THE GOSPEL: Care for Animals, but Even More for Eachother!

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (Luke 13:10-13)

Jesus performed seven healings on the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath. This is the fifth time.  We've had several lessons on the various healings Jesus has done, so it should be no surprise to us that He continued to do them.  What we should take away from this is that He continued to perform healings on the Sabbath Day, despite the repeated complaining and threatening of the Jewish religious leaders.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” (Luke 13:14; read Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” (Luke 13:16) And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  (Mark 2:27; see THE GOSPEL: Sabbath was Made for Man) If the Jews wanted to obey the "letter of the law", the wouldn't be in the synagogues on the Sabbath.  Based on Mosaic law, they weren't supposed to do any form of work on the Sabbath.  Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 31:15) But throughout scripture, we find the priests and others with responsibility in the tabernacle and or temple preparing the offerings and performing other services on the Sabbath day.

Jesus points out to them that they even take care of their animal's needs on the Sabbath day. We are more important to God than animals; Look at the birds of the air, ... Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26)  Why would anyone have a problem with someone helping a human being who has a need, regardless of what day it is?  It didn't make sense back then, and it doesn't make sense now. Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. (Psalm 34:9-10) And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. (Luke 13:17)