The Touch That Transforms Series

Series – The Miracles of the Master

Pt. 2 - “The Wounded Healer”

Mark 5:25-34

Scripture Reading (25-34)

Last week we looked at the power that Jesus has over the demonic world. He cast 2,000 demons out of the maniac of Gadara. The results for this man were transformative for we see him cleansed, clothed and composed at the feet of Jesus. In the text before us this morning we will examine the Lord’s power over disease. As we observed earlier we all need to be reminded that nothing is impossible with Jesus. There are no limitations of his power. In some cases He touches and in some they touch him; in others He instructs them to observe certain aspects of the Mosaic Law; but in the majority of cases He simply speaks the word. In any case Jesus exercises absolute power no matter what the problem might be.

I. The Woman’s Complaint

Have you ever heard say that, “he or she has issues?” I’m sure we all have at some point. We usually say this to explain someone’s behavior don’t we? The truth of the matter is we all have issues! Some are issues we have in common and some are peculiar to us, but we all have them, the woman in our story today had an “issue” too. Let’s look into the text to see what we can learn…

a. The disease was called “an issue of blood.”

The woman's condition, which is not clear in terms of a modern medical diagnosis, is translated as an "issue of blood" in the King James Version and a "flux of blood" in the Wycliffe Bible and some other versions. In scholarly language she is often referred to by the original New Testament Greek term as the haemorrhoissa (? a?µ??????sa, "bleeding woman"). The text describes her as (gyne haimorroousa dodeka ete), with haimorroousa being a verb in the active voice present participle ("having had a flow of blood).

Because of the continual bleeding, the woman would have been continually regarded in Jewish law as ceremonially unclean. In order to be regarded as clean, the flow of blood would need to stop for at least 7 days. Because of the constant bleeding, this woman lived in a continual state of uncleanness which would have brought upon her social and religious isolation, having a physical or moral blemish so as to make impure according to the laws, especially the dietary or ceremonial laws: an unclean animal; unclean persons.

b. The duration – 12 years

We are told and the language of scripture reveals that this had been an active, ongoing issue for her for twelves long years. This truth gives additional perspective into her suffering. She would have had almost no social contact with other human beings and she would not have been allowed to worship according to Jewish law.

c. The desperation

She had suffered many things at the hands of numerous doctors without success and had “spent” all that she had. In the Talmud there were 11 different cures for her hemorrhaging condition. She was diseased, distanced and desperate.

II. The Woman’s Contact

a. She heard v. 27

She heard about this young rabbi who had the gift or ability to heal the sick and so she sought him out.

Matthew 14:34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

The Jews wore a fringe with tassels around the bottom of their garment and this would have been what Jesus had on and would have been what she touched. She had undoubtedly heard about others who had done the same thing and had received healing.

b. She hoped v. 28

She hoped that this man who had healed so many others could heal her and so she made her way through the crowd that was following Jesus and somehow in the “press” she reached out her hand and touched the “hem” or tassels on his garment.

c. She was healed

Verse 29 tells us that “straightway” or immediately she stopped bleeding and believe me when I say that after 12 years of non-stop bleeding she knew! She knew that she was “healed of that plague.”

III. The Woman’s Confession

a. The Savior’s popularity – v. 31 “the multitude”

b. The Savior’s power – “virtue” or power was gone out of him

c. The Savior’s perception – He turned to see her who had done this thing. He is the omniscient one. He knew all along.

IV. The Woman’s Comfort