The Woman Touching the Hem of Jesus' GarmentBible World
8:44Luke 8:44
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
After twelve years of painful bleeding that left her an invalid, impoverished by useless physicians and given up to die, the woman pressed through the crowd behind Jesus on His way to Jairus' home and barely touched the edge of His garment, and at once her flow stopped and strength replaced feebleness. The cure came not from any power in the cloth or in the outward act itself, but from strong faith reaching out to claim His divine help. Her believing touch was wholly different from the pressing and jostling of the careless crowd, whose mere physical nearness received nothing, while her touch made actual contact with His healing power. What the verse teaches is personal saving faith that lays hold on Christ directly as one's own Saviour, trusting His grace, appropriating His merits, and entering living connection with Him rather than merely knowing about Him. Jesus felt power go out from Him, knew all the circumstances of her touch, and commended her faith, assuring her of His compassionate approval and sending her away in peace.
Setting on the Way to Jairus
This took place on the way to heal Jairus' daughter, just after the return from healing the demoniacs at Gadara. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, fell at Jesus' feet and besought Him greatly to come and lay His hands on his little daughter, who lay at the point of death after the most learned physicians had given her up to die. Jesus at once went with the stricken father, to the surprise of the disciples at His ready compliance with the haughty ruler.
Though it was only a short distance to the home, progress was very slow because the people pressed forward on every side, eager to see the great Teacher and begging His attention and aid, while the anxious father urged his way through fearful of being too late. Jesus, pitying the people and deploring their spiritual darkness and physical maladies, stopped now and then to minister to their wants and was occasionally nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses. The woman had come in pain and weakness to the seaside where He was teaching and had sought to press through the throng that continually hedged up her way until she began to despair of reaching Him. But as Jesus urged His way through the multitude toward Jairus' home He came within her reach, giving her the moment she had waited for without hindering His progress or being able to speak to Him.
Woman's Twelve-Year Affliction
The woman had suffered for twelve long years with an issue or flow of blood. Her disease made her life a burden and left her an invalid, suffering pain and weakness. She had spent all her substance and means upon physicians and remedies, yet found no cure. Instead of improving she had grown worse under treatment. She had been pronounced incurable and given up to die, reduced to poverty and brought close to losing her life.
When she heard of the wonderful cures effected by Jesus, her hope revived. She believed that if she could come into His presence He would take pity on her and heal her.
Touch Bringing Immediate Healing
She came behind Him through the crowd that closed in on every side, unable to get near enough to speak to Him or even to catch more than a passing glimpse of Him in the confusion. In fear of losing her one chance for relief she pressed forward as He urged His way through, hoping to reach Him without hindering His progress. Silently and with a timid, purposeful reach she barely touched the hem, border, or edge of His garment as He passed.
Immediately her issue of blood stanched and twelve years of suffering ended. Her pain and weakness disappeared, and she felt in her body that she was healed. Health and strength instantly took the place of feebleness and pain.
Jesus felt and recognized that healing virtue and power had gone out from Him to her. He knew the touch and all its circumstances, distinguishing it from the pressing of the crowd around Him. He knew that her touch had brought healing power from Him and had changed distress into joy.
Faith Distinguished From Contact
The healing did not come from any virtue or power in the cloth itself, nor from the simple outward act of touching it, but from strong faith reaching out to claim divine help and taking hold of divine power. The garment was only touched, yet the cure was immediate because faith, not contact, drew the healing. Her faith rested not on what she touched but on the healing power it covered.
Her touch was wholly different from the casual contact, pressing, and jostling of the wondering, careless crowd around Him. Their mere physical nearness brought no healing and no accession of vital power, though they pressed upon Him on every side. Her believing touch, by contrast, made actual contact and received His healing power, which He recognized as having gone out from Him. It expressed trust and purpose rather than curiosity, and therefore brought restoration.
She had said to herself that if she but touched His garment she would be cured, and she concentrated all the faith of her life in that one touch. The more she set her mind on it the more certain she became that even touching Him would relieve her sickness. That firm, purposeful trust was answered with divine power that healed her.
