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Mark 5 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Woman

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. ²² Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet ²³ and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” ²⁴ And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. ²⁵ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰ And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹ And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³ But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

REFLECTION

1. Jesus, on his way to the home of a dying girl, was touched by a woman with chronic bleeding.  She spent all she had to search for a cure but to no avail.  Then she heard about Jesus, she became convinced that if she could only touch his clothing, she would be healed.  And she was healed indeed. She tried to remain unobtrusive, since her condition rendered her and all who contacted her ritually unclean.
2. The disciples probably were eager to get Jesus to Jairus’ house before it was too late. Yet Jesus wanted to speak to the woman, and to assure her that it was her faith in Him that had resulted in her healing, not merely her touch. Jesus didn’t rebuke her, but wanted to speak to her, lest she conclude that touching Him was what cured her.  The woman’s faith in Jesus had not only resulted in her physical healing but also brought her into His spiritual family.
3. Jesus assured her that her healing was complete and permanent with these words: “your faith has made you well.” She could now enjoy social interaction and participation in public worship, as well as physical health, since she was clean.
4. Mark is demonstrating to us that Jesus Christ, ruler of God’s kingdom, has power over nature (4:35-41), over demonic power (5:1-20), and over every illness and even death (5:21-43).  Knowing Jesus has such power gives us confidence to live by his word, even if he should choose not to heal every believer’s disease now.
5. Tell Jesus all of your urgent needs and ask for His healing and help.