The Woman With The Issue Of Blood
Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48
Twelve years is a long time for anyone to have to suffer a chronic illness, as did the woman in this story. She remains nameless to any who read her account in these three books of the Bible, but not nameless to her Creator and even given a title of endearment by Christ in all three accounts.
Matthew has the vaguest account of this woman, while Mark and Luke give more details of the particulars. All three accounts show a beautiful picture of the faith of this woman and the miracle that took place as a result of her faith. Her story unfolds in three stages: the problem, the plan, and the product.
The Problem
Mark 5:25-26 "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,"
Right away, the reader is informed this woman had been diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years and had spent all her money on physicians, but did not get any better from as a result of their medical knowledge but instead got worse. When scripture is compared with scripture, one might also conclude she was an even an outcast because of this illness and possibly all alone as well as poor and penniless. In John chapter 9, the disciples ask Jesus of a man blind from birth if his sin or the sin of his parents caused him to be blind. There are many accounts of disease, illness and death as result of sin of self or sin of parents. Miriam became leprous as a result of her gossip against Moses' Ethiopian wife (Numbers 12:10). The sin of David cost him the life of his newborn son (2 Samuel 12:18). Why, even all the way from the beginning of the Bible, death entered the world from the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12). So this question asked by the disciples had validity, and they were curious if the man was blind because of himself or his parents. Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." God was to get all the glory for the healing of this man. God was to get all the glory for the healing of this woman as well.
The Plan
Mark 5:27-28 "When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole."
This was a woman on a mission. Her encounter with Jesus this day was not an accidental coincidence. She purposed in her heart to be with Jesus and touch Him. Jesus had already performed miracles. Most likely she heard of His miracles and sought one for herself as well. In Mark 1, Jesus cast out unclean spirits and healed many that had diseases and were sick, including Peter's sick mother-in-law. In Mark 2, Jesus healed a lame man after his friends lowered him through a roof because they could not bring him to Jesus any other way. In Mark 3, Jesus healed the withered hand of a man. In Mark 4, Jesus calmed a storm with just three words: "Peace, be still." In Mark 5, Jesus cause devils to leave a man and go into a herd of swine that ran into the sea. All these accounts somehow reached the ears, and possibly eyes of this woman who knew enough of Jesus to believe He could heal her.
Somehow in her planning, this woman had concluded that the smallest touch of a minor part of Christ's attire would grant her the healing she desperately desired. Reminders of a particular Old Testament passage comes to mind: Psalms 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord;
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Matthew states she touched the hem of his garment, and Luke states, the border of his garment. Small. Insignificant. Trivial. Who would notice?
The Product
Mark 5:29 "And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."
After the single touch to the hem of Jesus garment, this woman who had been plagued for twelve years was instantly changed. Once a person has been touched by Jesus, that person is never the same again.
She probably thought she could slip away unnoticed just as easily as she had slipped in, but Someone did notice. Mark 5:30 says, "And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?" There was a throng around Jesus, so the disciples (Peter is identified in Luke's account) stated the obvious. Mark 5:31 "And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?" Scripture says of Jesus in Mark 5:32: "And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing."
This poor woman had no choice but to come forward trembling and tumbling before Him, seeing she was found out. The Bible states that she told Him all the truth. Perhaps by now she had stopped trembling as the words came pouring from her lips and the great burden of her financial and health problems lifted from her as she confessed all. To spend time with Jesus in prayer and tell Him all our burdens, troubles and sins is an awesome privilege as Christians!
This story has such a happy ending. What Jesus says to her is so amazing. Luke 8:48 "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." Nowhere else in the Bible does Christ use this term of endearment with another woman. He called her "Daughter." He said she had faith. He said her faith made her whole. He told her to go in peace. Only Jesus can give true peace: John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
How many times do we go to the Lord in prayer without real faith that He will answer us? Let the faith of this woman remind us how to truly seek Christ and have faith that He will take care of us.
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