Four Miracles in one day

Matthew 9:20–22 ESV

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

12 years of bleeding: unclean during the entire time (Lev. 15:25-30)

Leviticus 15:25–30 ESV

25 “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity. And everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity. 27 And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening. 28 But if she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 And on the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest, to the entrance of the tent of meeting. 30 And the priest shall use one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for her unclean discharge.

Not just a medical problem, but a social and religious problem also: unable to go to the temple, or associate with others for 12 years

She was shamed by her affliction, so rather than approach Jesus boldly, she approached from behind

Jewish laws regarding religious uncleanliness were socially enforced - a pious Jew would have recoiled, however Jesus did not rebuke her, or accuse her, or aggravate her conscience , but rather, not only rewards her faith with healing, but uses her faith as to be emulated

She touched the fringe: belief that Jesus’s healing could be transmitted by his clothes (she had faith, and Jesus rewarded it)

Tassels on Jesus’s clothes: observation of Jewish law (Num 15:38-39), however his rebuke in 23:5 is for ostentatious misuse

Tassels: prayer shawls, reminding them of 10 commandments

Phylacteries: boxes worn on their arms containing scripture

Life lesson for this passage: if you have problems, go to Jesus first

Jesus rewarded her faith, not her touch