21 When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. 22 A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and fell at his feet. 23 He begged Jesus, saying again and again, “My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse. 27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his coat. 28 She thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Instantly her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease.
30 At once Jesus felt power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 His followers said, “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him. 33 The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth. 34 Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed of your disease.”
Read Mark 5:21-34 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
In some of the events in the gospels, I try to distance myself from the disciples’ reaction. Perhaps this is because I know the end of their story, and things make a lot more sense looking back on what happened.
But in other events, such as the one in this passage, even knowing the end of the story doesn’t change the reality that I probably would have said the exact same thing to Jesus that the disciples did.
In this event, a woman is trying to be secretive and anonymous about getting Jesus to heal her. In her mind, she doesn’t need Jesus’ time, touch, or even His attention. All she needs is a moment to touch the edge of Jesus’ robe – and she gets her chance.
But Jesus is too aware of what is happening around Him, and He stops the crowd with the question, “Who touched my clothes?” (v. 30b)
This is where I can relate with the disciples. Not only is the crowd surrounding Jesus and pressing in on all sides, but Jesus is trying to make His way through the crowd on a mission to save a little girl.
When Jesus stops everything with that question, I would be right with the disciples countering Jesus’ question in the same way they did: “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” (v. 31)
But Jesus knows what was happening around Him, and that not all touch is equal. Jesus knows the difference between a bump in the crowd and a healing touch that is filled with faith.
To the disciples and the crowd, there was no way of distinguishing these two types of contact. On the outside, there would be no way to tell this.
But on the inside, both the woman and Jesus knew what had taken place. While the woman’s illness was internal, so was her healing. While she wanted to stay anonymous, possibly because she was embarrassed about her condition, Jesus places her up as an example to all about how powerful her faith was.
Jesus wasn’t saying this simply for the crowd’s benefit. He wanted His followers at that point and throughout history to understand that a little bit of faith can go a long way, and when that faith has been placed in Jesus, He is able to multiply it into everything we need: from healing and health, to community and security, and even to strength when facing trials. This woman needed physical healing and emotional healing, and Jesus helped her with both in a way that helps us see God’s character through Jesus.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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