Episode 183: A Touch of Faith
…after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments , I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” (Mark 5: 27-30)
Sometimes the meaning and power of a word gets lost in translation. Even the tone with which we read a sentence can change the way the words are perceived. This passage is one such passage that contains a couple of phrases that can easily be looked over unless we look into the original language and meaning.
Our lady friend in this passage had been suffering for twelve years with what the Bible calls, “an issue of blood”. She had exhausted all of her resources on doctors but still had nor resolution for her illness. This issue of blood would have kept her isolated from friends, family, and even attendance to the temple to worship. She was isolated and alone but had heard about this man named Jesus and how he had healed others. The only currency she had left to shell out was faith and doctors aren’t taking that type of payment.
In desperation, she turned to Jesus. Theologian Matthew Henry in talking about this passage says, “And He will be found a sure refuge even to those who make Him their last refuge.” She didn’t want any attention or an audience with Him. She merely wanted to get just close enough to touch His garments. When she reached out and touched His garments, she was instantly healed. She could tell immediately within her body that the affliction was gone. This had nothing to do with the garment but everything to do with the touch.
When she touched His garments, Jesus also knew it immediately. The passage says He perceived the power that proceeds from Him had gone forth. This doesn’t mean that Jesus felt power being drained from Him. This was more like feeling power being activated and surging out from Him. When we read Jesus say, “Who touched my garments?” we see it as if someone bumped into Him. After all, He was in a crowd of people. How could someone not bump into Him. But, when we look at the meaning of the word in the original language, it brings a whole new light to the passage and why both the woman and Jesus knew immediately that something happened.
In the original language, the word Jesus used was “hapto”. This word means light or kindle as in to fasten fire to a thing, kindle, or set a fire. The phrase used to say “gone forth” was also used to describe a flash of lightning. When this lady reached out to touch the garments of Jesus, she wasn’t just bumping into Him. She reached out, intentionally, in faith, and that faith activated the power that resides in Jesus lighting both of them up like lightning in the fingertips. This was no ordinary touch. This was a touch of faith.
Let us be a people who aren’t hoping to bump into Jesus along the road of life. Let us reach out, intentionally with a touch of faith to activate the power accessible to us through Jesus. And, when we read God’s word, let’s not skim over the words so fast that we miss the power and true meaning of a passage.
Love Y’all. Be Blessed.
Let Us Be A People 