Mark 5:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Why does the Lord make known the identity of the woman? First, to honor her faith; second, to inspire faith in the ruler of the synagogue regarding the salvation of his daughter; and third, to comfort the woman, who was deeply anxious about losing her healing. Thus, as the evangelist notes, "in fear and trembling she came up." Consequently, the Lord did not proclaim, "I have saved you," but instead said, "Thy faith hath saved thee; walk in peace," meaning to live in peace.

As the crowds gathered around Him, jostling one another, He scanned the multitude, searching for a specific individual. This reveals that He recognized everyone present, particularly the one who was attempting to conceal herself among the throng. Although many approached Him at that moment, they came as mere humans; thus, He sought the one who approached with a divine intent, so He could admonish and correct those who came to Him purely as people. By focusing on this one individual, He aimed to impart a lesson to all, demonstrating that He understands the motivations behind each person's approach. Those who physically reached out to Him experienced only a bodily connection, while those who sought Him in spirit engaged with His sacred divinity through the touch of His humanity. A person who approached Him as a mere mortal encountered His human nature, whereas one who regarded Him as divine discovered in Him the profound healing of their afflictions.

Many sick individuals sought to touch His garments; among them was a woman suffering from a chronic issue of bleeding. After she experienced healing, she considered retreating discreetly. However, Jesus, rather than quickly approaching her, paused, turned to the crowd, and inquired, "Who touched me? I perceive that power has gone out from me." As He scanned the crowd, the woman, realizing she could not conceal herself, fell at His feet and confessed everything. Jesus praised her faith, saying, "Courage, your faith has made you whole." But why did He, who commanded the possessed not to reveal His identity, seek such recognition? The Savior desired to bolster Jairus' faith. He turned to Jairus and said, "Do you see this woman?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jairus informs Jesus that his daughter has already passed away (ετελέυτησεν v. 18) and thereby requests a resurrection. However, in the accounts of Mark (εσχάτως έχει v. 23) and Luke (αυτη άπεθνισκεν v. 42), it is indicated that she was merely in the process of dying, which initially led Jairus to seek healing for his daughter; he learned of her death at a later time. Given the circumstances of the ailing woman and Jairus's emotional state, it is unlikely that his words were perfectly clear or without uncertainty. It appears he intended to convey that, by the time he left home, his daughter was nearing death, and possibly was already deceased upon his arrival.

Christ did not reprimand the disciples for their lack of faith; instead, He declared with certainty, ‘Someone touched me, for I felt virtue flowing from me’ (for the virtue that emanated from Jesus, refer to the earlier explanation under Luke 6:19). Jesus turned around...

She emerged from the multitude, shaking with trepidation, and fell at His feet, confessing her reality. Driven by a desire for reconciliation, she set aside all modesty. Clearly, she was afraid of His anger, for the law explicitly indicated that a man's contact with a menstruating woman rendered him unclean until the evening.

Experiencing a sensation within Himself that healing power was flowing from Him, this illustrates the extraordinary force at work, emanating from the body of Jesus to mend afflictions. It seems that the faith of the suffering woman, unbeknownst to the Lord and against His will, extracts a portion of His healing power. The strength emanates from Christ, not by relocating, but rather by being imparted to others while simultaneously remaining within Him unchanged, akin to the teachings of the doctrine that reside with both the educators and the learners. A multitude pressed around Jesus, and undoubtedly many touched Him unwittingly; however, it was the touch of the woman that genuinely elicited the miraculous power from Him, a sensation He distinctly perceived. When He asked, "Who touched My garment...?," and looked around, it is evident that the Lord was aware of who had done this, yet He aimed to reveal the woman’s faith to all present.

Peter and the other disciples addressed Him, saying, “Teacher, notice how the people are pressing in on You and asking, ‘Who touched Me?’” The Lord replied that someone had touched Him, affirming that power had flowed from Him, which, as interpreted by Blessed Theophylact, is shared with others yet remains fully in Christ without loss. The woman, trembling and fearful, realizing she could not remain hidden, approached Him, fell at His feet, and confessed the truth of her actions and the immediate healing she had experienced. The Lord revealed her in order to affirm her faith, encouraging others to strive for the same, and to alleviate her feelings of guilt, as she might have thought herself a thief of His grace. He said to her, “Take courage, daughter; your faith has healed you.