Our scripture is found in Marks gospel ch5 Vs 25-34. Jesus had just returned from the eastern shores of Galilee and the Gadarene demoniac and was now on His way to Jairus ‘s daughter who was at the point of death. A crowd of people followed Him happy to See him but time was of the essence. In that crowd was a woman, a woman that had an issue of blood for 12 years of which there had been no cure for her. She had tried cure after cure but none worked. She had heard of Jesus and His healings of Him being the Messiah and she believed that He could heal her. She joined the crowd and pushed through it trying to reach Him if only she could touch them of His garment that would be enough.After struggling through the crowd there He was, she reached out and touched the hem of His garment. In that instant she was healed and she knew, it her menstral flow ceased. That fountain of her blood was dried up. Hallelujah. Also at that moment Christ stopped “Who touched my clothes?”Knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him. The disciples looked around Jesus in bewilderment lots of people were thronging Him. “and sayest thou who touched me”. Jesus scanned the crowd and His eyes fastened on the woman. The crowd parted and she came to Him trembling, fearful of what He would say, she fell down before Him and poured her heart out to Him in true confession. Christ spoke “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Jesus went onward to Jairus’s daughter.
In considering this portion of scripture I believe there are certain truths that are relative to all believers.
FIRST HER CONDITION
The name of the woman is not given, just a certain woman. I would venture that we could put our own name there as we shall see. The Lord calls her problem a plague. For 12 long years she had been weak, miserable and UNCLEAN had suffered this loss of blood. In accordance with scriptures particularly Leviticus ch15 vs25 we read that for all women with their monthly issue of blood it is a time of separation and for that time she is UNCLEAN and not allowed to go to the temple to worship for seven days. On the eighth day she was to offer 2 turtledoves or 2 young pigeons for a SIN offering and a burnt offering. This woman had had this UNCLEAN condition for 12 years. In this condition you cannot truly worship God in His temple.Apply this truth to ourselves when we were outside of Christ.
Going further, she had spent all that she had on physicians that could not help. She had done all that she could, the pills had all gone , the good deeds didn’t work, the medicines from doctor feel good failed. Dr False peace His demand for more money for a cure had vanished. Dr Good enough was not good enough demanding more restriction in life. The point is that this woman’s condition is the same in type as todays lost sinner. Who tries as much as they can to get to heaven through their own efforts. She was failing,nothing bettered but growing worse.
HER CONVERSION.
From her condition lets look at her conversion she said in verse 28 “if I may touch but His clothes I shall be whole.” Matthews account says ‘she said within herself,’ her soul was crying out to Jesus no doubt again and again.’ if I can but touch the hem of His garment’.There is a determination in her, she struggles through the pressing crowd. From her actions and what was in her we can safely believe that she had heard of Jesus and believed what she Heard and maybe even seen this miracle working messiah and so believed in him. The crowd tried to stop her but failed. Her belief was such that just to touch His garment would be enough to cleanse her uncleanness. Her looking to Jesus in belief got her saved. Jesus looking at her belief got her saved. This to pictures the sinner of today. The Lord knows when you are reaching out for Him, the Lord sees your desire to get made clean. As The Lord saved her then it is as the Lord saves today.
HER CONFESSION
Notice her cure was sudden and complete, body, soul and spirit and It was assured to (Vs 34).
As we look at vs33 we can see her CONFESSION. We can talk about her motive for touching His garment rather than direct confrontation. Maybe it was the delicateness of her illness not wanting the crowd to know her problem. Maybe a direct confrontation would expose her to the crowd and people might see her and know of her unclean condition. Whatever her motive her faith is plain for us to see. As the Lords gaze focuses on the crowd His eyes settle on the women. Those words the Lord said “who touched my clothes”must have rung in her ears. No doubt the crowd parted exposing her . What to do! verse 33 tells us that ‘the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told Him all the truth’.of her sinful condition. Here we have it, her confession of faith, a public acknowledgement of her believing in Him . She had believed in heart and had confessed with the mouth. Hidden faith comes to light for the glory of God.
For the person who sees their need as she did. For the person who trusts Christ as she did. For the person who confesses her sin to Christ. Christ says “Go in peace and be whole of thy plague”.
Do you know Him? Were you like that woman when you came to the Lord?
God bless
Michael Whitehouse