The King Meets the Need of a Scorned Woman

“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew 9:20-22 (KJV).

This woman was an unclean woman. It was not due to anything she could prevent. If you will think about it sin is something you or I cannot prevent, but it keeps us from our holy God. The woman could not worship at the synagogue because she was defiled. This woman was in a crowd of people as Jesus was going to the home of Jairus where his daughter was dead.

Something that is not noticed in Matthew’s Gospel alone, but is revealed in Mark’s gospel is that the girl that Jesus raised to life was twelve years of age, and this woman had had this infirmity for twelve years (Mark 5:42). The significance of this “Twelve years” I am not sure. If I remember the numerology correctly the number twelve represents a completed government. Maybe, it represents that in the King’s kingdom there will be no uncleanness, or death.

This woman had spent all the wealth she may have had on physicians who did her no good; she has come to this place for this very moment. To touch the Master, the King, the Healer, the Great Physician; and she doesn’t care who sees her or knows. She does know that she is considered unclean, so as not to bring any supposed shame to the Master she “secretly” touches Him, though He immediately knows. I have this suspicion that He may have known she was going to touch Him for that very purpose. One thing we can be assured of is, that there are no surprises with God.

With this event happening as they are on the way to Jairus’s home this even surely strengthened the faith of Jairus. Seeing her touch only the hem of His garment and her health being restored. You can be sure that this healing was a legit healing, which lasted for her lifetime. This defiled woman touching the One whom Jairus had asked to come and heal his dead daughter. This woman probably touched a tassel on His garment. These tassels represented faithfulness and loyalty to the Word of God and holiness to the Lord – every Jewish male wore them. It was the practice of the Pharisees of the day to lengthen them to show their supposed piety. Jesus did not mind being touched by the ceremonially unclean. This woman’s healing gave the ruler further evidence of Jesus’s power. The woman was not only delivered from her physical uncleanness, but her spiritual uncleanness as well. Jesus’s pronouncement, “Thy faith hath made thee whole” is stating such as this healing and cleansing. One can be physically well and not be “Whole”.

Be whole by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and the power of His resurrection.