Luke 13:14 (ESV)
But the ruler of the synagogue,
indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There
are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed,
and not on the Sabbath day.”
This is how legalism works. It lashes
out at others while living hypocritically. Jesus points out that the ruler of
the synagogue would think nothing of watering his animals on the Sabbath, but
to heal someone, which took nothing more than saying the words and laying his
hands on them, was considered work. There was a double standard here that
needed to be acknowledged.
Notice that the synagogue ruler didn’t
lash out at Jesus, but at the people who were there. It’s easy to point fingers
under a legalistic form of religion. Anyone that practices their faith differently
than I do is obviously wrong. But that is not the heart of Jesus, nor is it the
heart of the Father. Jesus responded, “Ought not this woman, a daughter of
Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath
day?” Jesus’ understanding was that there is no better day to release her from
her bondage than on the Sabbath, the day of rest.” He gave her rest from her
bondage.
Jesus’ adversaries were put to
shame, and all the people rejoiced.” Freedom brings joy. The woman was not only
released from the bondage of a physical ailment, but from the bondage of
legalism as well. It is easy to slip from grace into legalism. But legalism
brings bondage. Grace brings freedom and rest. Not freedom to live however we
will, but freedom to live in rest and peace; freedom to stop pointing fingers
at others. May we learn to live in freedom and rest, not in the bondage of law.
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