Luke 13:16
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Jesus answered the ruler who condemned Him for healing on the Sabbath by declaring that this suffering Jewish woman, as a daughter of Abraham bound by Satan for eighteen years, ought to be loosed on the Sabbath, just as they themselves would untie an animal to give it water. Her long affliction was bodily disease and infirmity laid on her by Satan with God's permission, not possession by an evil spirit. It was right and fitting to free her on that day, for such mercy is no violation of the Sabbath, which is set apart for comforting the sick and relieving suffering humanity. Christ had the authority to break Satan's power over her, restoring her to health, strength and joy to the glory of God, and thereby revealing God's compassionate character in contrast with Satan as lawless accuser and murderer. To be called a daughter of Abraham is to belong to God as His loved and cared-for child, watched over by the Father and guarded by angels, with the privilege of resting happy in Christ's love.
Woman, Bondage, and Accusation
The words were Christ's answer to the ruler of the synagogue who charged Him with wrong for healing the woman on the Sabbath day. To call her a daughter of Abraham was to affirm her standing among God's people, for she was a suffering Jewish woman.
Her eighteen years of affliction were bodily suffering and infirmity laid upon her as bondage by Satan, who had held her in suffering for many years. That affliction was disease brought by Satan with God's permission, not possession by an evil spirit.
He set her healing against the accepted Sabbath practice of untying an ox or donkey or other livestock to lead it to water, and thereby exposed the inconsistency of permitting care for animals while condemning relief for a suffering person.
Sabbath Mercy and Justification
It was right and fitting to loose her from Satan's long bond of infirmity on the Sabbath day, for eighteen years of suffering made her healing an act of mercy and not a Sabbath violation, and the Sabbath is no reason to withhold compassionate help. If it was permitted to untie an ox or donkey or other livestock on the Sabbath to lead it to water, it was surely fitting to release a suffering person, and to condemn her relief while allowing care for animals exposed inconsistency. He had the right to free those whom Satan had bound even on the Sabbath, breaking Satan's power and hold to restore sufferers to health, strength, and joy. Consistency is a virtue, and His work is an example to follow.
Loosing those Satan has bound in affliction is a great and essential Sabbath work for the relief of suffering humanity, for the Sabbath is a day for comforting the sick and relieving suffering. On that day He especially reached people who worked during the week, healing willingly and joyfully to bring comfort, love, and restoration. His Sabbath miracles were not done to display His power but always to meet and oppose Satan in torturing and afflicting suffering people, for He came to meet the needs of those sufferers. Her healing shows compassionate care for people of every race.
This Sabbath work of relief does not permit common work, and pleasure-seeking such as ball-playing and swimming is not necessity but sinful neglect of the sacred day sanctified by Jehovah. Her loosing demonstrates the character of God's kingdom before the whole universe of heaven and lets unfallen worlds see the attributes of Satan in contrast with the character of God. God's law is a transcript of His character, while Satan stands opposed to that law as lawless, disobedient, unholy, accuser, liar, and murderer. The rebuke lays bare the ruler as on the side of the great rebel despite sanctimonious profession of punctilious law-keeping, because he does not know the love that underlies the commandments and would rather the woman keep suffering than have her healed on the Sabbath. Human maxims, customs, and commandments had burdened God's law and obscured its spiritual significance, and the ruler never forgives departure from them even while adversaries are put to shame and the people rejoice over the glorious healing.
Liberation, Joy, and Belonging
Christ had the right and authority to free those whom Satan had bound, and to set the afflicted woman free from Satan's bondage was a fitting work of liberation even on the Sabbath day. Satan's power had bound and afflicted her and had held her in suffering for many years, but Jesus released her from his power. His healing broke Satan's power and hold on the infirm.
His freeing lifted bodily suffering and infirmity imposed by Satan even after sufferers had been bound for many years. His healing restored them to health and to health, strength, and joy. That bodily restoration brought them joy and cause to glorify God.
His words still speak to a discouraged soul to resist Satan, the adversary of souls, and to look to Him for comfort and strength. The discouraged one is to cast burdens and sins upon Him because they cannot be carried alone. Trusting that He will do all, He will take them and bring to pass what is good.
Being a daughter of Abraham means being loved by Jesus, who is mindful and cares as a tender mother cares for her child. It is the privilege of such a one to have the peace of Christ and to rest content and be happy in His love. It means belonging to God as His cared-for child, with the heavenly Father keeping His eye upon her and His angels guarding her with unceasing diligence. Daughter of Abraham is a blessed name for a faithful woman, carrying the Lord's blessing for her in her life today.