. Blackburn must be sought.
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