43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. (Luke 8:43-48 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
As our Saviour was on his way to Jairus’s house, a diseased woman comes behind him, touches his clothes, and is presently healed. The virtue lay not in her finger, but in her faith; or rather in Christ, which her faith instrumentally drew forth.
Observe, 1. The diseased woman, one with a bloody flux: let women here take notice of the miseries which the sin of the first woman brought upon all women; amongst, which this is one, that it has made their bodies subject to preternatural issues and fluxes of blood.
Observe, 2. The long continuance of this disease, twelve years; it pleases God to lay long and tedious afflictions upon some of his children in this life, and particularly to keep some of them a very long time under bodily weakness, to manifest his power in supporting them, and to magnify his mercy in delivering them.
Observe, 3. This poor woman was found in the use of means: she sought to physicians for help, and is not blamed for so doing, although she spent all she had upon them.
The use and help of physicians is by no means to be neglected by us in times of sickness, especially in dangerous diseases of the body: to trust to means is to neglect God; and to neglect the means is to contemn God. The health of our body ought to be dear unto us, and all lawful means used both to preserve it, to recover it, and to confirm, it.
Observe, 4. The actings of this poor woman’s faith: her disease was unclean by the ceremonial law, and she is to be separated from society: accordingly she is ashamed to appear before Christ, but comes behind him to touch his clothes; being firmly persuaded that Christ had a power communicated to him miraculously to cure incurable diseases; and how our Saviour encouraged her faith, he said, Thy faith hath made thee whole.
Learn hence, that faith often times meets with a better welcome from Christ, than it did or could expect; this poor women came to Christ trembling, but went away triumphing.
Observe, 5. Christ would have this miracle discovered; he therefore says, Who touched me? For I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. Christ says this, first, in reference to himself, to manifest his divine power, that by the touch of his clothes he could cure such an incurable disease.
Secondly, in elation to the woman, that she might have opportunity to give God the praise and glory for the cure.
And, thirdly, with respect to Jairus, that his faith might be strengthened in belief of Christ’s power to raise his daughter.
BURKITT | Luke 8:1 | Luke 8:2-3 | Luke 8:4-5 | Luke 8:6-10 | Luke 8:11-15 | Luke 8:16-18 | Luke 8:19-21 | Luke 8:22-25 | Luke 8:26-40 | Luke 8:41-42 | Luke 8:43-48 | Luke 8:49-56 | KJV Comm