Topical Bible: Sickness: Christ Healed: Through the Touch of his Garment

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In the New Testament, the healing power of Jesus Christ is vividly demonstrated through various miraculous acts, one of which includes the healing of sickness through the mere touch of His garment. This event is a profound testament to the faith of those who sought Him and the divine authority vested in Him as the Son of God.

Biblical Account:

The most notable account of healing through the touch of Jesus' garment is found in the Synoptic Gospels, specifically in the account of the woman with the issue of blood. This narrative is recorded in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. The Berean Standard Bible provides a clear depiction of this miraculous event:

In Mark 5:25-29 , it is written: "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."

This passage highlights the desperation and faith of the woman, who, after exhausting all human means of healing, turned to Jesus as her last hope. Her belief that merely touching His garment would heal her underscores the recognition of Jesus' divine power and authority.

Theological Significance:

The healing of the woman through the touch of Jesus' garment is rich in theological significance. It illustrates the concept of faith as a conduit for divine healing. Jesus Himself acknowledges this in Mark 5:34 : "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." Here, faith is not merely an abstract belief but an active trust in Jesus' power to heal and restore.

Moreover, this miracle signifies the accessibility of Jesus' healing power. The woman did not require a formal audience with Jesus; her faith and action were sufficient to draw His healing virtue. This reflects the inclusive nature of Christ's ministry, where all who seek Him with genuine faith can experience His transformative power.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the cultural and historical context of first-century Judea, the woman's condition would have rendered her ceremonially unclean according to Levitical law (Leviticus 15:25-27). Her act of touching Jesus' garment, therefore, was not only an act of faith but also one of courage, as it defied social and religious norms. Jesus' response, however, transcends these boundaries, emphasizing compassion and the primacy of faith over ritual purity.

Implications for Believers:

For contemporary believers, the account of healing through the touch of Jesus' garment serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of faith in the Christian life. It encourages believers to approach Jesus with confidence, trusting in His ability to heal and restore, regardless of the circumstances. This narrative also reassures believers of Jesus' willingness to respond to those who earnestly seek Him, affirming His role as the Great Physician who heals both physical and spiritual ailments.

In summary, the healing of sickness through the touch of Jesus' garment is a profound demonstration of faith, divine power, and the compassionate nature of Christ's ministry. It continues to inspire and challenge believers to seek Jesus with unwavering faith, trusting in His ability to bring healing and wholeness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 14:35,36
And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought to him all that were diseased;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 5:27-34
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ's Touch
... Thank God, there are many in every communion who know that constraint of the love
of Christ. But the world will not be healed of its sickness till the great ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/christs touch.htm

Christ --Perfect through Sufferings
... and that I am ordained to be healed by it ... should be one heart whose case Christ cannot
meet ... Disease, sickness of body, poverty, need, friendlessness, hopelessness ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/christperfect through sufferings.htm

Whether the Sinner Sins in Receiving Christ's Body Sacramentally?
... the hem of His garment were healed." Therefore, they ... does not suit every stage of
sickness; because the ... lxii in Joan.): "Many receive Christ's body unworthily ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the sinner sins in.htm

The Power of Feeble Faith
... and His will and love sent forth the 'virtue' which healed. ... which it is genuine,
and receives from Christ of His ... her, we are sick of a sore sickness, we have ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the power of feeble faith.htm

Real Contact with Jesus. "And Jesus Said, Somebody Hath Touched Me ...
... She had but a touch, and she was healed; and oh, may you ... The more I feel my sickness,
the more shall I adore and ... Put out the hand of faith, and touch Christ. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/real contact with jesus and.htm

John Chapter xv. 24, 25
... And yet there were some works that Christ did which ... And He healed many that were
sick of divers diseases ... took our infirmities, and bare our sickness." [1500] In ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xci john chapter xv.htm

The Looks of Jesus
... of our text, of the woman who came behind Christ to touch His robe, and be healed:
the other ... with the timidity of her sex, of her long sickness, of her ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the looks of jesus.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xv. 21,"Jesus Went Out Thence ...
... were not willing to humble themselves to Christ the author ... but speak the word only,
and my servant shall be healed. ... are necessary for a kind of sickness we have ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xxvii on the words.htm

Miracles of Healing Solicited by the Sufferers.
... not say very good, nor do I say Christ-like, for ... The man who had not asked to be
healed was as ... pay his debts, for healing of the sickness which incapacitates ...
/.../macdonald/miracles of our lord/v miracles of healing solicited.htm

Of the Fourth Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata
... ill, and so cruelly afflicted by his sickness, that it ... to St Francis, by whom he
had been healed. ... by reason of the stigmata of Christ, his bodily strength was ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/of the fourth consideration of.htm