Luke 8:45, commentary and pictures

On the way to the home of Jairus to heal his dying daughter, progress was very slow because a dense multitude thronged and pressed around him on every side, eager for aid. Amid that press a woman diseased twelve years and given up as incurable reached out believing she would be healed if she but touched his garment, was healed instantly, and as she tried to slip away he stopped and asked who had touched him, to the amazement of Peter and the others who protested that the crowds were thronging him. He distinguished her deliberate touch of faith from the crowd's casual jostling contact, perceiving at once that healing virtue had gone out from him to one who reached out believing in his power. He did not ask for his own information, for he already knew her circumstances, but to bring her forward to confess openly what had happened, that her faith would be acknowledged, glorify God, and teach disciples and people that faith had received his healing power. That touch pictures true saving faith as a living connection that joins a person to him in personal trust and reliance, not mere closeness or casual contact, by which sinners as well as the sick receive pardon, strength, and healing for soul and body.

Setting on Way to Jairus

The question was asked on the way to the home of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, after the return from healing the demoniacs at Gadara. Jairus fell at his feet and begged him to come and lay hands on his little daughter who lay at the point of death and had been given up to die by the most learned physicians. He at once went with the stricken father, to the surprise of the disciples at ready compliance with a haughty ruler. Though it was only a short distance, progress was very slow because a dense multitude encompassed him and pressed forward on every side eager to see the great Teacher who had created excitement. They begged attention and aid and continually hedged up his way for others, so that he was occasionally nearly carried off his feet by the surging masses. The anxious father urged his way through fearful of being too late, while he pitied the people and deplored their spiritual darkness and physical maladies, stopping now and then to minister to their wants.

Among the crowd was a poor woman burdened for twelve long years with a grievous disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her substance upon physicians and remedies in vain and had been pronounced incurable and given up to die. Yet her hopes revived when she heard of the wonderful cures effected, and she believed coming into his presence would bring pity and healing. Suffering with pain and weakness she came to the seaside where he was teaching and sought to press through the throng but her way was continually hedged up until she began to despair. Then in urging his way through the multitude he came within her reach.

Amid confusion where she could not be heard by him nor catch more than a passing glimpse of his figure, fearful of losing her one chance of relief she pressed forward saying to herself that if she but touched his garment she would be cured. She seized the opportunity as he was passing and barely touched the hem of his garment with a touch that concentrated all the faith of her life. In that moment she felt herself healed with health and strength instantly taking the place of feebleness and pain. As the healed woman tried to slip away quietly with a thankful heart, he stopped suddenly so that all the people halted with him. Turning and looking about with a penetrating eye he asked in a voice distinctly heard by all who had touched him. When all denied, Peter and they with him protested in amazement that the multitude thronged and pressed and jostled on every side, which made the inquiry seem strange and singular.

Touch of Faith Distinguished

Jesus drew a sharp line between one deliberate, purposeful touch of faith and the crowd's casual, accidental, ordinary jostling contact around Him, perceiving that someone had reached out believing in His power to heal. Though many pressed against Him on every side so that Peter protested the question seemed strange, He stopped to identify that touch and would not let it pass without notice. His question was meant to bring the healed woman forward to confess she had been healed, so her faith would be made known and acknowledged openly.

Mere physical closeness and pressing against Him was not the same as living connection with Him through genuine faith. The wondering multitude touched Him casually and from curiosity and gained no blessing and no accession of vital power, because talking of religious things in a casual way and praying for spiritual blessings without real soul hunger avails little. The suffering woman deliberately reached for Him in trusting faith and received answer, showing that faith-filled contact brings His virtue and receives its reward. That difference warns against following at a distance or being near Him without receiving the blessing faith brings, for contact with Him through faith prepares people for His service and kingdom.

He recognized the touch of faith at once because He perceived that healing virtue and power had gone out from Him. That touch made her whole of her years-long affliction, changing distress and gloom to joy and thanksgiving. The cure was wrought not by the mere act of touching His clothes and not by any power in the garment itself or by superstition, but by strong faith reaching out to claim divine help and by the healing power in Him. He did not ask for His own information and did not impart healing virtue unconsciously, for He knew every thought and need and already knew all the circumstances of the woman hidden in the crowd.

Purpose in Asking Question

Jesus asked who touched him so that the woman's trusting, deliberate touch of faith would be distinguished from the casual, ordinary jostling contact of the crowd pressing against him, and so that her faith would not pass unnoticed or without comment but would be made known and acknowledged openly. He already knew all her circumstances hidden in the crowd and did not ask for his own information, for he perceived at once that healing virtue and power had gone out from him in answer to her earnest, unquestioning appeal. His insistence that her trust be acknowledged showed that faith in him receives its reward and that those who earnestly seek his salvation will be satisfied.

He asked to give a lesson to the people, to the disciples, and to the woman herself, to inspire the afflicted with faith and hope and to teach that faith had brought the healing power and had received his healing power. He would not let her trust go by without comment, but called forth her grateful testimony so that God would be glorified and the record would stand through the ages to show that he honors the act of faith. By making her faith and healing known he encouraged the afflicted and taught all present that the cure was wrought not by the act of touching his clothes but by strong faith reaching out to claim divine help.

He insisted on knowing who had touched him in order to call the humble woman forward to come and confess what had happened. Her trembling, grateful confession that she had been healed and made whole would glorify God, confirming that she had been made whole and that her healing after years of suffering was his gift. The question drew her to confess that mere closeness or contact with his garment had not caused the healing, but faith in his power, teaching that people may be near him yet receive no blessing if their contact is only casual.

