“The woman with an issue of blood” is told in three of the four gospels:
Matthew, Mark and Luke
Matthew 9:20-22
A woman, who was diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years, came behind Jesus, and touched the hem of his garment:
The woman (within herself): If I may but touch his garment, I will be whole. I will be healed.
But Jesus turned around and saw her.
Jesus: Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole.
And the woman was made whole from that hour.
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Mark add some details:
Mark 5:25-34
The woman had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse.
When she touched Jesus’ garment, the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
And Jesus immediately knew in himself that virtue had gone out of him.
Jesus: Who touched me?
His disciples: You see the crowd thronging you, and you say, Who touched me?
The woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
Jesus: Daughter, Your faith has made you whole; go in peace, and be whole of your plague.
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Luke adds more details:
Luke 8:43-48
Luke names Peter specifically as one of the ones who questioned Jesus.
Peter (and they that were with him): Master, the crowds throng you and press you, and you say, Who touched me?
Luke is also more specific about what the woman told.
She declared to him before all the people
— For what cause she had touched him
— How she was healed immediately
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Look at the scripture around this story:
Where was Jesus going when the woman touched him? He was on his way to heal a girl who lay dying. Her father was taking Jesus to his home where the girl was lying.
What happened? The girl died. One from the household came and said, Don’t trouble the master any further. Your daughter is dead. Don’t worry, Jesus raised her from the dead!
How important was this woman with the issue to Jesus? Important enough to take time with her even though he was on his way to do something very important.
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How does this story apply to us?
When you hear of Jesus, come to him.
When you reach out to Jesus, you will be changed/made whole.
You will feel the difference.
Confess to him.
Give your testimony all those around you. – Why you came to Jesus and what has changed
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Unclean discharges from the body, such as a woman’s monthly menstrual flow. Leviticus 15:19-24 NKJ
If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood:
She shall be set apart seven days;
Whoever touches her will be unclean until evening.
Everything that she lies on during her impurity becomes unclean;
Everything that she sits on becomes unclean.
Whoever touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
Whoever touches anything that she sat on must wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he becomes unclean until evening.
If any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he becomes unclean for seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.
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Woman with an extended issue of blood – Leviticus 15:25-27 NKJV
If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity (monthly cycle) or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity:
All the days of her unclean discharge become as the days of her customary impurity.
She becomes unclean.
Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge become to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on becomes unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity.
Whoever touches those things becomes unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
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What would the woman have to do after she was healed? Leviticus 15:28-30 NKJV
If she is cleansed of her discharge:
Then she must count for herself seven days, and after that she becomes clean.
On the eighth day she must take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Then the priest will offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering,
The priest will make atonement for her before the Lord for the discharge of her uncleanness.
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Another time we see a woman with an unclean discharge: Genesis 31:19,34-35
Laban (Jacob’s father-in-law) went to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the her father’s images (small statues of false gods).
Rachel had taken the images and put them in the camel’s furniture (saddle and saddle bags) and sat on them. Laban searched all the tent, but did not find them.
Rachel (to her father): Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you; for the custom of women is on me.
And he searched, but did not find the images.
Note: Rachel said she was having her monthly flow. Because of this, her father searched the tent for the images but would not search the furniture on which she was sitting. It was considered unclean. Rachel was probably telling a lie so she would not get caught. Not knowing that Rachel had taken the images, Jacob had agreed that the one who had taken the idols would be killed.
