Seeing as Jesus Sees - Fulfilling the Law with Compassion

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 71:1-6  •  Isaiah 58:9b-14 and Psalm 103:1-8  •  Hebrews 12:18-29  • Luke 13:10-17

 

 

In this week's gospel account, Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath. He sees her. She doesn't ask to be healed. She is "bent over" - in a weakened state from the Greek word astheneia. For a good discussion of what Jesus, saw, and why he healed on the Sabbath in the presence of the leader of the synagogue, see Peter Woods' "Believing and Seeing."

 

What did the leader of the synagogue say? Who did he blame? What was Jesus' reply?

Should one ever "break the law?" If so, for what reason(s)? What should the consequences be for the "law-breaker?"  Consider Ryan Wilson's "When Compassion Trumps the Law," and Jay Taylor's "Making the Crooked Straight."