Mk. 5:21 And when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.
Lk. 8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
Mt. 9:18a While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him,
Mk. 5:22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet.
Lk. 8:41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house,
Mt. 9:18b Saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hands on her and she will live.”
Mk. 5:23 And begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed, and she will live.”
Lk. 8:42a For he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
It is here that we first read about the concept of laying on hands. What Jarius realizes here is an incredible truth, but first, a little background. “Laying on hands” has to do with a concept known in Judaism as Semikah (Ordination). It can have several meanings, including the modern one most people think about today. But, a very important one we first read about is found in Numbers 11:16, 17, 24, 25 where Moses’ spirit was imparted to the elders that he chose to help govern the people. Next, a reference is found in Numbers 27:22, 23 where Moses ordained Joshua before the people by laying his hands on him, and in Deut. 34:9 the Bible says that the spirit of wisdom was imparted to Joshua because Moses had laid his hands on him. The “laying on of hands” can be an act of impartation where something is transferred from one person to another. Jarius was asking Yeshua to come and lay His hands on his daughter to impart life back to her, an act that only God could do. In this manner, Jarius was proclaiming Yeshua to be the Messiah (God Incarnate.).
Resources: Numbers 11:16, 17, 24, 25; 27:22, 23; Deut. 34:9
Mt. 9:19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
Mk. 5:24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
Lk. 8:42b But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
Mt. 9:20a And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years
Mk. 5:25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years.
Lk. 8:43a Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years,
Mk. 5:26 And had suffered many things from many physicians. She spent all that she had and was no better, rather grew worse.
Lk. 8:43b Who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any.
This verse in the Bible says that this woman had suffered many things at the hands of many physicians. We will elaborate on that, but first this woman suffered many things that are not so obvious that they need to be brought out here. Lets look at the physical aspect first. The subject of ritual purity in this culture becomes a major player here. If the issue of blood started with one of her first menstrual periods and now had continued for twelve years, that means this lady is probably 23-25 years old. At the very beginning of her flow she had become ritually unclean (niddah) and she remained so until this point in time. She was either still living with her family or by herself. She had to have her own separate dishes and furniture. If someone else used her dishes, sat in her chair, or lay in her bed, then they became ritually unclean also, and had to perform a ritual immersion to become clean again (Lev. 15:19-27).
According to Jewish Law, a girl was ready for marriage at the age of twelve years and a day, as long as she had started her periods. Not this lady. Because she was ritually unclean she was not allowed to marry. The Bible forbids a man to even look upon a woman while she is in her period (Lev. 20:18). Probably all her friends had been married for several years. Some of them could of had kids whose age was the same as the length of time she had the issue of blood. She was a social outcast and a disgrace to her family because she was unmarried and had no children. The worse part of it was that because of her ritual impurity she could not participate in the Bat Mitzvah ceremony and she was not allowed to go up on the Temple Mount to participate in any of the festivals. Not only was she an outcast from her own people, but she was an outcast from God.
Resources: Lev. 15:19-27, 20:18
JT:Shabbat 1:10 tells us what this woman might have suffered at the hands of the physicians. “Rabbi Yochanan said (on how to cure the woman with an issue of blood), ‘take of the gum of Alexandria the weight of zuzi (?) and the weight of alum of a zuzi and the crocus the weight of a zuzi and let those be brewed together and given in wine to the woman with an issue of blood. But, if this does not benefit, take on a Persian yence (?) thrice three logs, boil them in wine and give to her to drink and say, “Arise and buy flux.” If this does not prevail, set her in a place where two ways meet, let her hold a cup of wine in her hand, let someone come behind her and scare her and say, “Arise and buy flux..” If that does no good, take a handful of cumin and a handful of crocus and let these be boiled in wine and given to her and say, “Arise and buy flux.” Let them dig seven ditches in which let them burn some cuttings of such vine that is not yet circumcised (meaning not yet 4 years old) and let her take in her hand the cup of wine. Let them lead her away from this ditch, and make her sit over that, then remove her from that and sit on over another. At each removal you must say to her, “Arise and buy flux.”’” This is the way that she may have suffered many things from many physicians.
Resource: JT:Shabbat 1:10
Mt. 9:20b Came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.
Mk. 5:27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment:
Lk. 8:44a Came from behind and touched the border of His garment.
