Breaking the Word

 Then he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and 'the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'" Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."  (Lk 13:18-21)

Mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds. It is insignificant, unnoticed and not worth compared with any other seeds for their utility. But the plant that grows out of it is able to welcome the birds and make nests on it. Similarly the kingdom which Jesus is preaching will welcome many and many more make their abode in the kingdom. Yes the kingdom will shelter people.

Yeast and its presence are not noticed. But its makes it effects noticed in course of time. Kingdom of God is such that it will make it effects noticed in the whole of creation. In its beginning it may not be noticed but it will make the whole creation leavened.

Works of the kingdom is done by everyone. No special persons are trained for it or chosen for the job. They are like the man (any man) who sows the seed and the woman (no gender preference) who mixes the flour. Works of the kingdom is given to anyone and everyone. 

He was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.  But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" (Lk 13:10-17)

The woman was crippled by the spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and incapable of standing. The description of the physical condition of the woman is quite pathetic. The time duration of her suffering also is quite long. Anyone seeing this condition should feel for her and do something to help her out. This should have been the reaction of anyone.

The leader of the synagogue sees the time duration (Sabbath). The condition of the situation and the surrounding is that nothing should be done (inactivity). Time of rest and time in which nothing should around, no emotion is to be expressed, no sympathy to be shown etc. (time of death-like).

Yet people do go out of their way to help the animals to feed them and give them water etc. Sympathy, concern, and care are shown to the animals because they are creatures and they need assistance.  Taking the same argument this woman should be shown care and concern. But much more than this the woman is a daughter of Abraham so there should be greater concern for her.