21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, 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.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
The Woman with all the bleeding comes to Jesus trusting that she would be healed of her blood by touching Jesus' garments. Jesus tells her that her faith has made her well. The People stop Jesus after they perceive the daughter to be dead. But Jesus tells them, "Do not fear, only believe." This text taken as a whole can remind us to trust in God. He is the one who rescues us from death and bleeding.
I have always really liked this text, and it is always a little different depending on which Gospel you read. But it is a sandwich text. The Bread on the sandwich is the account of Jesus raising the rulers daughter. The Meat or inside of the sandwich is the healing of a woman seeking not Jesus or his help but his power to heal. She takes it upon herself to seek out the Word of God and reach out and touch it.
But here is a question: Why doesn't Jesus just let her walk away? Why doesn't Jesus allow the woman to go away with the knowledge that her action has healed her? Or at least that by just touching his garment he has healed her? Jesus tells her, "Daughter your faith has saved you: Go in Peace and be cured from your beatings with a whip (illness)."? He assures her that she is saved not by the action but by her faith. She is offered peace and to be made whole once more and not to have to suffer anymore beatings, trials, or testing.
By the words one can remember these words of Jesus and tell others about the Hope we have in the Resurrection. She is saved from her sin. She is made in peace with God. She is even made whole once more and separated from the flogging, beating, and crucifixion which Christ pays for each of us.
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