Mark 5:25-34 (NKJV) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
V25 “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years…” As Jesus journeyed with the ruler, a woman saw Him. She knew that if she would just touch Him, she would be healed. Perhaps, she did not ask because she was shy, or criticized by others, or wanted to keep her condition private. Mosaic law also commanded that any flow of blood made a person unclean. Anyone or anything that touched her would be unclean also ( Leviticus 15:25-28).
V26 “…and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.” Physicians are necessary, but they do not always find the cause or the cure.
V27 “When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.” She sought Him, found Him, and touched Him in faith. The importance of Jesus’s miracles is to authenticate Jesus as the Messiah, show the importance of faith, and reveal the great power of Jesus, the Creator (Acts 2:22, John 10:38, and John 20:30-31).
V28 “For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” She had enough faith to believe that just touching His garment, she would be well. She knew it was not touching the garment that brought healing but Jesus’s ability and authority as Creator that bring healing.
V29 “Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.” Just one touch, and she was healed. She could feel it. Praise God. In Mosaic law, she was unclean, and anyone who touched her would be unclean, too, just by touching a person’s clothes. See Leviticus 15:25-31.
V30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” The Greek word for power is (G1411) δύναμις dúnamis, which means being able to do something, power.
V31 “But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” The disciples’ response? They didn’t understand.
V32 “And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.” Jesus wanted a confession. He did not want to rebuke her.
V33 “But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.” She was afraid of being rebuked, but He did not. One reason perhaps is that she is unclean; everything she touches becomes unclean.
V34 “And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” God, Jesus, recognized her faith. She believed He could, so He did.
We learn:
- Jesus’s compassion.
- People’s needs.
- Jesus’s ability to meet needs.
Questions:
- Do we believe Jesus can do these things? (It might not be His will, but we must believe, know that He can).
- Do we pray for healing? Compare 2 Chronicles 16:12