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What Does Luke 8:43 Mean?
Luke 8:43-48
The healing of a woman with a flow of blood is found in three of the gospels (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48), a miracle sandwiched between two halves of another miracle, the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue. What makes the woman's healing unique is that it was performed without a word being spoken beforehand.
As it interrupted the raising of Jairus' daughter, the woman's healing was probably a test of patience for Jairus. More positively, the interruption had the potential to encourage him, helping to build the faith he had already exhibited, especially since his daughter had become much worse in the meantime. Indeed, she had died.
These two miracles are linked, not only in their parallel occurrence, but also by the number twelve, often used in the Bible to connote government. Jairus' daughter was twelve years old (Mark 5:42), and the bleeding woman had been sick for twelve years (Mark 5:25). However, both needed Christ to heal them. It does not matter how long one has been alive, salvation is always through Christ (Acts 4:10-12). Both the bleeding woman and the girl were about to see God's perfect government at work.
Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Woman With a Flow of Blood
Luke 8:43
According to the purity laws of the Old Testament (Leviticus 15:25-27), a person with an issue of blood is to remain quarantined. Also, "Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening" (verse 27).
During the poor woman's ordeal, her incurable disease had drained her, not only of her energy, but also of all her money. Her quest to find a cure from the physicians had solved nothing; in fact, she had gotten worse under their care (interestingly, in Luke's account, he—a physician—omits the phrase, "but rather grew worse"). Her condition, then, was both painful and distressing. The nature of her illness, its prolonged duration, and her fruitless reliance on physicians cost her all her money for expensive remedies, making her a hopeless case.
Nevertheless, she is a determined woman who has faith that she can find relief merely by touching Jesus. In her desperation, she displays considerable faith by risking the consequences of breaking a sacred rule in willfully coming into contact with other people.
Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Woman With a Flow of Blood
Luke 8:41-56
In Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43; and Luke 8:41-56 appears the account of the resurrection of Jairus' twelve-year-old daughter. Having recently performed the astonishing exorcism of the legion of demons, Jesus' renown was quickly spreading. As He is thronged by a multitude of curious and desperate people, a distraught father bows to Him, desperately asking Him to heal his dying daughter.
Jesus responds by going immediately to the home of the father, Jairus (Mark 5:22), a ruler of the same synagogue that the centurion had built for the Jews and whose servant Christ had healed (Matthew 8:5-13). On the way, He heals a woman with a serious issue of blood.
It is obvious that Jairus knew all about Jesus' enlightening teachings, and because of His miraculous ministry, he was convinced of His power. Although he expresses unhesitating faith in Christ's ability to heal, his faith is not equal to the centurion's, who believed that distance was no hindrance to limitless power. Jairus believes Christ's presence in his home is necessary and so beseeches Him to come and touch his daughter.
Notice the details that Mark and Luke add about this girl: Mark records that her father calls her "my little daughter," while Luke relates that she was an only child, highlighting how precious she was to her father.
Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Resurrecting Jairus' Daughter
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Luke 8:43:
Matthew 9:18-26
Matthew 9:20-22
Mark 5:22-43
Mark 5:25-34
Luke 8:41-56
Luke 8:43-48
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