Nature of Saving Faith
The verse means that healing comes by personal faith that lays hold on Christ directly, praying for oneself instead of depending on the prayers of others. Each person is to take Christ as a personal Saviour and come into close relationship with God, saying He is my Saviour and He saves me. That faith believes He died for oneself individually and will save to the uttermost all who come to Him, and lack of it comes because Satan has mystified ideas so people do not believe the Saviour.
Her quiet reaching out represents simply taking God at His word and relying on His power to save, reaching out and receiving the blessing. It does not require being worked up into intense feeling or excitement, complete knowledge, loud prayers or noisy petitions, or physical exercise and outward display to gain the Lord's hearing. Jesus does not fail to answer the silent prayer of faith, though strong cries and tears forced out by conflict of doubt and temptation and cries and groans from agony over guilt are heard by the compassionate Saviour with pity.
The faith that so brings a sinner into vital contact with Christ expresses supreme preference, perfect reliance, and entire consecration. It works by love and purifies the soul, and works in the life true obedience to God's commandments, with love to God and love to man as the result of vital connection with Christ. To talk of religious things in a casual way and to pray for spiritual blessings without real soul hunger and living faith avails little. Saving faith is more than knowing about Christ or agreeing with religious teaching and gospel truth. It personally trusts Him and receives Him as a personal Saviour, trusts His saving grace, appropriates His merits, joins the believer to God in covenant, and lives by faith in the Son of God who loved and gave Himself for each believer, giving the soul spiritual vigor and strength to overcome.
Her act illustrates coming into a living connection with Jesus and looking to Him for healing. Humanity connected with divinity receives blessing, for Christ came to bring divinity to humanity and people need that power. Receiving His virtue brings blessing and prepares people for His service and kingdom.
Christ's Compassionate Acknowledgment
Jesus recognized that healing power had gone out from Him to the touch of faith, distinguishing it from the casual pressing of the careless crowd, and He knew the touch and all its circumstances. The cure came not from any virtue in the cloth itself or in the simple outward act of touching, but from strong faith reaching out to claim divine help. He affirmed that faith, commended it with comfort and peace, assured the woman of His compassionate approval and love, and sent her away in peace. He declared that her faith had brought her deliverance and made wholeness His gift to her, turning her healing into a well-spring of joy.
He drew her forward from the crowd so she could openly tell her long suffering and instant relief and confess what had happened. He desired her to acknowledge the blessing received, because the gifts the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. By this open confession she was to understand that He knew her suffering, loved her, and approved her trust in His power to save all who come to Him.
While the great work of redemption weighed upon Him and teaching and healing taxed all the energies of His mind and body, He noticed the most simple things and heard every cry of need. He did not overlook the necessities of the humblest, but was awake to the afflicted woman's touch, so that the very slightest touch of faith brought a response and He knew her need and helped her exercise that faith. He recognizes the motive of every movement and judges its worth by whether it is to do His will, and He never passes it by. This careful attention to little things gives the pattern to be followed in faithful, conscientious attention to little things in cooperating with Him for souls.
Pardon and Practical Calling
The healing of the body in this verse is a lesson of encouragement to the soul defiled by sin. In the same way He dealt with bodily infirmity He deals with the repentant soul that calls on Him. The touch of faith brings pardon and fills the soul with gratitude, joy, and thanksgiving. Fixing the sick person's eyes in faith on Jesus can bring life to body and soul. Such living faith gives spiritual vigor and, through His grace, strength to overcome.
Her example shows the faith needed to trust Christ through trials and conflicts rather than dwell on them and to find joy in Him. Christ has mighty power to bless all who come to Him and He still lives. Those with infirmities of any kind should not dwell on those infirmities but move out by faith and claim the promises of God. Her living hold on Christ is the experience workers for the sick and suffering need in order to speak words of comfort and show His tenderness and sympathy. Receiving His healing touch through faith revives mind and body for service.
His followers are called not only to reach toward Him for help but to remain with Him in constant communion. Her healing provides a comparison for the cures God worked through Paul's garments. The garments were means of healing for believers, not sources of power in themselves. The miracles magnified Jesus' name rather than Paul's. The verse belongs to the raising of Jairus' daughter, which stands with the raising of the widow's son at Nain and the calling of Lazarus from the tomb after four days as proof of Christ's life-giving voice.
The past raisings guarantee the future raising at His second coming. Then His voice will pierce the tombs and the dead in Christ will rise to glorious, immortal life to ever be with the Lord.
