Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 13:15

"But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?" — Luke 13:15 (ASV)

Doth not each one of you ...?—The principle is the same as that in Matthew 12:11 (see the note there), but the case is presented in an even stronger form. In that case, the illustration is drawn from what might seem like an exceptional act for an exceptional emergency; here, it is drawn from the regular practice of people when their own interests were concerned. If they argued that it was not for their own interests, but out of humane concern for the animals entrusted to their care, the answer was obvious that a daughter of Abraham was “better” than an ox or a donkey.