holders rejoiced with her; but
there was one whose soul was stirred by indignation only; and he, the
ruler of the synagog. Instead of addressing himself to Jesus, of whose
power he may have been afraid, he vented his ill feeling upon the
people, by telling them there were six days in which men ought to work,
and that on those days they who wished to be healed should come, but not
on the Sabbath. The rebuke was ostensibly directed to the people,
especially to the woman who had received the blessing, but in reality
against Jesus; for if there were any element of work in the healing it
had been done by Him, not by the woman nor by others. Upon the ruler of
the synagog the Lord turned with direct address: "Thou hypocrite, doth
not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the
stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a
daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be
loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"

It may be inferred that the woman's affliction had been more deeply
seated than in the muscles; for Luke who was himself a physician[941]
tells us she "had a spirit of infirmity," and records the significant
words of the Lord to the effect that Satan had held her bound for
eighteen years. But whatever her ailment, whether wholly physical or in
part mental and spiritual, she was freed from her bonds. Again was the
Christ triumphant; His adversaries were shamed into silence, while the
believers rejoiced. The rebuke to the ruler of the synagog was followed
by a brief discourse in which Jesus gave to these people some of the
teachings before delivered in Galilee; these included the parables of
the mustard seed and the leaven.[942]

WILL MANY OR FEW BE SAVED?[943]

Continuing His journey toward Jerusalem, Jesus taught in many of the
cities and towns of Perea. His coming had probably been announced by the
Seventy, who had been sent to prepare the people for His ministry. One
of those who had been impressed by His doctrines submitted this
question: "Lord, are there few that be saved?" Jesus replied: "Strive to
enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able."[944] The counsel was enlarged upon to
show that neglect or procrastination in obeying the requirements for
salvation may result in the soul's loss. When the door is shut in
judgment many will come knocking, and some will plead that they had
know