After twelve years of painful bleeding that left her an invalid, impoverished by useless physicians and given up to die, the woman pressed through the crowd behind Jesus on His way to Jairus' home and barely touched the edge of His garment, and at once her flow stopped and strength replaced feebleness. The cure came not from any power in the cloth or in the outward act itself, but from strong faith reaching out to claim His divine help. Her believing touch was wholly different from the pressing and jostling of the careless crowd, whose mere physical nearness received nothing, while her touch made actual contact with His healing power. What the verse teaches is personal saving faith that lays hold on Christ directly as one's own Saviour, trusting His grace, appropriating His merits, and entering living connection with Him rather than merely knowing about Him. Jesus felt power go out from Him, knew all the circumstances of her touch, and commended her faith, assuring her of His compassionate approval and sending her away in peace.
Setting on the Way to Jairus
This took place on the way to heal Jairus' daughter, just after the return from healing the demoniacs at Gadara. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, fell at Jesus' feet and besought Him greatly to come and lay His hands on his little daughter, who lay at the point of death after the most learned physicians had given her up to die. Jesus at once went with the stricken father, to the surprise of the disciples at His ready compliance with the haughty ruler.
Though it was only a short distance to the home, progress was very slow because the people pressed forward on every side, eager to see the great Teacher and begging His attention and aid, while the anxious father urged his way through fearful of being too late. Jesus, pitying the people and deploring their spiritual darkness and physical maladies, stopped now and then to minister to their wants and was occasionally nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses. The woman had come in pain and weakness to the seaside where He was teaching and had sought to press through the throng that continually hedged up her way until she began to despair of reaching Him. But as Jesus urged His way through the multitude toward Jairus' home He came within her reach, giving her the moment she had waited for without hindering His progress or being able to speak to Him.
Woman's Twelve-Year Affliction
The woman had suffered for twelve long years with an issue or flow of blood. Her disease made her life a burden and left her an invalid, suffering pain and weakness. She had spent all her substance and means upon physicians and remedies, yet found no cure. Instead of improving she had grown worse under treatment. She had been pronounced incurable and given up to die, reduced to poverty and brought close to losing her life.
When she heard of the wonderful cures effected by Jesus, her hope revived. She believed that if she could come into His presence He would take pity on her and heal her.
Touch Bringing Immediate Healing
She came behind Him through the crowd that closed in on every side, unable to get near enough to speak to Him or even to catch more than a passing glimpse of Him in the confusion. In fear of losing her one chance for relief she pressed forward as He urged His way through, hoping to reach Him without hindering His progress. Silently and with a timid, purposeful reach she barely touched the hem, border, or edge of His garment as He passed.
Immediately her issue of blood stanched and twelve years of suffering ended. Her pain and weakness disappeared, and she felt in her body that she was healed. Health and strength instantly took the place of feebleness and pain.
Jesus felt and recognized that healing virtue and power had gone out from Him to her. He knew the touch and all its circumstances, distinguishing it from the pressing of the crowd around Him. He knew that her touch had brought healing power from Him and had changed distress into joy.
Faith Distinguished From Contact
The healing did not come from any virtue or power in the cloth itself, nor from the simple outward act of touching it, but from strong faith reaching out to claim divine help and taking hold of divine power. The garment was only touched, yet the cure was immediate because faith, not contact, drew the healing. Her faith rested not on what she touched but on the healing power it covered.
Her touch was wholly different from the casual contact, pressing, and jostling of the wondering, careless crowd around Him. Their mere physical nearness brought no healing and no accession of vital power, though they pressed upon Him on every side. Her believing touch, by contrast, made actual contact and received His healing power, which He recognized as having gone out from Him. It expressed trust and purpose rather than curiosity, and therefore brought restoration.
She had said to herself that if she but touched His garment she would be cured, and she concentrated all the faith of her life in that one touch. The more she set her mind on it the more certain she became that even touching Him would relieve her sickness. That firm, purposeful trust was answered with divine power that healed her.
Nature of Saving Faith
The verse means that healing comes by personal faith that lays hold on Christ directly, praying for oneself instead of depending on the prayers of others. Each person is to take Christ as a personal Saviour and come into close relationship with God, saying He is my Saviour and He saves me. That faith believes He died for oneself individually and will save to the uttermost all who come to Him, and lack of it comes because Satan has mystified ideas so people do not believe the Saviour.
