Luke 8:44

44 and she came nigh behind, and touched the hem of his cloak, and at once the flux of her blood ceased. [came nigh behind, and touched the hem of his cloth, and anon the flux of her blood ceased.]

Luke 8:44 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:44

Came behind him
In the press and crowd of people, being ashamed to come before him, and tell him her case:

and touched the border of his garment
the fringe the Jews were obliged to wear at the bottom of their garments, ( Numbers 15:38 ) ( Deuteronomy 22:12 ) and which the more religious sort did, for by this they were distinguished from the common people: it is asked ^F16,

``who is a plebeian, or one of the common people? every one that does not read "Keriat Shema", (i.e. hear, O Israel), &c. ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ) morning and evening, with the blessings belonging to it, the words of R. Meir: but the wise men say, whoever does not put on the "Tephillin" (the frontlets, ( Deuteronomy 6:8 ) ) Ben Azzai says, whoever has not (tyuyu) , "the fringe" on his garment''

(See Gill on Matthew 9:20). This woman was persuaded in her own mind, if she could but touch the clothes of Christ, she should be healed, and accordingly she was:

and immediately her issue of blood staunched;
stopped, and was dried up; ( Mark 5:28 Mark 5:29 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 T. Bab Succa, fol. 22. 1.

Luke 8:44 In-Context

42 for he had but one [only] daughter, almost of twelve years old, and she was dead [and this died]. And it befell, the while he went [while he went], he was thronged of the people.

43 And a woman that had a flux of blood twelve years, and had spended all her chattel in physicians, and might not be cured of any, [+And some woman was in flux of blood twelve years, which had spended all her substance into leeches, neither might be cured of any,]

44 and she came nigh behind, and touched the hem of his cloak, and at once the flux of her blood ceased. [came nigh behind, and touched the hem of his cloth, and anon the flux of her blood ceased.]

45 And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? And when all men denied, Peter said, and they that were with him, Commander, the people thrust, and dis-ease thee [Commander, companies of people throng and torment thee], and thou sayest, Who touched me?

46 And Jesus said, Some man hath touched me, for that virtue went out of me [for why and I have known virtue to have gone out of me].