And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
The disciples were astonished that He asked who had touched Him while the dense throng was pressing and jostling against Him on the way to Jairus's home, thinking such an ordinary touch could not be distinguished. Mere closeness and casual contact brought no blessing, but the suffering woman deliberately reached through the crowd believing a touch of His garment would heal her, and that living faith drew healing virtue from Him. He knew what faith had taken from Him and asked not for information but to bring her forward openly, to comfort and approve her trust and to teach to the close of time the difference between casual contact and the touch of faith. That same simple, childlike faith is the great need today, for as her bodily infirmity was healed, so the repentant soul that calls on Him in faith receives pardon and healing from sin.
Historical Setting Surrounding Verse
Mark 5:31 occurs on the way to Jairus's home after the return from Gadara. Though the distance was short, Jesus moved very slowly because the multitude pressed forward on every side, eager to see Him and begging His attention and aid. The anxious father pushed through the crowd fearful of being too late, while Jesus out of pity for the people's spiritual darkness and physical maladies stopped to minister to their wants and was at times nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses, and the disciples were surprised at His ready compliance with the request of the haughty ruler. As He made His way He was surrounded and pressed by a dense throng in which the sick sought to get close enough to touch Him, believing a touch would heal them.
The woman healed in that press had suffered for twelve years and had spent her livelihood on physicians without being healed, coming near to losing her life through medical treatment. Her disease was beyond the power of any earthly physician to help, but seeing Jesus healing the sick gave her hope, so she waited for her opportunity and when she got within reach put forth her finger and touched the hem of His garment and was immediately made whole.
The verse belongs to the account of Jesus raising Jairus's daughter, one of the times during His ministry when He raised the dead. That raising is distinguished from the resurrection of the saints at Christ's resurrection, because Jairus's daughter remained subject to death and decay.
Disciples' Surprised Response
The disciples were surprised, astonished, and amazed that He asked who had touched Him while the multitude was thronging Him and pressing close, jostling and pressing against Him on every side. To those around Him the question seemed strange, puzzling, and unnecessary, and Peter in particular regarded it as strange. They could not understand why He would ask this when the crowd was pressing around Him so closely.
Pointing to the crowd pressing around Him, they assumed He meant an ordinary touch and mistook the press of the crowd for the kind of touch He asked about. They thought a touch from within such a throng could not be distinguished from the many others, and they answered by noting that many people were touching Him.
Touch of Faith Distinguished
The press of the multitude about Him was jostling, casual contact, the wondering crowd thronging and pressing close, and that outward touching and being near did not itself impart blessing or healing power or vital power. It was different in kind from one deliberate, purposeful touch, for the disciples mistook the press for the touch He meant and supposed no single touch could be distinguished among so many. Hers was the touch of faith, which He distinguished and recognized and knew had drawn virtue out of Him.
She was a poor, suffering, longing, needy soul in great need, who struggled through the crowd to get within reach and put forth her hand believing that touching the hem of His garment would make her whole. That trust reaching for help only He could give, for His divine help and healing power, brought immediate healing, and virtue went out from Him to her though no one else knew she had touched Him. The cure did not come from the mere contact with His clothes or garment by itself, but from faith reaching out for His divine help and trusting that He could heal. In that act humanity had connected with divinity by living, active faith, and the blessing was received.
His divine nature combined with the human was so finely wrought and awake that even the least, slightest touch of faith brought a response, so He noticed the afflicted woman's touch despite the thronging crowd and did not overlook the humblest need but heard every needy cry. Even one as weak as that woman can by an act of faith come to Christ, be brought to Him, and He responds with healing, and no human mind or intermediary can take His place.
Purpose in Asking Question
Jesus did not ask who touched Him to gain information, for He already knew that someone had reached out in trust and received healing and knew what faith had taken from Him. He perceived that virtue had gone out of Him though no one else knew she had touched Him, and He knows by name in the same personal way every soul who comes to Him in faith.
He stopped and turned so that her faith and healing would be recognized and acknowledged, bringing her forward rather than letting her receive the blessing secretly. He still required her to come forward in public confession so He could comfort her, approve her trust, and let her know He understood her suffering and loved her. Her healing came through faith in His divine help, not merely through touching His clothes, and her coming forward allowed Him to comfort her and teach that truth.
He asked in order to give a lesson for all His followers to the close of time distinguishing casual contact from the touch of faith, and to impress that lesson on the throng about Him that humanity had connected with divinity by living, active faith and the blessing had been received. He used the moment to teach that faith had brought the healing power and to affirm the woman's trust. He also asked to give hope to the afflicted, to assert and magnify the royalty of His grace as the great Medical Missionary healing a most unpromising subject, bringing glory to God, drawing praise from the crowded company, and making needy seekers better acquainted with His merciful, compassionate love.
Her grateful, penitent testimony was of great value and was to be openly confessed rather than received secretly, as a personal experience of His healing grace to be told as a testimony to others.