The first Jewish concept that is often missed in an English translation concerns the woman with the issue of blood. The text goes on to confirm that it was the hem of His garment that she desired to touch. In the Hebrew, the term “hem” is the same word for fringes or wings, and is a common word for the border of the prayer shawl (talit) worn by Yeshua and the Jewish men of the first century, even till today. The tassel of the fringe on the four corners are called the tzitzit in accordance with the commandment of Numbers 15:38-41 to remind the people of God’s commandments. The tzitzit consisted of five double knots and eight threads making a total of thirteen. This number, together with the gematriac value of the word tzitzit, which is 600, points to the 613 commandments of Torah. There are four spaces between the five knots representing the Tetragrammaton or Ineffable Name of God (YHVH). During Yeshua’s day, the men dressed primarily in a hallug, which was a simple tunic worn both at home and work.
Source: Numbers 15:38-41
While appearing in public, the men covered their hallug with a large rectangular shroud that was draped over the shoulders and fell to the ankles. This cloth was called a “talit” and served as protection from the cold or rain. Hanging from the end of each of its four corners was a tzitzit in obedience to the Biblical command. Through the years, because of the persecution of the Jews, they were forbidden to wear the tzitzit on the outside of their garments, forcing them to wear small four cornered talits under their shirts. Today, the talit has become the term used for the prayer shawl.
During the first century there was a powerful concept concerning the Messiah that was associated with the tzitzit. It was believed that in conjunction with the Biblical reference of Malachi 4:2 that when Messiah came He would have “healing in His wings (tzitzit).” Remember, in Hebrew the word for hem, fringe, or border is the same as wings. When one pulled the prayer shawl over his head and spread out his arms in prayer, it appears as if he had wings. An ancient Jew under the prayer shawl was described in references such as Psalm 91:1-4 as dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and being under His wings. Also, the term Sun of Righteousness became another name for the Messiah.
Source: Malachi 4:2
Mt. 9:21 For she said to herself, “If I only may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”
Mk. 5:28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
Mk. 5:29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
Lk. 8:44b And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
Mk. 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
Lk. 8:45a And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
Yeshua is not asking the question because He doesn’t know. In verse 32 it is clear that He does know who it is. He looked around to see who had done this thing. He knows who it was who touched His garment, but He wants to draw the attention of the disciples so they will learn the lesson they need from this. The miracles are actually for their benefit now.
Mk. 5:31 But His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
Lk. 8:45b When all denied it, Peter and those with Him said, “Master, the multitudes throng You and press You, and You say, “Who touched Me?”
Lk. 8:46 But Jesus said,“Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”
Mk. 5:32 And He looked around to see her who had done this.
Mk. 5:33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
Lk. 8:47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
Mt. 9:22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
Mk. 5:34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
Lk. 8:48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith had made you well. Go in peace.”
When one realizes the significance of this text in the Hebraic concept, it becomes clear why this woman was healed. She was by faith expressing her belief in Yeshua as the “Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings.” When she reached out to touch what she believed represented the totality of all that God is, He met her at the point of her need and healed her body. This was not a desperate act to touch just any part of His clothing, but a very deliberate act on her part to touch His tzitzit.
The Lord does some correcting in her theology. She was exactly right in recognizing Him as the Sun of Righteousness, a Messianic term. She had remembered her lessons well. But, He wanted her to know that it was her faith that was the key to her healing and restoration, not touching part of His garment. She set the example for everyone else, even for today. When we reach out to the One who represents the totality of all that God is, the Messiah, that is the key to unlock the power of God in our lives. But, it must be done in faith.
Mk. 5:35 While He was speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
Lk. 8:49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
Mk. 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
Lk. 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.”
Mk. 5:37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
Lk. 8:51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
The signs are no longer for the masses. He will perform miracles for individuals on the basis of personal need and on a demonstration of faith. But, the signs are not for the nation; they are for the disciples. No one is allowed to go further but these three and the parents.
Mt. 9:23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,
Mk. 5:38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.
Lk. 8:52a Now all wept and mourned for her;
M:Ketuboth 4:4 says even the poorest man in Israel should not have less than two mourning pipes and one mourning woman.
Mt. 9:24a He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.”
Mk. 5:39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
Lk. 8:52b But He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
Mt. 9:24b And they laughed Him to scorn.
Mk. 5:40a And they laughed Him to scorn.
Lk. 8:53 And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Mk. 5:40b But when He had put them all out, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was laying.
Mt. 9:25a But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand,
Mk. 5:41 And He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
Lk. 8:54 But He put them all out, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.”
Mt. 9:25b And the girl arose.
Mk. 5:42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with amazement.
Lk. 8:55a Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.
Mk. 5:43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given to her to eat.
Lk. 8:55b And He commanded that she be given something to eat.
He charged them to tell no man what He had done. With the rejection, that is the new policy, a policy of silence.
Lk. 8:56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Mt. 9:26 And the report of this went out into all that land.
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