Through the lens of scripture we are able to see God’s character. Through Jesus’ miracles we are able to see God’s love. On the surface of today’s gospel are the seemingly conflicting issues of healing a bent woman and keeping the sabbath holy. While the leader of the synagogue sees the law, so does Jesus. He just understands its purpose differently. According to Hebrew scripture and Jewish tradition, the Sabbath is not just about rest (Genesis 2). It’s also about liberation (Deuteronomy 5), connected to God’s rescue of the children of Abraham out of bondage in Egypt. While the leader of the synagogue sees the sabbath law, Jesus sees the woman and knows that she needs all that the sabbath has to offer – rest and liberation. While the synagogue leader sees the sabbath as law, Jesus sees the sabbath as grace. As Jesus heals the woman, she stands up straight and sees Jesus for who he is. Can the synagogue leader see straight too? Can we?
