"A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot under the care of many doctors, and had spent everything she had without getting any better. In fact, she had gotten worse. Because she had heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. She was thinking, If I can just touch his clothes, I'll be healed. Her bleeding stopped immediately, and she sensed in her body that her illness had been healed."
This is a story that is sandwiched inside the story of Jesus healing Jairus' daughter. This is one of the characteristics of Mark: He intertwines stories that have a similar theme. In both of these stories, Jesus heals in ways that cross a line, and faith in Jesus is a shared theme.
This woman is desperate. She's been bleeding for twelve years. She's spent all her income on doctors, to no avail. They haven't healed her. Her bleeding makes her ritually impure (or "unclean") according to Leviticus 15:19-30. But don't miss the human side of this story: Here is a woman who is suffering. She's suffering physically. She's suffering financially. She's suffering emotionally. She's suffering socially. She's suffering spiritually. She's suffering from a lack of intimacy. She feels alone.
Out of her desperation, she crosses a line. She crosses through the crowd. She crosses a line set in the Law. To put it plainly, she disobeys the Law and touches a man while she's bleeding.
William Barclay tells us, "Every devout Jew wore an outer robe with four tassels on it, one at each corner. These tassels were worn in obedience to the command in Numbers 15:38-40 . . . It was one of these tassels that the woman slipped through the crowd and touched; and, having touched it, she was thrilled to find herself cured."
Once she touches Jesus, she's healed. In the Greek, there's an interesting use of words here. The same word that's used to describe the woman's bleeding--a discharge--is used to describe the power that goes out from Jesus' body. Literally, power discharged from Jesus' body.
Jesus turns and asks, "Who touched my clothes?" (The disciples think this is a ridiculous question. After all, there is a crowd.)
Jesus turns to look at the crowd. Then "full of fear and trembling," the woman comes forward. She falls and confesses. The woman who had wanted to steal healing is caught. She knows the power of Jesus. She knows she has been healed. She knows the power Jesus has to bless her. But what if he decides to curse her?
Even though this was not a scripted healing, Jesus praises the woman's faith. Then, he tenderly calls her "daughter," as he restores her to the family of God.
In this short story, there is so much happening. But one thing sticks out to me: In our despair, we can reach out to Jesus. Deep down, we all want to love and to be loved. Because of her condition, she was cut off from her friends and family. She was an untouchable. She crosses some lines and what does Jesus do? Does he condemn her? Does he call her unworthy? No. He restores her.
In this story, we see that Jesus brings the helping, healing, and life-giving presence of God. Jesus is willing to cross the lines of disease, fear, separation, and even death to bring the good news of his love.
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