Emphasis Preaching Journal

William Barclay has observed that this was the last time we hear of Jesus being in the synagogue. He was teaching on the sabbath when Jesus saw in the crowd a woman bent over for eighteen years. Eighteen years of misery and pain and probably derision. That first century could be a cruel time. Jesus reached out in compassion and healed the woman. The president of the synagogue was distressed by Jesus' action. He did not confront Jesus but turned toward the crowd and rebuked Jesus for breaking the sabbath. Jesus had little patience with such a response.