Her quiet reaching out represents simply taking God at His word and relying on His power to save, reaching out and receiving the blessing. It does not require being worked up into intense feeling or excitement, complete knowledge, loud prayers or noisy petitions, or physical exercise and outward display to gain the Lord's hearing. Jesus does not fail to answer the silent prayer of faith, though strong cries and tears forced out by conflict of doubt and temptation and cries and groans from agony over guilt are heard by the compassionate Saviour with pity.
The faith that so brings a sinner into vital contact with Christ expresses supreme preference, perfect reliance, and entire consecration. It works by love and purifies the soul, and works in the life true obedience to God's commandments, with love to God and love to man as the result of vital connection with Christ. To talk of religious things in a casual way and to pray for spiritual blessings without real soul hunger and living faith avails little. Saving faith is more than knowing about Christ or agreeing with religious teaching and gospel truth. It personally trusts Him and receives Him as a personal Saviour, trusts His saving grace, appropriates His merits, joins the believer to God in covenant, and lives by faith in the Son of God who loved and gave Himself for each believer, giving the soul spiritual vigor and strength to overcome.
Her act illustrates coming into a living connection with Jesus and looking to Him for healing. Humanity connected with divinity receives blessing, for Christ came to bring divinity to humanity and people need that power. Receiving His virtue brings blessing and prepares people for His service and kingdom.
Christ's Compassionate Acknowledgment
Jesus recognized that healing power had gone out from Him to the touch of faith, distinguishing it from the casual pressing of the careless crowd, and He knew the touch and all its circumstances. The cure came not from any virtue in the cloth itself or in the simple outward act of touching, but from strong faith reaching out to claim divine help. He affirmed that faith, commended it with comfort and peace, assured the woman of His compassionate approval and love, and sent her away in peace. He declared that her faith had brought her deliverance and made wholeness His gift to her, turning her healing into a well-spring of joy.
He drew her forward from the crowd so she could openly tell her long suffering and instant relief and confess what had happened. He desired her to acknowledge the blessing received, because the gifts the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. By this open confession she was to understand that He knew her suffering, loved her, and approved her trust in His power to save all who come to Him.
While the great work of redemption weighed upon Him and teaching and healing taxed all the energies of His mind and body, He noticed the most simple things and heard every cry of need. He did not overlook the necessities of the humblest, but was awake to the afflicted woman's touch, so that the very slightest touch of faith brought a response and He knew her need and helped her exercise that faith. He recognizes the motive of every movement and judges its worth by whether it is to do His will, and He never passes it by. This careful attention to little things gives the pattern to be followed in faithful, conscientious attention to little things in cooperating with Him for souls.
Pardon and Practical Calling
The healing of the body in this verse is a lesson of encouragement to the soul defiled by sin. In the same way He dealt with bodily infirmity He deals with the repentant soul that calls on Him. The touch of faith brings pardon and fills the soul with gratitude, joy, and thanksgiving. Fixing the sick person's eyes in faith on Jesus can bring life to body and soul. Such living faith gives spiritual vigor and, through His grace, strength to overcome.
Her example shows the faith needed to trust Christ through trials and conflicts rather than dwell on them and to find joy in Him. Christ has mighty power to bless all who come to Him and He still lives. Those with infirmities of any kind should not dwell on those infirmities but move out by faith and claim the promises of God. Her living hold on Christ is the experience workers for the sick and suffering need in order to speak words of comfort and show His tenderness and sympathy. Receiving His healing touch through faith revives mind and body for service.
His followers are called not only to reach toward Him for help but to remain with Him in constant communion. Her healing provides a comparison for the cures God worked through Paul's garments. The garments were means of healing for believers, not sources of power in themselves. The miracles magnified Jesus' name rather than Paul's. The verse belongs to the raising of Jairus' daughter, which stands with the raising of the widow's son at Nain and the calling of Lazarus from the tomb after four days as proof of Christ's life-giving voice.
The past raisings guarantee the future raising at His second coming. Then His voice will pierce the tombs and the dead in Christ will rise to glorious, immortal life to ever be with the Lord.