Luke 8:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

She perceived the Source of cures radiating waves of grace, life coming to the lifeless, and a profound realization struck her: I have found the Healer I seek; this Physician will not require gold for His services; rather, a genuine heart is what He will ask of me; one offering He will desire—faith. And I possess that; my illness has not robbed me of it. Yet my thoughts are in turmoil. What should I do? Should I rush toward Him and hold onto Him? I would risk the crowd’s wrath. Shall I call Him to me? They may drive me away as if I were unclean. Conceal my misfortune? But I can no longer endure this pain. Approach the Physician of nature? Yet I stand in awe of Him as my King. Will He receive me as a supplicant? I fear He may turn away as from the impure. Will He show mercy to the suffering? Yet will He condemn me for approaching Him? What then shall I do? What should occupy my mind? Gaining courage, I am anxious that I may not heal again. I will not succumb to fear of the crowd, I will disregard my trepidation, I will expose myself to scorn, yet I will be freed from my internal affliction. The law rejects me as unclean, while the Lawgiver pities me as ill. The woman's determination and hesitation battled within her soul, yet her faith proved to be her ally. According to the Gospel, she pressed forward, coming up from behind Jesus, and touched the fringe of His robe. ‘For she said within herself, “If only I touch His garment, I shall recover”’ (Matthew 9:21). Oh, the bold act born of faith! Oh, a transgression that receives praise from the one who condemns theft! Oh, a deed honored by the very one who was robbed! And behold how wondrous it is: her act of faith amazes us as much as her generosity. ‘For she spoke in herself.’ She recognized that God is the Sovereign to whom nothing is hidden. He does not require physical sight; He is the Healer of souls, the eye that penetrates thoughts. He sees me in my concealment, hears me even without spoken words, and touches me from a distance; He understands that, as unworthy as I am, I could hardly withstand His gaze. So what shall I do? I will approach unobtrusively, honoring Him in thought while maintaining my humble appearance, and I will touch the hem of His garment. Just one touch of His garment will suffice for my healing because it carries His divine power; surely the robe that envelops life radiates salvation! Moses, great among the prophets and leader of a troubled people, was still merely a man. Yet this one is the Lord of all, embodying compassion. If the staff of the servant could part the Red Sea and create walls of water, would not the edge of the Lord's garment be moved by the rush of blood? The zealous Elijah, a devoted servant of God, was merely human, yet his fervor was a vessel for miracles. Likewise, Elisha, who received abundant grace from his mentor, controlled the Jordan's waves through divine grace. If the prophets possessed such grace, how much more must He, whom they foretold, embody incredible power? Why should we doubt? The shadow of Peter offers healing, but the garment of Christ would not do the same? I can already sense how my simple resolve has begun to suppress the illness. Oh, the faith that conquers the burdens of affliction! She believed, and the tormenting disease fled; she believed, and even the fiercest affliction was powerless; she believed, and the constant flow of blood ceased, as though extinguished by an unseen fire. She touched His garment, drawing closer to Him, and He discerned her innermost thoughts. She was quietly healed in body, and the Savior revealed her spiritual beauty for all to see. He would not permit such a manifestation of holiness to remain unacknowledged, nor allow the truth's flame to be snuffed out in the shadows of forgetfulness. The Gospel proclaims to the world the faith of the woman who boldly engaged in the sacred act of receiving God’s grace with unwavering intent. Who is she that is revered for her audacity, as though she embodied faith? The faith of the woman cautioned the robber; her hand, praised before his mouth, rendered silent, had approached the throne of Heaven before he could utter a cry. For the beginning of the new year and of the martyrs, and of the woman who bled.

But why did this woman seek anonymity? Why did she not approach Christ with the boldness of the leper who sought cleansing, declaring, "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean"? What held her back compared to the blind men who called out, "Have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus, Son of David," as He passed by? Her desire to maintain her secrecy stemmed from the ancient laws of Moses, which labeled every woman with a discharge of blood as unclean and deemed her untouchable by anything sacred. Thus, she feared that by breaking the law, she would merit its consequences. However, upon touching His garment, she was instantly and completely healed.

Similar to the woman who consumed all her wealth on doctors, the Gentile community squandered its natural gifts and wasted the inheritance of life. They were pious, reverent, devout, and willing to believe, yet hesitant due to shame—recognizing their fragility without losing hope in forgiveness. In her reverence, she touched the hem of His garment; through faith, she drew near; by her devotion, she believed; and with discernment, she recognized her healing. Likewise, when the holy people of the Gentiles turned to God, they felt shame for their sins and renounced them, displaying devotion and belief, exhibiting piety and prayer, donning wisdom, and sensing their restoration, while also realizing that they had wrongfully taken from others.

