Touching Jesus

“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, [the Pharisees] They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” Matt. 9:10-12. Usually a number of parables would follow such questions as were asked by those self-righteous pretenders (they that be whole!) - but on this occasion they are given a personal demonstration from the Healer Himself!

(On other occasion we find the skillful use of satire as Christ refers to the Pharisees as “ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance,” in the parable of the lost sheep, and “father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment,” in the parable of the lost son. To which Jesus tells them at the summation: “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” Luke 16:14.)

“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live” Matt. 9:18. (My little daughter lieth at the point of death” Mark 5:23.)

Oh the embarrassment to the other religious rulers! That one of their kind would “stoop” to such depths as to fall before the feet of this Jesus fellow and worship Him. And he as much as confessed himself to be a sinner, for they publicly taught that sickness and calamity was brought upon one because of SIN! Even the disciples were swayed by their teaching: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” John 9:1-3. And of course, such was the case with the ruler of the synagogue and his dying daughter.

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years. . .came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood was stanched” Luke 8:43a,44. What an unusual situation! We are given the beginning of a miracle - only to have the dialogue interrupted by yet another - and then resumed and brought to its conclusion.

She “came behind him.” Countless others would cry out for his attention: “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me!” But she dare not do so. Jesus was passing by. The door of opportunity was now open. But a ruler of the synagogue had approached him first; and he had a daughter at the point of death. How could one who was rendered unclean as she even think of interrupting the processional to the ruler’s house? She could not. But Jesus was close by — close enough to touch. She’s desperate. “For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”

The ruler of the synagogue came before Him, fell at His feet; the woman came from behind. Said the ruler, My little daughter lieth at the point of death. . .come and lay thy hands upon her, that she may be healed. . .” But the woman was defiled, unclean: she could not ask Jesus to touch her! Most certainly she was aware of the teaching of the scriptures:

“And if a woman have an issue, and her issue be in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. . .And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleaness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean” Lev. 15:19,25.

But this woman has had an issue of blood, not just for many days; it is for twelve years!

“But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take into her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and shall bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleaness” Lev. 15:28-30.

Striking is the next verse. The scripture until now has dealt with the uncleanness of the woman. Suddenly the focus is upon the nation of Israel. It appears that our Lord has had more in mind than the infirmities of one individual.

“Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them” vs.31. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [skenoo, tabernacled] among us” John 1:14. And how would they “die not in their uncleaness” when they defiled God’s Tabernacle? Even as they were crucifying the Lord of Glory, as Great High Priest he was giving himself as both sin offering and burnt offering: he was making atonementfor them before the Lord for the issue of her (their) uncleaness.

A nation, compared to a woman with an issue of blood; unclean, needing One who is able to make them whole? Behold the tenderness; the manifold mercies of the Lord toward Israel: “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live, yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil” Ezek. 16: 6, 8-9.

But Israel turned her affections from the Lord God unto other suitors, who wasted her and cast her aside. One day the Lord will pass by again. It will be a time of love. He will cover her nakedness; he will wash away the pollution of her blood; he will anoint her with oil; he will declare her to be His, by the Eternal Covenant.

Thy faith hath made thee whole.

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness” James 2:23. “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” She “believed God, and it was imputed unto (her) for righteousness. “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole!”

Comparing Aaron's garments with that of Christ's

Typically, the garments foreshadowed the manifest glories of Christ, the great High Priest. . .The holy garments of Aaron were for “glory and beauty”: they gave dignity to his person, being suitable apparel for his position. In figure they pointed to Christ in all his perfections. . .”

Upon the hem of this “robe of the ephod” were coloured tassels in the form of pomegranates,” and between each of these was a “golden bell,” vv. 33:34. Pomegranate is a fruit, whose seeds float in a crimson liquid; the bell, with its tongue, tells of musical speech. Every step that Aaron took as he went about his sacred duties would cause the golden bells to sound and the variegated pomegranates to be seen. So the activities of our great High Priest cause his voice to be heard in intercession within the heavenly sanctuary, and this results in His fruit being seen through “bringing many sons unto glory” and by the graces which adorn their lives.

Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, page 259, 261.

If all this is a little difficult to comprehend, then think on this! The exquisite clothing worn by Aaron as he performed his priestly duties added glory and beauty to his person. On the other hand our Lord Jesus is the fullness of glory and beauty in His person. That is to say, He might as well wear a burlap garment: His glory would be no less. If any thing,

He, in His perfections would be found giving glory to the garment! A garment, were it to be made of purest woven gold, could add nothing unto the majesty of Christ!

She touched the hem, the border of His garment.

If “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” may we not well say that this woman saw her Great High Priest; “saw” [figuratively] the crimson pomegranates; “heard” the golden bells that sounded from the hem of his garment?!! She saw, she was persuaded, she embraced,and momentarily would confess: “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.

This was not a “healing campaign” where someone touched an “anointed cloth” and was “healed.” “And Jesus said, Who touched me.” Again, “Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” Though she touch the border of his garment her faith found its lodging in Christ. He alone was the object of her faith. Jesus said, “I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” Absolutely! And it was imputed to that woman via the vehicle of faith: the power of the Eternal God in the person of Christ imputed healing, removing the infirmity.

Dare we venture to say that she touched His garment; further, in doing so she is found touching the heart of God?!! Let’s make it personal: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be TOUCHED with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let ustherefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4:15,16. This is precisely what she did - and what we likewise are encouraged to do!

Looking once more at the nation of Israel.

John chapter 20 relates the appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Did’y-mus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into in my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” We believe this to be a prophetic picture of Israel, who shall see the return of Christ in glory; who shall say, “Lord of me, God of me.” (Verse 31 identifies this passage: “And many other signs did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written. . .”

The nation of Israel has had an “issue of blood” for many years. Nation after nation has risen against her. Several are the physicians that have attempted to bring healing to her, including the United States, yet without success. The blood continues to flow. But they shall behold the Great High Priest one day. And the Lord will say, Reach hither thy hand and touch me; and be not faithless, but believing. And the issue of blood WILL STOP! And Jesus will say, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in PEACE, and be whole of thy plague!” (Israel is directly referred to as the “Daughter of Zion” some 26 times in 8 books of the Old Testament.)