Living Faith Applied Today
As divine power answered her faith for bodily infirmity, so Jesus deals in like manner with the repentant soul defiled by sin that calls upon Him in faith. That touch of faith brings pardon, forgiveness, gratitude and joy, and shows that men are to look to Him in faith for healing from sin's wounds and bruises as she looked for healing of body. True Christian faith is simple in operation and powerful in results, taking God at His word, relying on His power to save, and reaching out with childlike trust to connect with the Saviour to receive blessing. It does not depend on or require entire knowledge, high excitement of feeling, intense emotion, noisy and loud petitions, or physical exercise and display, and Jesus answers even silent prayer of faith. Strong cries and tears involuntarily forced by conflict with doubt and temptation, and the agony and groans of repentance commensurate with great guilt, are heard by the compassionate Saviour with pity but are not required to gain His hearing. Cold doubt destroys confidence, so that many who know the sacred word and believe its truth fail to be blessed, and waiting for entire knowledge before exercising faith leaves a person never blessed.
To talk of religious things in a casual way and to pray for spiritual blessings without real soul-hunger and living faith avails little, and prayer and preaching without the exercise of living faith is in vain. To be jostled by the crowd, to be near and press close, to merely agree intellectually or that Christ is Saviour, does not itself bring blessing nor heal the soul. But saving faith trusts in Christ personally, receives His merits and His saving grace, joins the believer to God in a covenant relationship, and gives the soul strength and confident trust to overcome. It is living, active, confiding trust that grows in strength through His grace and becomes a conquering power, opening the divine treasure-house of power and wisdom.
That same living faith is required now and is the great need today. Trust in Christ gives victory as certain as His death on Calvary's cross, refuses to gratify the evil one by telling doubts to others or speaking of trials and conflicts, and brings joy unspeakable and full of glory and the light of life. This faith-contact brings His virtue to believers to prepare them for His service and His kingdom and for His coming in the clouds to gather His own, reviving mind and body for service. When ministers have genuine faith with meekness and love they accomplish a work bearing fruit to the glory of God. Her faith is an example to follow, and touching the hem of His garment is the image of reaching for Christ in need as Restorer and source of trust and support amid suffering, even when healing does not come at once.
Christ came to earth to bring divinity to humanity, and young and old need that divinity. It must be sought and taken hold of by living, active faith, coming to Him just as they are helpless and dependent, praying for belief and help for unbelief. Those who would know this power must study His life of self-denial and self-sacrifice, live a consistent life, and become Christians in every sense of the word.
The disciples were astonished that He asked who had touched Him while the dense throng was pressing and jostling against Him on the way to Jairus's home, thinking such an ordinary touch could not be distinguished. Mere closeness and casual contact brought no blessing, but the suffering woman deliberately reached through the crowd believing a touch of His garment would heal her, and that living faith drew healing virtue from Him. He knew what faith had taken from Him and asked not for information but to bring her forward openly, to comfort and approve her trust and to teach to the close of time the difference between casual contact and the touch of faith. That same simple, childlike faith is the great need today, for as her bodily infirmity was healed, so the repentant soul that calls on Him in faith receives pardon and healing from sin.
Historical Setting Surrounding Verse
Mark 5:31 occurs on the way to Jairus's home after the return from Gadara. Though the distance was short, Jesus moved very slowly because the multitude pressed forward on every side, eager to see Him and begging His attention and aid. The anxious father pushed through the crowd fearful of being too late, while Jesus out of pity for the people's spiritual darkness and physical maladies stopped to minister to their wants and was at times nearly carried off His feet by the surging masses, and the disciples were surprised at His ready compliance with the request of the haughty ruler. As He made His way He was surrounded and pressed by a dense throng in which the sick sought to get close enough to touch Him, believing a touch would heal them.
The woman healed in that press had suffered for twelve years and had spent her livelihood on physicians without being healed, coming near to losing her life through medical treatment. Her disease was beyond the power of any earthly physician to help, but seeing Jesus healing the sick gave her hope, so she waited for her opportunity and when she got within reach put forth her finger and touched the hem of His garment and was immediately made whole.
The verse belongs to the account of Jesus raising Jairus's daughter, one of the times during His ministry when He raised the dead. That raising is distinguished from the resurrection of the saints at Christ's resurrection, because Jairus's daughter remained subject to death and decay.
Disciples' Surprised Response
The disciples were surprised, astonished, and amazed that He asked who had touched Him while the multitude was thronging Him and pressing close, jostling and pressing against Him on every side. To those around Him the question seemed strange, puzzling, and unnecessary, and Peter in particular regarded it as strange. They could not understand why He would ask this when the crowd was pressing around Him so closely.
Pointing to the crowd pressing around Him, they assumed He meant an ordinary touch and mistook the press of the crowd for the kind of touch He asked about. They thought a touch from within such a throng could not be distinguished from the many others, and they answered by noting that many people were touching Him.