By bringing her forward he showed that he understood her suffering, loved her compassionately, and approved her faith in his power to save to the uttermost all who come to him. He commended her confidence and trust instead of rebuking her for touching his garment, and gave her words of comfort and hope that became a wellspring of joy to her. He would not let her leave uncertain of his compassion or approval, or in fear, but let her know that he knew her suffering and loved her.

He desired her openly to acknowledge the blessing received after healing by the touch of faith, since the gifts the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. Though she had tried to slip away quietly with a thankful heart, he stopped suddenly so that all the people halted with him, and turning and looking about with a penetrating eye asked in a voice distinctly heard by all who had touched him. The question filled the people with amazement because he was jostled on every side and rudely pressed hither and thither, which made the inquiry seem singular.

Nature of Saving Faith

The touch pictures true Christian faith as living faith that makes a living connection bringing humanity into connection with divinity. By that touch a person responds to His drawing and joins himself to Him. Saving faith is more than being near Him, knowing about Him, agreeing intellectually with truth, talking of religious things in a casual way, or praying for spiritual blessings without real soul hunger. It personally trusts and receives Him, relying on His merits and saving grace, and joins the believer to God in a covenant, living, confident relation that brings spiritual life and strength and gives strength to overcome.

Such faith expresses supreme preference, perfect reliance, and entire consecration, working by love and purifying the soul and making sound in a moment. That vital connection works in the follower true obedience to God's commandments, because love to God and love to man result from it. The woman's firm belief that even touching His garment would heal disease grew more certain as the mind dwelt on His power to heal. That belief drew divine healing power in answer to prayer and granted her prayer.

That faith does not depend on feelings wrought up to high excitement, loud petitions, noisy display, or physical exercise to gain a hearing. It is simple trust in the word even without complete knowledge, expressed in silent prayer by simply taking God at His word and reaching out to connect with the Saviour, and it will receive blessing in return. Childlike trust can bring healing even before a person has complete knowledge, while cold doubt prevents trust. Strong cries and tears involuntarily forced by conflict of doubt and temptation and cries and groans from a penitent's deep sense of guilt proportionate to sin are still heard with pity.

Pardon and Call to Trust

As he dealt with bodily infirmity so he deals with the soul defiled by sin, and the account gives encouragement to sinners that the repentant soul that calls on him in faith receives pardon. That touch of faith brings healing to the soul and fills it with gratitude and joy. Her firm belief that even touching his garment would heal grew more certain as the mind dwelt on his power, and divine power answered prayer. The crowd's pressing contact brought no healing, while living faith that personally trusts and receives him, relying on his merits, joins the believer to God in covenant relation.

That faith-filled contact brings his virtue and gives strength to overcome. It can bring life to body and soul. It is the trust through which believers gain victory and are prepared for his service and kingdom. Though hidden in the crowd, the one who touched in faith was known at once, for faith had received healing power while mere physical contact had not brought blessing.

Each person must pray for himself and take him as his own personal Saviour instead of depending on others to pray and work for him. Coming into such close relationship as to say he is my Saviour and saves me, believing he died individually and will save to the uttermost all who come, is what is called for. The question presses each one to touch him in the same way today to be saved now, by seeking him who is mighty and choosing with certainty and not guesswork between the Prince of Life and the prince of darkness. Many may follow at a distance or be near and press around without receiving, for being physically near is not the same as reaching him in faith, and the inquiry distinguishes a touch of need and faith from mere contact.

People are to seek him in living, active faith, coming helpless and dependent, and so humanity is brought into connection with divinity and receives blessing. Looking away from the wounds and bruises sin has made straight to the Saviour instead of deploring them brings at once healing of the terrible wounds of sin, with the healing power of grace and freedom and life and blessing for all who come in sincerity. Touching the garments means laying hold upon him by faith.

Even while the great work of redemption weighed continually upon his soul and all mental and bodily energies were taxed to the utmost in teaching and healing, he heard every cry of need and did not overlook the necessities of the humblest servants. He was awake to the very slightest touch of faith with a response, teaching by example careful attention to little things needed to cooperate with him for salvation. He knew the sufferer's thoughts and helped her exercise faith, so that pain and weakness disappeared at the touch. Though many pressed against him, he distinguished the touch of one who reached out believing in his power to heal, and his response displayed the Father's mercy, love, and compassion. In making the healing known he asserted and magnified the royalty of his grace by exerting healing power as the great Medical Missionary upon a most unpromising subject, with blessings beyond expectation that glorify God and make needy seekers better acquainted with merciful, compassionate love.

Every worker may thus lay hold upon him by faith to walk with him as companion and through faith receive his healing touch to revive mind and body for labor, giving strength and grace sufficient for each day when every jot of strength and energy is needed. His healing love freely shared amid life's crowded press makes the sufferer whole again. The timid woman's silent healing offers encouragement.

The wider passage shows him raising the daughter of Jairus to life, standing with his raising of the widow's son at Nain and his calling forth Lazarus from the tomb after four days by his word. These raisings pledge the resurrection at his second coming when his voice will pierce the tombs and the dead in him shall rise to glorious, immortal life to ever be with the Lord. He recognized the woman's act and its motive and did not pass it by, and when she confessed she confirmed she had been made whole, his making her healing a gift after years of suffering.