Luke 8:45Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When she encountered Him and was filled with belief in the possibility of her healing, she obtained what she sought, but soon realized she had not gone unnoticed. What did the Savior declare? “Who touched Me? For I felt the power that went out from Me” (Luke 8:45, 46). He did not inquire: “What woman is this that touched Me?” to prevent those around Him from dismissing the question as irrelevant to them. Instead, He asked: “Who touched Me?” This ambiguity allowed each listener to contemplate that someone, perhaps a man, might have made such a touch.

The Lord, wanting to demonstrate the faith of the woman for the benefit of all, so that they might emulate her, and to instill hope in Jairus regarding his daughter, reveals what had transpired in obscurity. He inquires, “Who touched Me?” However, Peter, in a display of frankness, chastises Him for posing such a question, saying, "With so many pressing around You, how can You ask, 'Who touched Me?'" Peter himself fails to grasp the essence of the Lord’s inquiry. For Jesus was inquiring, “Who touched Me with true faith, and not just casually?

The miracle was not kept in obscurity, as the Savior, fully aware of everything, inquired as though He were unaware, asking, ‘Who touched Me?’ In response, the holy apostles insightfully remarked, ‘The crowds are pressing and jostling against You.’

Although the Lord feigned ignorance of obvious matters for the sake of understanding, He quickly revealed His omniscience, the force through which He also discerned the concealed truths. How did this occur, I ask? Was it not when Simon remarked, “The crowd surrounds You and presses in on You, and You ask, ‘Who has touched Me?’”...Simon aimed to highlight the physical approach of the people to the Lord.

It is not merely those who profess belief that gather around; rather, it is those who reach out in faith that truly believe. They touch Christ through their faith, for to behold Christ is to perceive through faith! He who sees yet does not comprehend, and he who hears yet does not understand, is as it is written: "Indeed, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled...” (Matthew 13:13). One who reaches out without faith does not experience the transformative touch. To reveal the faith of the woman who sought Him, He proclaimed: "Someone touched Me, for I felt the power that went out from Me" (Luke 8:46). This demonstrates that the limitations of our human condition and physical form do not obscure Wisdom, nor do they confine the divine essence within our human frailty.

Jesus asked, "Who touched Me?" This inquiry was not because He lacked knowledge, but to encourage her to come forward and acknowledge her healing. She realized she had not gone unnoticed as she had hoped, nor had she taken her healing by stealth; it was graciously given to her. The act of faith she demonstrated would reveal His power and divine knowledge to those around Him, prompting many to emulate her belief, while also instilling in them a profound respect for His omnipotence and awareness. Additionally, this moment was meant to strengthen the faith of the synagogue leader through the miracle witnessed.

The entire crowd inquired, ‘Who has laid hands on Him?’ Yet those who made this claim insisted it was not anyone who had touched You. It seemed that no one witnessed the woman reaching out to grasp the hem of His garment. However, Peter and the other apostles who accompanied him responded, ‘Master, do You not see the multitude surrounding and pressing against You? Why do You question who touched You?’ Nevertheless, Jesus, in order to unveil the woman's faith and showcase the wonder of His divine authority, remarked that although He was aware of all this, He affirmed that “someone” had indeed touched Him.

All those who were ailing sought to make contact with His garments; among them, the woman who had been suffering from constant bleeding reached out to Him. Upon receiving her healing, she considered slipping away unnoticed. However, Jesus did not hurry to her but instead paused, turned to the multitude, and asked, “Who touched me? For I perceive that power has gone out from me.” He scanned the crowd, and realizing she could not remain hidden, the woman approached Him, fell at His feet, and confessed everything. Jesus praised her faith, saying, “Courage, your faith has made you whole.” What was the purpose of this act? Did He, who advised the demon-possessed against revealing His identity, desire glory for Himself? The Savior intended to bolster Jairus' faith.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jairus informs Jesus that his daughter has already passed away (ετελέυτησεν v. 18), leading him to request a resurrection. Conversely, the Gospels of Mark (εσχάτως έχει v. 23) and Luke (αυτη άπεθνισκεν v. 42) indicate that she was merely on the brink of death, prompting Jairus's initial plea for her healing; he received news of her death only later. Given the circumstances surrounding the ailing woman and Jairus's emotional state, it is unlikely that his words were unequivocally certain; he likely intended to convey that by the time he departed for Jesus, his daughter was in her final moments, and she may now, indeed, be dead.

The ailing woman reached out to Jesus and was instantly healed. This healing was, of course, by the authority of Jesus Christ. Yet, despite her miraculous recovery and her desire to remain unnoticed, her faith was so profound that it warranted acknowledgment. Jesus sought to reveal the identity of the one who had touched Him; this was important for the encouragement of Jairus, who was soon to receive the sorrowful news of his daughter's passing. Although Christ knew who had approached Him, He chose not to indicate the woman standing nearby in the multitude. Instead, He provided her with the chance to declare her faith-filled act by asking, “Who touched me?” Peter’s response highlights the misunderstanding shared by him and the other apostles; their faith in Jesus was still growing.

It was not unnoticed by Christ, even though it was invisible to others. Aware that His healing power had been released, He paused and inquired, "Who touched My garment?" The apostle Peter, confused by the situation, remarked that in such a crowded space, it was hard to identify who had made contact. Yet, the Saviour’s question aimed to elicit a response from the individual who, having sought the Lord's immense grace, desired to approach the Healer while attempting to remain hidden.

The Lord's return from the region of the Gerasenes includes Jairus's plea, the healing of the woman suffering from a flow of blood, and the resurrection of Jairus's daughter. Luke's narrative closely mirrors that of Mark, with nearly identical details (Mark 5:21-43). In contrast, Matthew provides a more concise account, yet it retains the core elements of the story (Matthew 9:18-26). For further clarification, refer to the discussion on the cited passages. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the phrase "The people received Him" conveys their joyful and warm reception. When the Savior states, "I felt the power go out," this expression is not meant to imply that His healing power left Him without His awareness. Rather, it serves to publicly acknowledge the woman's act and to illustrate her faith as an example for others.

Peter and the other disciples addressed Him, saying, “Teacher, observe the crowd pressing against You and question, ‘Who has touched Me?’” The Lord responded, “Someone has touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me.” According to the commentary of Blessed Theophylact, this divine power is shared with others while remaining fully intact in Christ. The woman, filled with fear and trembling, aware of what had transpired and unable to hide herself, approached Him, fell at His feet, and confessed all that had happened, explaining her reason for touching Him and how she had been instantly healed. The Lord called her out to manifest her faith, encouraging others in their faith journey and liberating her from the guilt she may have felt for receiving healing without asking.