Luke 8:47Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The woman acknowledged her condition, and as she experienced healing from the ailment that troubled her, she was freed from the anxiety that led her to desire concealment. In her testimony, she declared a miraculous work of God.

It is not merely those who profess belief that gather around; rather, it is those who reach out in faith who truly believe. They engage with Christ through faith, for to perceive Him is to do so by faith alone. The one who sees yet does not comprehend and the one who hears yet does not understand remain untouched by His presence (cf. Matthew 13:13). Equally, those who reach out without faith are not truly reached. Therefore, to reveal the faith of the woman who sought Him, He declared: "Someone touched Me, for I felt the power that went out from Me" (Luke 8:46). This illustrates that the frailties of human nature and our physical form do not obscure Divine Wisdom, nor do they confine divine essence within human limitations.

The woman, recognizing that she was no longer hidden, approached Him with fear. This fear stemmed both from His power and from the fact that she, being impure, had reached out to the Pure One. Falling down before Him, she revealed to Him, in the presence of all, the reason for her touch and how she was instantly restored to health. The structure of her declaration is altered for clarity; she fell before Him and explained to all why she had reached out to Him, a reason we have previously outlined.

The woman approached Christ discreetly, hesitant to admit her affliction openly. However, when He asked, 'Who is it that touched Me?' she realized her actions could not remain hidden. Despite her unease, she shared both her purpose and the results of her encounter. 'She came trembling, and fell down before Him, for her guilt's sake she touched Him, and told Him before all men, and how she was healed' (Luke 8:47).

The woman who was suffering, driven by both naivety and lack of understanding, believed that although she had been healed by merely touching the fringe of Jesus' robe, He was unaware of her action yet sensed the miracle. However, upon realizing that her situation could not be hidden from the Healer, and understanding that Jesus had omniscient awareness, she became fearful that her attempt to remain discreet might provoke the One who had helped her. Thus, as she trembled, she fell before Him and openly confessed her wrongdoing to the gathered crowd, revealing that she had touched Him in hope of healing, and that her affliction had ceased immediately after. What words did the Most Compassionate and Sovereign respond with?

All the afflicted sought to reach out to His garments; among them, the woman who had suffered from hemorrhages touched Him, and upon her healing, she considered slipping away. However, rather than hastening to her, Jesus paused, faced the crowd, and inquired, ‘Who touched me, for I perceive that virtue has gone out from me?’ He scanned the assembly until the woman, realizing that concealment was impossible, fell down before Him and revealed the complete truth. Jesus praised her faith, affirming, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you whole. What did this signify? Did He who instructed the unclean spirits not to declare His identity crave recognition? The Redeemer performed this to fortify Jairus' faith. He said to Jairus, ‘Do you see this woman?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jairus informs Jesus that his daughter has died (ετελέυτησεν v. 18), leading him to seek a resurrection. However, the Gospels of Mark (εσχάτως έχει v. 23) and Luke (αυτη άπεθνισκεν v. 42) indicate that she was merely gravely ill, prompting Jairus to initially request healing for his daughter, with the news of her death arriving later. Considering the condition of the afflicted woman and Jairus's emotional state, it seems unlikely that his words were entirely precise or devoid of uncertainty; it seems he implied that when he departed his home, his daughter was near death, and possibly deceased by the time he spoke to Jesus.

Jesus surveyed the crowd, and the woman who had been healed understood that she could not conceal herself from the One who had restored her. She approached Him, fell at His feet, and confessed everything without reservation. In the eyes of the Jewish law, she had transgressed; by being ceremonially unclean, she had audaciously mingled with the throng, thereby rendering everyone she encountered impure. The bystanders likely anticipated that Jesus would rebuke her for this act, and the woman herself trembled, fearful of receiving such judgment.

She emerged from the multitude, shaking with anxiety, and fell down at His feet, confessing her reality. Driven by a desire for restoration, she set aside her modesty. Her apprehension of His anger was apparent, as the law explicitly declared that the contact with a woman who was menstruating rendered a man ceremonially unclean until evening. However, in this instance, her touch brought her healing rather than contaminating Him.

The Lord's return from the region of the Gerasenes includes the plea of Jairus, the miracle of the woman with a flow of blood, and the resurrection of Jairus' daughter. The narrative presented by Luke closely resembles that of Mark (Mark 5:21-43), almost word-for-word. In contrast, Matthew summarizes these occurrences more briefly, yet the essence remains quite aligned (Matthew 9:18-26). For further insight, please refer to the commentary on the referenced passages. In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, when it states, ‘The people received Him,’ it indicates that they welcomed Him with joy and affection.

When Peter and the other disciples approached Him, they said, "Teacher, take a look at the crowds pressing against You." To this, the Lord replied, "Someone has touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me." According to Blessed Theophylact's interpretation, this power is shared with others while still remaining whole within Christ. The woman, filled with fear and trembling, understanding what had transpired and unable to hide her actions, came forward, fell at His feet, and recounted the complete truth of her situation—how she touched Him and was instantly healed. The Lord acknowledged her to draw attention to her faith, encouraging others in their own struggles and relieving her of any guilt, as she might have felt like a thief of His healing gift.