Luke 8:44
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Jewish men wore prayer shawls (tallit) with four tassels (tzitzit) attached to corners, fulfilling the Torah command in Numbers 15:38-39: "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments...that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD." These fringes served as visual reminders of covenant obligation and identity as God's people. Jesus, as an observant Jew, would have worn such tassels.
The woman's belief that touching these fringes would heal her may reflect Jewish understanding of God's power working through His covenant people. Alternatively, she may have connected the tassels' purpose (remembering God's commands) with God's power to heal. Her faith wasn't superstitious—she trusted not in the fabric but in Jesus' divine authority represented even in His clothing.
Her action violated Levitical purity laws. In her unclean state, touching anyone—especially a rabbi—transmitted impurity. Yet rather than Jesus becoming unclean, His purity and power overcame her impurity and disease. This reversal previews the gospel's transformative power: contact with Christ doesn't defile Him but cleanses us. His holiness is greater than our sin, His power stronger than our weakness.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the woman's faith in touching merely Jesus' garment fringe teach about confidence in Christ's complete sufficiency?
- How does the immediate healing upon contact demonstrate the reality and availability of divine power to those who reach out in faith?
- What does the reversal of ritual impurity (she doesn't defile Jesus; He heals her) reveal about the gospel's transformative power?
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Analysis & Commentary
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. The woman's approach "behind him" (opisthe, ὄπισθε) reveals her attempt at secrecy—avoiding public attention due to shame over her unclean condition. The phrase "touched the border of his garment" (hēpsato tou kraspedou tou himatiou autou, ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ) specifies she touched the kraspedon (κράσπεδον)—the tassels or fringes that faithful Jews wore on garment corners in obedience to Numbers 15:38-39 and Deuteronomy 22:12. These tassels reminded wearers to keep God's commandments.
Her faith focused on even the least contact with Jesus—not His hand, not His body, but merely the fringe of His clothing. Yet she believed this minimal touch would suffice for healing. This demonstrates extraordinary faith—confidence that Jesus' power so permeated His being that contact with His garment edges would release healing. The adverb "immediately" (parachrēma, παραχρῆμα) indicates instantaneous effect. The verb "stanched" (estē, ἔστη, from histēmi, "to stand, stop") means the hemorrhage ceased, stopped flowing, completely ended.
The contrast between her secret touch and immediate healing creates dramatic tension. She hoped to receive blessing anonymously and slip away unnoticed. But Jesus will not allow her healing to remain secret (vv. 45-48)—He will publicly affirm her faith, restore her dignity, and grant peace. This pattern recurs throughout Scripture: God meets secret faith with public honor, rewards hidden devotion with open blessing.