Life of Jesus: Journey to Jerusalem - Episode 6: Healing Controversies

DESCRIPTION This episode recounts a series of Sabbath confrontations during Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem, focusing on how compassion and religious tradition clash. The narrative begins with the famous reversal between the rich man and Lazarus, then moves quickly into a series of scenes where Jesus heals on the Sabbath while religious leaders watch and judge. Each episode shows the tension between established rules and immediate human need. In a prominent Pharisee’s house, a man with dropsy is brought before the guests as a test. Jesus asks whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath; silence follows, and he heals the man. The story emphasizes the immediate restoration of the sufferer and Jesus’ challenge to a system that values ritual over mercy. The message shown is that compassionate action can fulfill, rather than violate, the law. At a dinner Jesus tells a parable about humility and seating at a banquet, teaching that honor comes to those who do not exalt themselves. He then instructs hosts to invite the poor and marginalized rather than those who can repay favors, promising that true repayment comes at the resurrection of the righteous. These teachings contrast transactional hospitality with self-giving service. Further scenes include Jesus freeing a woman bent by a spirit for eighteen years in a synagogue and the healing of ten lepers on the road between Samaria and Galilee. The woman is called a daughter of Abraham and released on the Sabbath, and the ten lepers are sent to the priests; only one, a Samaritan, returns to thank Jesus and receives a deeper blessing. Throughout, the crowd delights while leaders grow more hostile, and every act of mercy tightens the conflict on the road to Jerusalem. Highlights: Jesus heals multiple individuals on the Sabbath, provoking silence, outrage, and wonder Parables emphasize humility, non-transactional hospitality, and the kingdom’s upside-down values A Samaritan leper’s grateful return contrasts with the unthankful majority and deepens the moral lesson KEYWORDS & TAGS Jesus, Pharisees, Lazarus, Abraham, Samaritan, rich man and Lazarus, dropsy, woman bent over, ten lepers, synagogue, Jerusalem, Galilee, Samaria, Sabbath controversies, healing on the Sabbath, parable of the banquet, humility, hospitality, gratitude, compassion, hypocrisy, resurrection of the righteous, story of Jesus healing, Gospel of Luke, journey to Jerusalem, law and mercy, religious leaders, cleansing of lepers, daughter of Abraham, Jesus story, Sabbath healing story, story of the ten lepers, parable of humility, Luke gospel stories, healing controversies, biblical healing stories, Jesus and the Pharisees, parable of the wedding feast, story of the bent woman, Samaritan healed, biblical compassion, ancient hospitality, Jesus journey to Jerusalem, Jesus teachings on humility