Just to Touch His Hem
By Lisa Bell
In desperation she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and found healing. The gospel writers did not name this woman, yet three of the four told her story of incredible faith. The truths hidden in these passages meant something far deeper than mere physical healing.
In Biblical times, a woman spent a week of every month separated from others. Under Old Testament Law she was unclean. She sat on rags that became unclean in a very real sense, but also in a ceremonial way. Her rags, bed, clothes and body all were considered unclean and she must not touch anyone or allow a person to touch her. At the end of the week, she offered sacrifices which rendered her clean and restored her relationship with God.
For this woman, though, the week extended into twelve years. Besides physical pain, annoyance, and extreme fatigue, she experienced rejection. If her illness began soon after puberty, she most likely never married. If the problem began after marriage, her husband probably walked away. Perhaps she never bore children and people viewed barrenness as a curse. This also gave a man the right to divorce a woman. Her husband could not enjoy a normal marital relationship without isolating himself as he too would be unclean under the Law.
She sought physicians. She suffered through painful treatments and different medications. She visited one doctor and then another all to no avail. At one point she possessed some degree of wealth, but payments for treatments and medicine exhausted her funds. Twelve years passed. Excruciating loneliness, pain and fear plagued this woman. Her family rejected her. Without a husband or son and her money spent, she possessed no means of support. Cursed by God and unclean she dared not enter the temple to feel His Spirit. The one place she might find comfort remained off limits to this broken shell of a woman. Perhaps not even God wanted her.
But then one day she heard stories about Jesus. She strained to listen as people outside of her tent commented on this man who touched and healed even lepers. For the first time in years, she found hope again. She dared not approach this man and certainly resisted touching Him because that meant His uncleanness for a day. But where else could she turn? A woman like me has no right, but if I just touch the hem of His robe…no one will know and that will be enough. He will heal me…just a little touch. Finally her opportunity came.
She mustered all of her courage and worked her way through the crowd. She no longer cared if she touched someone accidentally. Hidden by many people she reached through legs and touched the bottom of His robe as Jesus passed–and she knew. That small touch had healed her. Jesus refused to let her hide her faith. He confronted her and called her out. She stepped from the crowd trembling and fell at His feet. She told her story, the pain, the loneliness, the shame. Jesus physically healed her, but He had accepted her just as she was.
He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.”
Daughter.
In a moment, Jesus elevated this abandoned, forgotten, forsaken, lonely woman to the position of His child. No other verse in the gospels recorded Jesus’ reference to any woman as daughter – a blood relative. Faith restored her health, but more important, she gained access to a Father who loved her more than she ever imagined. Representative of any woman who felt abandoned, alone and hopeless, she paved the way for those who reached out and touched Him.
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