Luke 8:40-48

Butler's Comments

SECTION 4

In Enfeebling Sickness (Luke 8:40-48)

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus-' feet he besought him to come to his house, 42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As he went, the people pressed round him. 43And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by any one, 44came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45And Jesus said, Who was it that touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you! 46But Jesus said, Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.

Luke 8:40-42 The Seeking: Jesus left the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and sailed in a boat (Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:21) back to Capernaum. The multitudes received Him back with gladness (Gr. apedexato) or welcomed Him. Mark tells us that the multitudes thronged about Him at the seashore (Mark 5:21) and they continued to gather and press in upon Him until it became almost impossible for Him to move. Everyone was trying to touch Him (cf. Mark 5:30-31 with Luke 8:45). Luke informs us the multitudes had been waiting (Gr. prosdokontes, expecting, anticipating with eagerness) for Him to return. This was about the middle of the second year of Jesus-' public ministry. It was the year of great popularityconducted mostly in Galilee. Crowds followed Him wherever He went surrounding Him, begging Him to heal them or do some miracle for them to improve their physical and material situation. The scenes out in the streets and highways of Galilee would resemble the scenes of modern American cities when America's President walks their streets, except that Jesus had no bodyguards or roped-off areas to keep the crowds at a distance. In this teeming, pushing, chattering throng, there was a ruler of one of the synagogues by the name of Jairus. Matthew and Mark record that Jairus spoke to Jesus, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live. Luke, always the precise physician, notes that she was his only daughter and she was twelve years of age. Jesus had apparently sat down and was teaching this clamoring crowd, for Matthew indicates Jesus rose and followed Jairus with His disciples. The great multitude went right along toward Jairus-' house, continuing to press in upon Jesus and His disciples as they walked.

Luke 8:43-48 The Saved: On the way to the home of Jairus, in the midst of the clamoring crowd was a woman who had a flow of blood (hemorrhage) for twelve years. Mark records the woman had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. Some ancient manuscripts of Luke's gospel also note that the woman had spent all her living upon physicians. Her infirmity was incurable by the physicians of that day (perhaps even by physicians of today). She must have been very emaciated and weak. The fringe of the garment is called tzitzith in Hebrew and kraspedou in Greek. It consisted of tassels of twisted cords fastened to the outer garments as borders on cloaks or coats to remind Israelites of their obligations to be loyal to Jehovah (cf. Numbers 15:38-39; Deuteronomy 22:12). Later such fringes became distinct badges of Judaism and many of the Pharisees lengthened theirs to make a public show that they considered themselves more righteous than the common people.

Why did the woman want only to touch the fringe of His garment? (Matthew 9:21; Mark 5:28). She was probably ashamed to approach Jesus face to face since her hemorrhage made her unclean ceremonially (Leviticus 15:19-31). As a result she was banned from the public, banned from the temple worship services, and should she touch anyone else she would make them unclean (cf. Numbers 19:22). Considering the woman's helpless, hopeless and shameful plight it is to her credit that she had not become bitter. She had heard the reports about Jesus (Mark 5:27) and believed He could heal her even if all she could do was touch the fringe of His garment. Her faith was not based on mysticism or on her own feelingsbut on reports from eyewitnesses to former healings by Jesus. Our faith that Jesus is who He claims to be and will do what He says is based on the very same kind of evidenceeyewitness testimony. Her faith in Jesus was, to some extent, born of desperation. This is the case with all of us. Ultimately none of us will trust in Jesus until we are convinced there is nothing else that can save us. We must all finally come to the point where we despair even of life itself before we learn to rely on God (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). When we have come to that place, then the testimony of who Jesus is (historical evidence) and that He is able to save, is there in the Bible for us to believe and act (obey) upon.

Luke records precisely that when she touched Jesus her flow (Gr. hrusis) of blood ceased. Mark uses a less precise and more figurative description, literally, and immediately was dried up the fountain of the blood of her. (Mark 5:29). The healing was instantaneousnot gradual. No need for her to return to Jesus for more healing sessions. We feel sure that Jesus not only knew someone had touched Him, but that He also knew who. Why then did he ask? Probably to (a) publicly prove the woman's cure so that she might return to worship in the temple and social fraternization; (b) to make sure she knew that the power to heal was with Jesus, not His cloak; (c) to give the woman an opportunity to express her gratitude and become a witness to those in that crowd of who Jesus was. When Jesus asked who had touched Him, all in the crowd denied it (probably afraid He was upset about it). Peter and His other disciples thought it rather odd that Jesus would suddenly become aware someone had touched Him when the crowd had been pressing in upon Him, undoubtedly jostling and bumping and touching Him all the way from the seashore. But Jesus was talking about an unique toucha touch of faith. Jesus perceived (Gr. epignous, knowing) that power had gone forth from Him. The Greek word ginosko is not used to describe physical sensations but mental comprehensions. Jesus had no particular sensation that power had gone from Him, but he knew it. Even the woman's feeling in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:29) is described by the Greek word ginosko and means she knew it mentallynot emotionally. It actually happened to hershe didn-'t just feel like it had happened.

