It can be hard to see illnesses as good things because they bring us so much pain, yet we can see, through the agony, the light of Jesus and the healing He can bring to our hearts and souls, just like the woman with the issue of blood.
The account of the woman with the issue of blood is found in Mark 5:24-34 and Luke 8:42-48. The woman with the issue of blood is a tough passage for many people to understand in their daily life. When I was on a mission trip in England, I remember we had to teach this story to children, which was quite a difficult task.
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Upon reading the passages in Mark 5:24-34 and Luke 8:42-48, one may wonder what is the significance of the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible? Why did this woman have to suffer for 12 long years?
The relief the woman would have felt after struggling with this issue for 12 years would have been amazing for the woman. No longer would she have to suffer anymore. All because of her faith in Christ, she was freed from her pain and suffering.
The main significance of the woman with the issue of blood is that she demonstrated great faith in Christ. She did not rely on herself but rather on Christ. The woman had faith that if she just touched Christ, she would be healed.
The woman could have grown disappointed due to the hate inflicted on her by the Jews, but she chose to focus on the goodness of Jesus. She focused on Christ and had faith He could heal her of her illness, and He did.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
A third significance of the woman with the issue of blood is that an illness can pull us toward Christ. When we are ill, it is easier for us to turn to Jesus, pray, and acknowledge our dependence on Him.
However, when we are healthy and well, it can be harder for us to turn to God, acknowledge our dependence on Him, and pray. Through difficult diagnoses such as cancer, heart disease, and mental illnesses, God is still walking with us (Psalm 23).
Maybe you can relate. God does not cause bad things to happen in our lives, such as illnesses, but He can use them for His good. God never does anything to harm us, yet through these bad times, God can cause us to grow more into His character.
The most growth we have as Christians tends to be through difficult times, such as over the course of various illnesses, hardships, or the death of loved ones. The woman with the issue of blood was suffering for 12 years, and her illness pulled her toward having faith in Jesus.
It is possible that if the woman never had this issue of blood, she may have never placed faith in Christ. It was through her illness that she had faith in Christ. Even in the modern-day, many people have placed faith in Christ after undergoing a terrible illness or a life-threatening disease.
It is when we are placed in painful situations that we start to look for Christ. Unfortunately, not many of us cry out for help from God when everything is going good in our lives. It is through the illness, the pain, and the turmoil that we turn to Christ, focus on Him, and have faith in Him.
It can be hard to see illnesses as good things because they bring us so much pain, yet we can see through the darkness, pain, and agony the light of Jesus and the healing He can bring to our hearts and souls, just like the woman with the issue of blood.
Vivian Bricker loves Jesus, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Christian Ministry with a deep academic emphasis in theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, she is embarking on other adventures.
We read today about a woman with many issues. She was most likely anemic, fatigued, and worn out physically. She woke up every morning with pain and went to bed with pain. She had financial issues as she had exhausted everything she had on doctors, treatments and who knows what other failing hopes.
Are you exhausted of fighting a battle? Reach out to Jesus.
Is your heart tired? Reach out to Jesus.
Is your issue a physical ailment or illness? Reach out to Jesus.
Is your issue relational: Bitterness? Unforgiveness? Broken heart? Loneliness? Reach out to Jesus.
Is your issue pride: Self-righteousness? Anger? Rage? Outcasted? Reach out to Jesus.
Have you lost your identity in Christ? Feeling Worthless? Reach out to Jesus.
Have you been abandoned? Rejected? Abused? Defiled? Reach out to Jesus.
Has your family fallen apart? Reach out to Jesus.
Whatever your issue, reach out to Jesus.
For those of you who may not necessarily identify with this woman in the Bible, take a minute to ask God to reveal to you who in your sphere of influence who may be feeling hopeless. Remember, the only reason this certain woman knew of Jesus was because she had heard of Him.
God, Son, and Holy Spirit, meet us in this space, whatever space we find ourselves in. Trinity, help us to learn more about who you are through this woman. Help us to see your image in the image bearer we find in this story. Help us to sympathize, grow, and lean into her story. Give us wisdom and gentleness with ourselves today. In your name we pray, amen.
There are some lovely things that weave these stories together and enhance the sandwiched story of our study. There are so many delightful connections between the two stories. Some are pointed out by biblical scholar Beverly Zink-Sawyer, who observes:
These stories are not telling us that we will always be healed, but rather, what it looks like to reach out to Jesus in times of pain and heartache, isolation and loneliness, in order to receive the gift of truth: you are beloved and known intimately by your creator.
Know that you are beloved and known by God. Healing does not always look exactly like what we are hoping for, but sometimes healing looks like acceptance, belonging, and connection. Sometimes healing looks like not letting fear have a hold in your life. Love looks like a touch from a friend or loved one in a moment of shame, hopelessness, or deep pain to draw us out and remind us that we are loved and called children of God.
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When you think of how long you may have suffered from something without knowing what it was how long would you say? The woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9 is a testimony on many great levels with much to learn from. Forgiveness is one such area where this testimony may shed light to your own personal journey with the Lord.
This woman is proof of this! She is proof of what occurs when simply touching the hem of His garment. His garment! She is proof of what happens when we get to the end of ourselves and our quests for something that can only be done through and by Him. Your personal level of forgiveness is equally the same. You may try and try in all your might; yet your attempt is futile because without Him you will tire yourself and still be in need of something more. With Jesus; everything comes with Him.
One of the things that I really love most about this blog are the new friendships and relationships that it has allowed me to build with like-minded women such as Ellen Chauvin, Lesego Barona and Chloelle Bond. They are all beautiful women of God who continue to inspire me with their talent and encourage me with their support. One such lady is the amazing Rebekah Nwokonkor, who wrote about the woman with the issue of blood a few months back.
However, I believe that all of these things came as a result of this woman being audacious enough to be unorthodox and upset the status quo. That, to me, was the thing that acted as a catalyst to all the things mentioned above.
"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped."
From the renderings above of the verse it appears that the woman perhaps suffered irregular menstruation or menstruation longer that usual. Under the Law she would be considered unclean during the period of her discharge. Leviticus 15:25 reads;
the Gadaran/Gerasene (the town is uncertain among scholars) woman was probably a gentile since the Gerasenes apparently were keeping pigs (Mark 5:1ff) and if she were among Jews she would be forbidden to enter the crowd in her unclean state
she touched the fringe of Jesus' garment. It is unlikely that she would have known the connection with Malachi 4:2 but "wings" and "fringes" seem to be etymologically related. Perhaps Luke sees a connection?
In the Gospel accounts, this miracle immediately follows the exorcism at Gerasa and is combined with the miracle of the raising of Jairus's daughter. The narrative interrupts the story of Jairus's daughter, a stylistic element which scholars call an intercalated or sandwich narrative.[3][4]
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. 152ee80cbc