November 29, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?

“Does the Bible say Jesus can heal just by people touching his clothes?”   

“Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48

There were many disorders in the time of Jesus that would put someone outside of the community. These disorders would include leprosy, bleeding disorders, blindness, epilepsy, and many others. Most of these disorders were not curable, and so the people who suffered from them were permanently outside of the community – forced to beg – ostracized from their family and friends. Some diseases were considered to be caused by the sins of their parents – others by the sins they perpetrated in the womb. No matter the cause, these people were outsiders – suffering – alone. I believe one of the situations in first century Palestine that caused Jesus the most pain was the way people treated those who were outcasts of the community, for no other reason than they suffered from a disease. So Jesus was determined to heal as many people as he could. Sometimes he didn’t even have to touch the person or be near the person to heal them. For example, there was the time Jesus was near the city of Nain: “When the Lord saw (the widow from Nain), he was moved with compassion for her and said to her, “Do not cry.” Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”  (Luke 7:13-15)

This helps us understand why so many begged Jesus to help them when he appeared in their villages. This is the case of the woman mentioned above. She took great risk to approach Jesus in the synagogue. And when she touched the hem of his clothing, “power went out from him.” That power left Jesus and immediately entered into her body – healing her. We talk about the power of Jesus, wondering what it was like. Some knew exactly what it felt like. Some didn’t even have to have him lay his hands on their bodies, or even to be near him to be healed. I just wonder what it felt like to have the power of Jesus enter her body? It must have been electric.

Pastor Dave