Matthew 9:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Why did she hesitate to approach Him with confidence? It was due to her shame surrounding her affliction, which led her to feel unclean. At that time, a woman deemed unclean during her monthly purification could certainly feel even more unclean if afflicted by such a condition. According to the law, this illness was regarded as extremely defiling. Thus, the woman with the hemorrhage sought to remain hidden. Furthermore, her understanding of Jesus was not fully developed; had it been, she would not have believed she could conceal herself from Him. This woman was among the first to publicly seek Jesus, having heard of His ability to heal women. Even as she approached someone who had passed away, she felt unworthy to invite Christ into her home, despite her wealth. Rather than approaching Him directly, she reached out secretly, touching the fringe of His garment with unwavering faith. She did not waver or ponder her healing; she came with absolute certainty that she would be restored.

Due to her affliction, the woman refrained from approaching directly, apprehensive of causing a disruption. While she thought she could remain unnoticed, she held the conviction that merely touching the hem of His garment would restore her health.

In the Gospel of Luke, it is recorded that the daughter of a leader was twelve years old (Lk. 8:42). Notice that this woman, representing the Gentile nations, began to suffer when the Jewish people held their initial beliefs, or when their faith was just beginning to grow, unless we perceive a moral shortcoming arising from the contrast of virtues. This woman afflicted with bleeding approached the Lord not within a home or a city, for the law excluded her from communal spaces (Lev. 15:25ff, Num. 5:3), but rather as He traveled along the road, so that while He was en route to one person, another received healing. Thus, the apostles declare, You were the first to hear the message of God, but since you reject it and deem yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn our attention to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).

Luke provides a more detailed and clear narrative regarding this matter; his account is found in chapter eight. The term voskriliye (Slav.) refers to the hem of the garment that, while covering the feet, makes contact with the ground during travel.

The woman referenced in the Gospel (Matthew 9:20), who stained the earth with her impure blood, represents every defiled spirit. Her faith led her to touch the edge of the Lord’s garment, and instantly her blood flow ceased. This illustrates that anyone burdened with sin, who believes and invokes Christ the Son of God, will find the radiant light of righteousness shining upon them, bringing justification for their transgressions and healing from the pure source of life (Matt. 4:2).

The crowds surrounded the Lord on all sides, each person eager to witness the miraculous deeds of the unparalleled Teacher and Healer. Yet among the throng, there was one woman afflicted by illness who sought not mere curiosity. For, lo, a WOMAN, suffering from a hemorrhage for TWENTY YEARS, had endured great hardship at the hands of many physicians, exhausting all her resources yet finding no relief; rather, her condition worsened. Upon hearing of Jesus Christ, she resolved to seek the aid of the Divine Healer. With great effort, she navigated through the multitude, not daring to approach the Lord openly or even to stop Him or touch His holy hand.

Many who were unwell sought to reach out to His garments; among them was a woman suffering from bleeding, who touched Him and was instantly healed. She considered slipping away unnoticed. Yet, instead of hurrying to her, Jesus paused, turned to the crowd, and inquired, “Who touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me?” As He scanned the crowd, the woman, realizing she could not remain hidden, came forward, fell at His feet, and recounted her entire story. Jesus praised her faith, saying, “Courage, your faith has made you whole.” Why did He ask this? Did He, who silenced the demons from declaring His identity, seek honor for Himself? The Savior's intent was to bolster the faith of Jairus. He pointed out to Jairus, “Do you see this woman?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jairus informs Jesus that his daughter has already passed away (ετελέυτησεν v. 18) and requests a resurrection. Conversely, in the Gospels of Mark (εσχάτως έχει v. 23) and Luke (αυτη άπεθνισκεν v. 42), it is suggested that she was merely at the brink of death. Thus, Jairus initially sought healing for his ailing daughter, only to later receive news of her death. Given the condition of the sick woman and Jairus’s emotional state, it is unlikely that his statement was perfectly clear or devoid of uncertainty. It appears he intended to convey that when he departed from his home, his daughter was in her final death throes, and now, perhaps, she was deceased.

As they made their way to Jairus' home, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years and had long since given up hope of healing approached Jesus from behind and touched the hem of His garment. She felt too ashamed to seek Him out directly and ask for healing, for according to the Mosaic Law, a woman in her condition was deemed unclean and was required to remain isolated during her ailment, avoiding contact with anyone (Leviticus 15:25-28). Yet, her faith in Jesus’ miraculous ability was so profound that she believed simply touching Him would restore her health. While her expectation of healing was accurate, she was mistaken in thinking it could occur without Jesus' awareness.

Amidst the gathering, which likely included Pharisees and the disciples of John with whom He engaged in conversation, as well as tax collectors and sinners who continuously followed Him, there was one individual who showed no interest in observing what He might do for the synagogue’s steward. This individual was a woman who had endured a debilitating illness for twelve years, one that had left her in great distress, particularly as the society deemed her condition a result of sinful behaviors. Despite her desperate attempts to find relief through various physicians, her efforts only led to further suffering, and now, in a final act of desperation, she sought to receive healing at no cost from the Divine Healer.

The woman afflicted by a bleeding condition was regarded as ceremonially unclean according to the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 15:25). Consequently, she felt unable to openly present her plea for healing to the Lord or make contact with His person; instead, she chose to merely touch the fringe of His robe. The "fringe of the robe" (χρἀσπεδον ἱμθτι'ου) refers to the tassels located at the corners of the garment, which the Jewish people were mandated to wear as a continuous reminder of the commandments of the Lord (Numbers 15:38).

In the midst of the crowd, there was a woman who had endured a flow of blood for twelve years. She had sought the help of numerous physicians and exhausted all her resources, yet rather than finding relief, her condition had worsened. Desperate, she turned to her last hope—a healer without charge—believing wholeheartedly that she would receive healing at last. Ashamed of her ailment and labeling herself as unclean according to the law (Leviticus 15:25), she hesitated to make herself known to the crowd. Instead, she thought, “If I just touch His cloak, I will be made whole.” Thus, she quietly approached Jesus from behind and touched the fringe of His garment.