The woman saw that she could not remain anonymous (ashamed because of her unclean condition). If Jesus had the power to heal her in such a miraculous way, He would surely know who had touched His garment. She came trembling (Gr, tremousa) and prostrated herself down before Jesus in the presence of that pushing, shoving crowd and declared (Gr. apengeilen, from apangello, meaning, to declare precisely, plainly and clearly) why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately cured. But Jesus spoke tenderly to her (she was probably expecting some rebuke from this great rabbi because she had touched Him when she was unclean) and said, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace. All three gospel writers use the Greek word sesoken (from sodzo, meaning primarily, saved) which has been translated in the RSV, well. The woman had been delivered and saved from her physical infirmity and thus made well. And then He told her to go in peace. Peace in Hebrew is shalom and means, well-being, integrated wholeness, goodness. Jesus meant for the woman to go her way also in spiritual well-being for her faith in Him had delivered her from her uncleanness. She was restored to communion with God. She could now return to the temple to offer sacrifices and worship. This was the greatest aspect of her healing! Some day, she would become ill again and die, physically, but she had been restored to fellowship with God and that was what made her well in the ultimate sense. Jesus demonstrated His power over the ultimate diseasesin.

Applebury's Comments

Jairus-' Urgent Request
Scripture

Luke 8:40-42 a And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus-' feet, and besought him to come into his house; 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

Comments

Jairus-' a ruler of the synagogue.Jesus had begun His ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth. He often found an audience in the synagogues, and sometimes He found those who need healing in these Jewish assemblies. But He did not always meet with a friendly reception there, especially from the leaders; but even the leaders had been known to ask His help in times of distress. We have no knowledge of Jairus after this incident, but Luke tells of another ruler of the synagogue whose name was Crispus who believed the gospel of Christ as Paul preached it in Corinth and was baptized. Acts 18:8.

and be fell down at Jesus-' feet.His respect for the Teacher, the urgency of the case, and his great distress caused him to fall at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to come and save his dying daughter.

A Woman in the Crowd Healed
Scripture

Luke 8:42-48 But as he went the multitudes thronged him.

43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any, 44 came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately the issue of her blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? And when all denied, Peter said, and they that were with him, Master, the multitudes press thee and crush thee. 46 But Jesus said, Some one did touch me; for I perceived that power had gone forth from me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Comments

the multitudes thronged him.The crowd was waiting for Him and welcomed Him as He returned from the other side of the Sea of Galilee, They followed Him as He went with Jairas.

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years.Luke gives the medical history of this woman. She had spent everything, but no one could cure her. Mark says that after spending everything, she was no better, but rather grew worse (Mark 5:25-26).

touched the border of his garment.The reports of the miracles that Jesus had worked must have led her to believe that even touching the hem of His garment would do what all others had failed to do. The flow of blood stopped immediately. What a contrast that was to the twelve years during which she had been treated without success by her physicians.

Who touched me?Peter had a ready answer, but evidently failed to see why Jesus had asked the question. Jesus was aware of the multitudes who were pressing upon Him. He was aware that power had gone forth from Him. Why the question? Luke does not tell us, but it seems clear that He asked it to call attention to the miracle and to encourage the woman to let it be known.

And when the woman saw that she was not hid.Her timidity caused her to try to hide the great favor, but at the word from the Master she came trembling, and falling down before Him she declared in the presence of all the people that she had touched Him and that she had been healed immediately.

Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.She had a right to believe that He would heal her, for she knew that He had been healing all who came to Him. This is entirely different from the faith through which miracles were performed by those to whom such power had been given, See comment on Luke 9:37-45 for further explanation of faith in connection with performing miracles.

Her faith in Christ was rewarded, for she was made well. She no longer needed to fear. The gentle Healer said, Go in peace.