Why did she approach Christ from behind? Is it not because it is written, "In the footsteps of thy Lord shalt thou walk" (Deuteronomy 13:4)? Moreover, consider the significance of the ruler's daughter, who was twelve years old, and the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years; while the synagogue stood strong, the Church endured suffering. The frailty of one serves as strength for another, for through the fall of the former, the Gentiles find salvation (Romans 11:11), marking the end of the first as the dawn of the second—not a birth by nature, but the beginning of salvation, for partial blindness enveloped Israel until the full number of the Gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25). Hence, although the synagogue predates the Church, it does so not temporally, but in the sequence of salvation. The synagogue had faith when the Church was still unbelieving, burdened by various afflictions of body and spirit, without remedy. Upon learning of the affliction of the Jewish people, it began to hope for healing, realizing the time had arrived for the Heavenly Physician to appear, rising to the Word and witnessing the throng pressing around Him. It is not merely those who believe that surround Him; it is those who touch Him who possess true belief.

Her hesitation to touch Him openly stemmed from her understanding of her impurity, which made her fearful of contaminating the One who was clean, as the Law expressly prohibited such an act. Despite her desire to be healed, she refrained from requesting help from a distance due to her shame about her affliction becoming public. Furthermore, she feared that if she were recognized, she would be rejected by those around her because of her ceremonial uncleanness. For a deeper understanding of this allegorical interpretation, refer to verse 48.

Upon hearing of Jesus and His miraculous deeds, Veronica joined the throng pressing around Him. With determination, she approached from behind and touched the fringe of His garment. In that instant, the flow of her blood ceased, and she sensed within herself that she had been healed. Reflect on the severity of her situation to grasp the extraordinary nature of this miracle. Hemorrhage, particularly one so prolonged, renders the body unable to function normally; indeed, twelve years of suffering had intensified her condition beyond the ordinary.

The failure of physicians only compounded her agony, making the prospect of healing seem utterly unattainable. Yet, the moment she made contact with Christ’s robe, her affliction, unyielding for years, was suddenly reversed. What mere natural force could halt something that had persisted for twelve years in a mere heartbeat? None but the divine power of the Savior, which brought forth this magnificent and supernatural healing. The restoration of the bleeding woman, thus, stands as a profound testament to Christ’s miraculous ability to heal.

For twelve years, she endured her ailment, expending all her resources on physicians, yet found no relief. Now, she has been healed simply by touching the fringe of My garment. Her healing came through the faith with which she reached out. Consider this and strengthen your own faith.” Indeed, as soon as the Lord uttered these words, news arrived for Jairus that his daughter had passed away.

However, since Matthew does not mention the arrival of the messengers bearing news of his daughter’s death, the phrase αΰτη ετελέυτησεν aligns more accurately with the situation. Jairus's initial plea for his daughter's healing would have transitioned to a request for her resurrection upon learning of her passing, even though such a request wasn't verbally articulated. The woman suffering from hemorrhages was understandably hesitant to approach Jesus directly for help given her condition rendered her ceremonially unclean (Luke 15). Nevertheless, her faith was so profound that she believed merely touching the fringe of His garment (κρασπεδον Mt. 20. Lk. 44 cf. Num. 15:38. Matthew 14:36. 23, 5. Lk. 8:44. Mk. 6:56) would suffice for her healing.

When Jesus called her to openly acknowledge her faith and the healing she had experienced, He asked, “Who is he that touches Me? I am the one who touched Me" (Luke). This interaction suggests that, at times, miraculous power might emanate from Him without His direct intention. Nonetheless, it is clear that Jesus was aware of the woman's intention when she touched Him. He encouraged her spirit, saying, "Courage, woman, thy faith shall save thee"—a reassurance He expressed later, addressing her openly. Despite the multitude pressing against Him, only the faith of this woman drew forth His miraculous power. Her touch did not hold significance for Christ in terms of extracting power; rather, it served as an authentic expression of her faith, illustrating the intimate connection between her need and the divine healing she sought.

For a miracle to unfold, two elements must exist: the divine will that initiates the miracle and the faith of the individual who is able to recognize that divine activity. In Nazareth, for instance, Jesus could only heal a few due to the townsfolk's lack of belief, despite His wish to bless them all (Matt. 13:58). Their inability to recognize Jesus' miraculous power stemmed from their skepticism. Christ continually emphasized the necessity of faith in the process of healing, as seen when He told the blind, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). The creative power of God operates independently of human understanding, willingness, or belief; however, when one seeks a demonstration of God’s mercy, it is essential for the believer to have faith in the possibility of receiving what they ask for, enabling them to accept God’s gifts.

The expression "I felt the power go out" is articulated by the Savior not to imply that His healing power exited unknowingly, but rather to highlight the woman’s act of faith for the benefit of all present, setting a powerful example for others to follow.