Christian Family Services Ministry

9-26-2021 A Word to the Wise – ***WARNING*** The following material involving an encounter that Jesus has that is realistically portrayed here. It involves unpleasant realistic background information that brings to light an embarrassing situation thus you are encouraged to read no further.

We now turn our attention to a well-known incident in the healing ministry of Jesus. Having healed a demon-possessed man Jesus and his disciples leave the country of the Gerasenes by boat landing on the other side they are met by a large crowd waiting for his appearance.

The gospel writers describe the scene in this manner: “When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him. 43

First, Jesus is approached by Jairus the writers tell us that he is one of the rulers of the synagogue. This man is desperate his twelve-year-old daughter is dying, or by now dead. So, Jesus agrees to follow him to the house.

But the journey is interrupted by a woman. A couple of details about her situation is given by the writers. First her desperate situation. For 12 years (the same number of years as the age of the child Jesus is going to heal) for all these years, she has had a problem with vaginal bleeding.

Knowing the culture of the time we get some sense of the magnitude of the problem. No one was allowed to touch her, less like her they become unclean. The Torah was very clear with very specific instructions: 19 “‘If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.20 “‘Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean. 21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 22 Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 23 If it is on the bed, or on anything she sits on, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening. 24 “‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on shall be unclean. 25 “‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her period, all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as in the days of her period. She is unclean. 26 Every bed she lies on all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her period. Everything she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period. 27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.

In other words, she lives in a perpetual state of rejection, no one would come near her. She had gone to many doctors trying to cope with the problem spending huge sums of money but all to no avail. (These were male doctors). If we dig a little deeper, we start understanding her situation and embarrassment.

As she walked around her bloody garments would have been apparent to everyone. There were no Kotex, sanitary napkins, tampons. Unlike Egyptian women who would put dried papyrus leaves inside with a stick, this was not practiced in Israel.

Besides the sight, one of the big problems would be the smell. Attempts to cover it up were limited in this time period. Sometimes women would use some types of perfume, but it was not very successful.

So now we are getting a clearer picture of what faced this woman from day to day. On top of the rejection, loneliness, and embarrassment there are the medical problems. She would have been plagued with chronic anemia, fatigue, cramps, dizziness, and no doubt cold feet and hands. And probably quite pale. She would probably be about 22, or 23 years old. No man would touch her.

However, she was obviously well studied. She knew from biblical scripture the solution. For instance, Moses told the children the children of Israel, that they should make themselves fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue. It shall be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all Yahweh’s commandments, and do them; These are the fringe materials with a blue cord on the bottom of the garments worn by the men.

“So this is what Malachi is referring to when he uses the word wings or tassels. The woman knew to touch this tassel that had a blue cord interwoven in it. This is what the prophet said would have healing in it. (Malachi 4:2) “For you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. She indeed already believed Jesus to be the Messiah. She knew scripture. She knew that the Messiah would heal her and exactly how it was to be accomplished. For four hundred years this encounter had been prophesied and planned.

So, she had to approach Jesus without being seen by him or anyone else, because it would make them unclean, touch the tassel and sneak away. Neither Jesus, the disciples, nor the crowd would even know.

How could she know she was healed so quickly? I doubt that there is a woman in the whole world that does not know the answer to that question. The anemia, fatigue, cramps, dizziness, and no doubt cold feet and hands would have gone away immediately. The pale skin brightened.

However, what she did not realize would happen is that Jesus would lose something. In fact, that it would draw down Jesus’ special powers. Jesus was immediately aware of it. He felt the energy go out. There is a lesson here for us. It cost Jesus something to heal. Physically, emotionally spiritually there is a cost.

30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”31 His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

Jesus is asking who touched the tassel, he knew what had been done, and that it had been done on purpose. He looked around to see who had done this thing. Who knew about this access to his healing power.

But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell before him, and told him all the truth. Why may one ask? Why not just sneak away? Because she feared God!

I suspect Jesus brings all of this to light not to embarrass the woman but rather that others might know what she did and the outcome. We know it spread like wildfire for later we learn people everywhere are touching his tassel.

34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be cured of your disease.” This is one of those incidents where pure faith accomplished healing. Jesus was a passive participant.

But I do wonder what healing awaits us who believe. Do you think it possible that this healing power extends 2000 years?