Touch of Faith Distinguished
The press of the multitude about Him was jostling, casual contact, the wondering crowd thronging and pressing close, and that outward touching and being near did not itself impart blessing or healing power or vital power. It was different in kind from one deliberate, purposeful touch, for the disciples mistook the press for the touch He meant and supposed no single touch could be distinguished among so many. Hers was the touch of faith, which He distinguished and recognized and knew had drawn virtue out of Him.
She was a poor, suffering, longing, needy soul in great need, who struggled through the crowd to get within reach and put forth her hand believing that touching the hem of His garment would make her whole. That trust reaching for help only He could give, for His divine help and healing power, brought immediate healing, and virtue went out from Him to her though no one else knew she had touched Him. The cure did not come from the mere contact with His clothes or garment by itself, but from faith reaching out for His divine help and trusting that He could heal. In that act humanity had connected with divinity by living, active faith, and the blessing was received.
His divine nature combined with the human was so finely wrought and awake that even the least, slightest touch of faith brought a response, so He noticed the afflicted woman's touch despite the thronging crowd and did not overlook the humblest need but heard every needy cry. Even one as weak as that woman can by an act of faith come to Christ, be brought to Him, and He responds with healing, and no human mind or intermediary can take His place.
Purpose in Asking Question
Jesus did not ask who touched Him to gain information, for He already knew that someone had reached out in trust and received healing and knew what faith had taken from Him. He perceived that virtue had gone out of Him though no one else knew she had touched Him, and He knows by name in the same personal way every soul who comes to Him in faith.
He stopped and turned so that her faith and healing would be recognized and acknowledged, bringing her forward rather than letting her receive the blessing secretly. He still required her to come forward in public confession so He could comfort her, approve her trust, and let her know He understood her suffering and loved her. Her healing came through faith in His divine help, not merely through touching His clothes, and her coming forward allowed Him to comfort her and teach that truth.
He asked in order to give a lesson for all His followers to the close of time distinguishing casual contact from the touch of faith, and to impress that lesson on the throng about Him that humanity had connected with divinity by living, active faith and the blessing had been received. He used the moment to teach that faith had brought the healing power and to affirm the woman's trust. He also asked to give hope to the afflicted, to assert and magnify the royalty of His grace as the great Medical Missionary healing a most unpromising subject, bringing glory to God, drawing praise from the crowded company, and making needy seekers better acquainted with His merciful, compassionate love.
Her grateful, penitent testimony was of great value and was to be openly confessed rather than received secretly, as a personal experience of His healing grace to be told as a testimony to others.
Living Faith Applied Today
As divine power answered her faith for bodily infirmity, so Jesus deals in like manner with the repentant soul defiled by sin that calls upon Him in faith. That touch of faith brings pardon, forgiveness, gratitude and joy, and shows that men are to look to Him in faith for healing from sin's wounds and bruises as she looked for healing of body. True Christian faith is simple in operation and powerful in results, taking God at His word, relying on His power to save, and reaching out with childlike trust to connect with the Saviour to receive blessing. It does not depend on or require entire knowledge, high excitement of feeling, intense emotion, noisy and loud petitions, or physical exercise and display, and Jesus answers even silent prayer of faith. Strong cries and tears involuntarily forced by conflict with doubt and temptation, and the agony and groans of repentance commensurate with great guilt, are heard by the compassionate Saviour with pity but are not required to gain His hearing. Cold doubt destroys confidence, so that many who know the sacred word and believe its truth fail to be blessed, and waiting for entire knowledge before exercising faith leaves a person never blessed.
To talk of religious things in a casual way and to pray for spiritual blessings without real soul-hunger and living faith avails little, and prayer and preaching without the exercise of living faith is in vain. To be jostled by the crowd, to be near and press close, to merely agree intellectually or that Christ is Saviour, does not itself bring blessing nor heal the soul. But saving faith trusts in Christ personally, receives His merits and His saving grace, joins the believer to God in a covenant relationship, and gives the soul strength and confident trust to overcome. It is living, active, confiding trust that grows in strength through His grace and becomes a conquering power, opening the divine treasure-house of power and wisdom.
That same living faith is required now and is the great need today. Trust in Christ gives victory as certain as His death on Calvary's cross, refuses to gratify the evil one by telling doubts to others or speaking of trials and conflicts, and brings joy unspeakable and full of glory and the light of life. This faith-contact brings His virtue to believers to prepare them for His service and His kingdom and for His coming in the clouds to gather His own, reviving mind and body for service. When ministers have genuine faith with meekness and love they accomplish a work bearing fruit to the glory of God. Her faith is an example to follow, and touching the hem of His garment is the image of reaching for Christ in need as Restorer and source of trust and support amid suffering, even when healing does not come at once.
Christ came to earth to bring divinity to humanity, and young and old need that divinity. It must be sought and taken hold of by living, active faith, coming to Him just as they are helpless and dependent, praying for belief and help for unbelief. Those who would know this power must study His life of self-denial and self-sacrifice, live a consistent life, and become Christians in every sense of the word.