Luke 8:40-56
"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched; And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done," Luke 8:43-44; 54-56.
A miracle is something that only God can do. A miracle cannot be explained by science, the medical world, etc. A miracle actually breaks all those laws dealing with science etc. There is no person alive on earth today that can work miracles. There are a lot of charlatans who claim to have the gift of healing, but when their claims are investigated they are found to be liars. This leads us to the question, "Does God still heal today"? The answer is yes. God still heals. "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased," Psalm 115:3. "Thou art the God that doest wonders; thou hast declared thy strength among the people," Psalm 77:14. "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places," Psalm 135:6. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," Ephesians 1:11. Only God can work miracles, which means our trust is in Him, and we praise and worship Him, not a mere man.
"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any," Luke 8:43. As Jesus and the crowd are headed to the home of Jairus, there is a lady in the crowd who by law was not supposed to there. For twelve years she has had an issue of blood. This is a menstrual disorder, a uterine hemorrhage. "And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until even," Leviticus 15:19. Turn to Leviticus 15:19-27. The seven days had turned into twelve years. For twelve years she hasn't been able to freely touch anyone, not even her own family. No physical attention from her husband, no hugs from her kids, parents, or grandkids, etc. She was isolated. She was in society, but quarantined. The people would have loved Jairus and his daughter, but they would have despised this lady. They would have automatically said she had committed some type of sin and this is why she had an issue of blood (John 9:1-3). There are consequences to our sins, but just because someone is sick does not mean they have committed a sin and now God is punishing them. Also, it is not always the will of God that we are healed (II Corinthians 12:7-10). Our trust is in the Lord, no matter what.
We also learn in Luke 8:43 that this lady had spent all of her living on doctors. "Spent" means to expend further. "Her living" is used figuratively and means of life, living, sustenance. Turn to Mark 5:24-26. She had done all she could do, she went to every and any doctor she could go to, she had spent beyond what she had to spend, and now she was left as a beggar. The word "suffered" in Mark 5:26 is used of evil, meaning to suffer; be subjected to evil. Those physicians took advantage of her. They used and abused her, they financially sucked her dry, and in the end she was worse. No one could heal her, but they sure took advantage of her. Once she was out of money, they would just proclaim, unclean, unclean. The love of money is the root of all evil. These wicked people saw someone they could take advantage of, so they did. Evil religious leaders do the same thing (Luke 20:45-21:4).
This lady heard of Jesus. He truly healed, He truly raised the dead, and He did it for the glory of the Father, not for fame and fortune. Jesus Christ could really do what He said He could do. This lady had to get to Jesus, no matter what the consequences would be. Remember, anything and anyone she touched would be considered unclean. She had to push her way through the crowd, which means she was touching people as she went. This act could cost her her life. "Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched," Luke 8:44. "Stanched" means to cease. This happened immediately, and fully.
"And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me" Luke 8:45-46. "Virtue" in this verse is the Greek word "dunamis" and means specially miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself). Only God is able to work miracles. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, Immanuel, God with us. Only God has the power to heal all manner of sickness, only God has the power to create; therefore, the people would have to say what the disciples said in Luke 8:25, "What manner of man is this!"
Christ is also all knowing. "And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately," Luke 8:47. We have no doubt that Christ knew who touched Him. Christ asked this question for her sake, and for the people. As she fell down at His feet to worship Him, she proclaimed to all what great things Christ has done for her. Fear is what causes us to tremble. Fear of the unknown, and fear being concerned with what others would think about us. For twelve years this lady has lived with her head down, not looking anyone in the eyes, and not wanting to be seen, but now all eyes are upon her, and in fear and trembling she tells all what Christ has done for her. In doing this she magnifies Christ.
"And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace," Luke 8:48. We don't know what her and the crowd were expecting Jesus to say, but He spoke to her in a very affectionate manner. "Be of good comfort" is to have courage; be of good cheer. Her life radically changed. "Faith" in this verse speaks of faith in Christ; as able to work miracles, heal the sick. Faith comes from God, by His grace (Romans 10, Ephesians 2). The result is that God gets the glory. Christ has healed her, fully and immediately. Christ tells her to go in peace. "Of conscience, and serenity of mind; let nothing disturb thee; not the remembrance of past sins, which are all forgiven, nor the suggestions of satan, who may, at one time or another, present them to view; nor the troubles and afflictions of this present life; and when thou hast done thy generation work, thou shalt enter into eternal peace and joy." John Gill.
This lady goes in peace, but Jairus is about to receive tragic news. How will he respond?
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Soli Deo Gloria.
