Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” In a metaphorical way, he asks it still. You can try to touch his robe and then run away. But if you do, you’re missing the greatest gift of all: salvation.
Review
In chapters 8-9, Matthew presents a series of miracles which establish the God-given authority of Jesus. The miracles Jesus performed prove his authority and testify to the fact that he is the Messiah.
Matthew 9:18-26 contains healing stories of two woman, the daughter of Jairus and the woman with bleeding. This podcast covers the story of the woman and the next podcast will cover the daughter.
Passage
18While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26And the report of this went through all that district. – Matthew 9:18-26
- We learn a lot more detail from Mark 5:21-35 & Luke 8:40-56.
- The woman is not only sick. She is ritually unclean and isolated from her community (Leviticus 15:25-28).
- Note the laws concerning bodily emissions applied equally to men and women (Leviticus 15:1-15).
- The laws concerning cleanliness were physical symbols to teach us spiritual realities.
- Matthew makes it clear that Jesus’ robe had no magical powers in and of itself.
- The woman is caught “red-handed.” Jesus immediately turns to face her and speak to her (Luke 8:47).
- The word “well” (Mark 5:28; G4982) when the woman says ‘I will be made well’ and when Jesus says ‘your faith has made you well’ (Mark 5:34; Matthew 9:33) is used both for healing in the ordinary sense of recovering from a cold and for salvation. The context tells us which kind of “saving” is meant: physical healing or eternal salvation.
- Like the others before her, the woman has wrestled with faith and come to believe that Jesus is who he says he is.
- The disciples don’t seem to know what’s going on and they tell Jesus he doesn’t either (Mark 5:31).
- Jesus seeks the woman, but he doesn’t force her to identify herself.
- She reached out for physical healing, but Jesus offered her salvation.
Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” In a metaphorical way, he asks it still. You can touch his robe and then run away. You can pray, “Lord, give me this one thing and I’ll never bother you again.” But God has more to give you than “this one thing.” God has more to offer than solving the problems of the here and now. God is offering mercy, forgiveness and salvation.
Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.
Next: 51 Matthew 9:18-26 Jairus’s daughter
Previous: 49 Matthew 9:14-17 Fasting and wine skins
Series: Gospel of Matthew 8-13 Behold the King, Part 2
Photo by Nighthawk Shoots on Unsplash
Podcast season 20, episode 9