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,
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch the hem of his clothes, I shall be whole”
(
Mark 5:25-28).
She knew she wasn't allowed in the public arena for the Law was explicit (
Leviticus 15:19), but this was a desperate situation. Let's face it…twelve years is a long time to suffer with an affliction, cut off from the routine of life.
We can all identify with the fact that desperation will cause one to do things they might not normally do. They may be compelled by circumstance and situation to move in areas that had not been planned or considered simply because of a need.
This woman had been to doctors, who in the course of time had taken her money, given her remedies and medications, but no chance of a cure from the illness or stigma. Having spent all that she had, she was at a point of no return when she heard about a man who didn’t just prescribe temporary relief but performed miracles.
Her story is told in
Matthew 9:20,
Mark 5:25, and
Luke 8:43. There is no mention of her name, however, we know her as 'the woman with the issue of blood. Mark simply referred to her as “a certain woman” (
Mark 5:25).
This woman with the unknown name and without any assurances for the future did something drastic. She chose to follow a rumor.
As well-balanced Christians, we shy away from rumors and those who carry them…or we
should, anyway, but this woman was not waiting on propriety to order her steps. She had to make a drastic decision based on a drastic need.
The girl really walked into this blind. She didn’t know if what she had been told about miracles was true. She didn’t know if folks were just telling her what they thought she wanted or needed to hear. She only knew that she had no other alternative…her brook had dried up, the meal barrel and cruse of oil were empty, the bank account drained. Her only hope was in a man she had never seen.
When she heard he was going to be walking by her house, she chose to get up, open the door and see for herself if what she had heard about miracles was true. The woman was certain that if she could just get close enough to touch Him, she would be whole.
However, someone with her condition could not just go up and be that bold, and she certainly could not ask Him to lay hands on her. So, understanding the nature of the Law, she must have approached the Master apprehensively. She wasn’t supposed to even be in public, let alone be touched by a man…what was she to do?
One can only imagine that seeing the crowd in the street, she left her home not really sure of a plan of action, all the while, physically spent. Picture it. Having such an affliction for as long as she did, one has to wonder how she was even able to stand.
Thinking to herself, "Oh…if I could just get close enough to touch His robe…He wouldn’t see me and no one would ever know!" (Barb's translation,
Matthew 9:21).
Imagining this, it just seems to me that her weakened body pressed as closely as she could, reaching…ever reaching, but unable to touch Him. Perhaps she collapsed or stumbled. There she is, on the ground, the pressing and anxious crowd above her, the danger of being trampled to death quite real.
Finally, Jesus paused long enough for the woman to try one more time. She extended her hand as far as her little arm could reach and touched the hem of His garment. Instantly the Lord turned and looked for the person who had touched Him. He knew that it was more than the press of the crowd and that He had been touched by faith because He felt
power, abundance, and
strength leave Him.
It is so remarkable to think that He could have walked down any road that day, but Almighty God made arrangements
just for her…the woman with the unknown name.
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