Psalms 129-131
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind [Jesus] and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched Me?’ Jesus asked.” Luke 8:43-45
We could imagine a huge crowd of people gathering and people pressing up against each other. Suddenly, Jesus stopped walking, turned to the crowd and asked the question, “Who touched Me?” We may find the question absurd, especially with so many people pressed up against Jesus, why was He asking such a ridiculous question? When everyone denied it, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You” (Luke 8:45). This moment was like a teacher who saw something written on the blackboard and no student admitted to doing it, so the teacher challenged the class by saying, “No one is leaving until I know who did it.”
Jesus then disclosed, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me” (Luke 8:46). Jesus was aware of what happened, but why was He making such a huge deal about it? Why did He want to know who it was? Why did He want to bring the person to the centre of the crowd? It seemed like He was trying to expose or embarrass the person, but in reality, the exact opposite is true.
The woman who was struggling with bleeding for twelve years came trembling before Jesus, fell to her knees and confessed that she touched Him and was instantly healed. There were two reasons why Jesus exposed her. Firstly, her bleeding was not just a physical condition; according to the law of Moses, it made her unclean. As her bleeding was perpetual, she was socially separated from people; even in her own home, she was not to be touched. This was why she did not yell to the crowd, “Jesus, come heal me!” because the moment she did that and explained what she needed healing from, everyone would have distanced themselves from her. The fact that Jesus brought her out in the open and publicly declared that she was healed was actually restoring her socially to the community.
Secondly, the woman would have been cut off from God because an unclean person could not go into the synagogue. In other words, she could not worship. Probably in the back of her mind, she thought, “God thinks I’m unclean too.” Yet, Jesus affirmed, “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (Luke 8:48). He upheld her faith. He was not only restoring her socially but also spiritually. This was why He made a huge deal about who touched Him.
Just like the woman in the crowd, Jesus knows the afflictions in our life and desires to restore us in a right relationship with others and with Him.
Dear Jesus, I confess of the times that I try to hide from You because of my sin, shame and fear. Thank You for seeking me out and restoring me into a right relationship with You and with others. Praise You!
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind [Jesus] and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched Me?’ Jesus asked.” Luke 8:43-45
We could imagine a huge crowd of people gathering and people pressing up against each other. Suddenly, Jesus stopped walking, turned to the crowd and asked the question, “Who touched Me?” We may find the question absurd, especially with so many people pressed up against Jesus, why was He asking such a ridiculous question? When everyone denied it, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You” (Luke 8:45). This moment was like a teacher who saw something written on the blackboard and no student admitted to doing it, so the teacher challenged the class by saying, “No one is leaving until I know who did it.”
Jesus then disclosed, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me” (Luke 8:46). Jesus was aware of what happened, but why was He making such a huge deal about it? Why did He want to know who it was? Why did He want to bring the person to the centre of the crowd? It seemed like He was trying to expose or embarrass the person, but in reality, the exact opposite is true.
The woman who was struggling with bleeding for twelve years came trembling before Jesus, fell to her knees and confessed that she touched Him and was instantly healed. There were two reasons why Jesus exposed her. Firstly, her bleeding was not just a physical condition; according to the law of Moses, it made her unclean. As her bleeding was perpetual, she was socially separated from people; even in her own home, she was not to be touched. This was why she did not yell to the crowd, “Jesus, come heal me!” because the moment she did that and explained what she needed healing from, everyone would have distanced themselves from her. The fact that Jesus brought her out in the open and publicly declared that she was healed was actually restoring her socially to the community.
Secondly, the woman would have been cut off from God because an unclean person could not go into the synagogue. In other words, she could not worship. Probably in the back of her mind, she thought, “God thinks I’m unclean too.” Yet, Jesus affirmed, “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (Luke 8:48). He upheld her faith. He was not only restoring her socially but also spiritually. This was why He made a huge deal about who touched Him.
Just like the woman in the crowd, Jesus knows the afflictions in our life and desires to restore us in a right relationship with others and with Him.
Dear Jesus, I confess of the times that I try to hide from You because of my sin, shame and fear. Thank You for seeking me out and restoring me into a right relationship with You and with others. Praise You!
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