Hello dear friends,
Today, let’s reflect on the story of the woman with the issue of blood:
“And a woman—who had a hemorrhage for twelve years and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse—”
— Mark 5:25-26
Mark provides us with significant details about this woman’s condition. Here are some key points to consider:
1. Social Suffering
The woman struggled with this bleeding issue for 12 years. From a cultural perspective, she was considered unclean and, therefore, excluded from most social activities. The law required that a woman with a bleeding issue be isolated from the community until she was deemed clean.
“If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean.”
— Leviticus 15:19-20
The law also specified that anyone who touched her or her belongings would also be considered unclean:
“And anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. And whoever touches anything on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.”
— Leviticus 15:21-22
This isolation extended to her relationships. If she had a husband, she could not lie with him. She was unable to be around friends or family, rendering her a social outcast.
2. Physical Suffering
Mark notes that she “had endured much at the hands of many physicians.” This woman’s condition was not only socially isolating but also physically painful. For 12 years, she sought healing from various physicians, but her condition only worsened.
3. Financial Suffering
Mark further states that she “had spent all that she had.” She exhausted her financial resources in search of a cure. The combination of physical, social, and financial suffering paints a picture of a woman in desperate need of hope and healing.
The Woman’s Faith
In the next verse, we see a pivotal moment of faith:
“After hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His garment.”
— Mark 5:27
The woman faced a dilemma: according to Jewish law, anyone she touched would be considered unclean. Yet, she had heard about Jesus’ power to heal and believed He could restore her. This mirrors a common struggle for many of us. Despite knowing that Jesus can heal and restore, we may hesitate, feeling unworthy because of our own “uncleanness.”
Similarly, churches can sometimes place unnecessary barriers before those seeking Jesus, demanding they first clean themselves up before approaching Him. However, the truth is this:
“And you shall keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who makes you holy.”
— Leviticus 20:8
It is God who sanctifies us, not the other way around.
Hearing Builds Faith
The woman’s courage to approach Jesus came after hearing about Him. She did not need miraculous signs to believe—hearing about Jesus was enough.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
— Romans 10:17
This demonstrates the power of the gospel. We don’t need elaborate displays or perfect rhetoric to share the good news. The Word of Christ itself is sufficient to draw people to faith.
Immediate Healing
Mark describes the result of her faith:
“For she was saying, ‘If I just touch His garments, I will be saved from this.’”
— Mark 5:28
“And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she knew within her body that she had been healed of her affliction.”
— Mark 5:29
Her healing was instantaneous and undeniable. This mirrors how salvation works. When the Holy Spirit regenerates a person’s heart, the change is profound and unmistakable:
“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
— John 3:8
Lessons for Us
- Our uncleanness does not defile God; rather, His presence cleanses us.
- We must not place burdens on those seeking Christ with unnecessary rules or barriers.
- Faith comes by hearing the gospel—it is the power of God for salvation.
Let us faithfully proclaim the message of Christ and trust the Holy Spirit to do the work of transforming hearts.
I pray that this reflection encourages you to trust in the power of the gospel and the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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