Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

–Parallel Verses:
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

What do captives, prisoners, the poor, and the brokenhearted all have in common? They all have a sense of despair and heartache in their circumstances. Sometimes this is something that is shared with others and is deemed “OK” in society. Other times, it is something in which a person is ashamed to share. This woman had an embarrassing condition; she was prone to bleeding. In Jewish society, women on their menstrual cycle were considered “unclean” and anyone who touched them or had relations with them were unclean (see Leviticus 15:19-30). Verses 25-27 say this: ‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.”

Basically, this woman was considered “unclean” for much of her life by Jewish law. This meant she could not engage with others, for if she touched them, they too would be ceremonially unclean and have to wash and wait to be ceremonially clean.

I can only imagine how much shame and pain this caused her. She probably felt isolated, alone, and in a prison of cultural rejection – an outcast. Jesus singles her out, but why? He could have just let her stay in the shadows. Notice what he says to her: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” She was unclean and so was not supposed to touch anyone. But she touched Jesus anyway. Before, if she touched someone, they would likely be frustrated with her, as they would become unclean. But Jesus, now ceremonially unclean, loved her. He had compassion on her, and he healed her. And he affirmed her faith in front of all, though she had an ailment.

So, what do we learn from this woman and her healing?

It doesn’t matter the type of situation you are in; if you need a Savior, Jesus is there for you. And if we are honest, we all need a touch from the Savior. Sin permeates our lives and we become “unclean” before a holy God. But Jesus saves us! We can come to him as we are and he loves us. And he heals our hearts. He restores our joy! He binds us up and builds us up in the truth and his grace.

Lord, thank you that you cared enough to heal this tormented woman who had no hope of ever being ceremonially clean again. And you exalted her in front of her peers for her faith. You truly do give your children “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Praise you for caring, even when everyone else seems not to. You love us soooo much!