TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study this verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Matthew 9:18–26. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here two passages of history put together; that of the raising of Jairus's daughter to life, and that of the curing of the woman that had the bloody issue, as he was going to Jairus's house, which is introduced in a parenthesis, in the midst of the other; for Christ's miracles were thick sown, and interwoven; the work of him that sent him was his daily work. He was called to do these good works from speaking the things foregoing, in answer to the cavils of the Pharisees, Mat 9:18 : While he spake these things; and we may suppose it is a pleasing interruption given to that unpleasant work of disputation, which, though sometimes needful, a good man will gladly leave, to go about a work of devotion or charity. Here is,
I.The ruler's address to Christ, Mat 9:18.
A certain ruler, a ruler of the synagogue, came and worshipped him. Have any of the rulers believed on him? Yes, here was one, a church ruler, whose faith condemned the unbelief of the rest of the rulers. This ruler had a little daughter, of twelve years old, just dead, and this breach made upon his family comforts was the occasion of his coming to Christ. Note, In trouble we should visit God: the death of our relations should drive us to Christ, who is our life; it is well if any thing will do it. When affliction is in our families, we must not sit down astonished, but, as Job, fall down and worship. Now observe,
1.His humility in this address to Christ. He came with his errand to Christ himself, and did not send his servant. Note, It is no disparagement to the greatest rulers, personally to attend on the Lord Jesus. He worshipped him, bowed the knee to him, and gave him all imaginable respect. Note, They that would receive mercy from Christ must give honour to Christ.
2.His faith in this address; "My daughter is even now dead," and though any other physician would now come too late (nothing more absurd than post mortem medicina - medicine after death), yet Christ comes not too late; he is a Physician after death, for he is the resurrection and the life; "O come then, and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." This was quite above the power of nature (a privatione ad habitum non datur regressus - life once lost cannot be restored), yet within the power of Christ, who has life in himself, and quickeneth whom he will. Now Christ works in an ordinary, by nature and not against it, and, therefore, we cannot in faith bring him such a request as this; while there is life, there is hope, and room for prayer; but when our friends are dead, the case is determined; we shall go to them, but they shall not return to us. But while Christ was here upon earth working miracles, such a confidence as this was not only allowable but very commendable.
II.The readiness of Christ to comply with his address, Mat 9:19.
Jesus immediately arose, left his company, and followed him; he was not only willing to grant him what he desired, in raising his daughter to life, but to gratify him so far as to come to his house to do it. Surely he never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. He denied to go along with the nobleman, who said, Sir, come down, ere my child die (Joh 4:48-50), yet he went along with the ruler of the synagogue, who said, Sir, come down, and my child shall live. The variety of methods which Christ took in working his miracles is perhaps to be attributed to the different frame and temper of mind which they were in who applied to him, which he who searcheth the heart perfectly knew, and accommodated himself to. He knows what is in man, and what course to take with him. And observe, when Jesus followed him, so did his disciples, whom he had chosen for his constant companions; it was not for state, or that he might come with observation, that he took his attendants with him, but that they might be the witnesses of his miracles, who were hereafter to be the preachers of his doctrine.
III.The healing of the poor woman's bloody issue.
I call her a poor woman, not only because her case was piteous, but because, she had spent it all upon physicians, for the cure of her distemper, and was never the better; which was a double aggravation of the misery of her condition, that she had been full, but was now empty; and that she had impoverished herself for the recovery of her health, and yet had not her health neither. This woman was diseased with a constant issue of blood twelve years (Mat 9:20); a disease, which was not only weakening and wasting, and under which the body must needs languish; but which also rendered her ceremonially unclean, and shut her out from the courts of the Lord's house; but it did not cut her off from approaching to Christ. She applied herself to Christ, and received mercy from him, by the way, as he followed the ruler, whose daughter was dead, to whom it would be a great encouragement, and a help to keep up his faith in the power of Christ. So graciously does Christ consider the frame, and consult the case, of weak believers. Observe,
1.The woman's great faith in Christ, and in his power. Her disease was of such a nature, that her modesty would not suffer her to speak openly to Christ for a cure, as others did, but by a peculiar impulse of the Spirit of faith, she believed him to have such an overflowing fulness of healing virtue, that the very touch of his garment would be her cure. This, perhaps, had something of fancy mixed with faith; for she had no precedent for this way of application to Christ, unless, as some think, she had an eye to the raising of the dead man by the touch of Elisha's bones, Kg2 13:21. But what weakness of understanding there was in it, Christ was pleased to overlook, and to accept the sincerity and strength of her faith; for he eateth the honey-comb with the honey, Sol 4:11. She believed she should be healed if she did but touch the very hem of his garment, the very extremity of it. Note, There is virtue in every thing that belongs to Christ. The holy oil with which the high priest was anointed, ran down to the skirts of his garments, Psa 133:2. Such a fulness of grace is there in Christ, that from it we may all receive, Joh 1:16.
2.Christ's great favour to this woman. He did not suspend (as he might have done) his healing influences, but suffered this bashful patient to steal a cure unknown to any one else, though she could not think to do it unknown to him. And now she was well content to be gone, for she had what she came for, but Christ was not willing to let he to so; he will not only have his power magnified in her cure, but his grace magnified in her comfort and commendation: the triumphs of her faith must be to her praise and honour. He turned about to see for her (Mat 9:22), and soon discovered her. Note, It is great encouragement to humble Christians, that they who hide themselves from men are known to Christ, who sees in secret their applications to heaven when most private. Now here,
(1.)He puts gladness into her heart, by that word, Daughter, be of good comfort. She feared being chidden for coming clandestinely, but she is encouraged.
[1.]He calls her daughter, for he spoke to her with the tenderness of a father, as he did to the man sick of the palsy (Mat 9:2), whom he called son. Note, Christ has comforts ready for the daughters of Zion, that are of a sorrowful spirit, as Hannah was, Sa1 1:15. Believing women are Christ's daughters, and he will own them as such.
[2.]He bids her be of good comfort: she has reason to be so, if Christ own her for a daughter. Note, The saints' consolation is founded in their adoption. His bidding her be comforted, brought comfort with it, as his saying, Be ye whole, brought health with it. Note, It is the will of Christ that his people should be comforted, and it is his prerogative to command comfort to troubled spirits. He creates the fruit of the lips, peace, Isa 57:19.
(2.)He puts honour upon her faith. That grace of all others gives most honour to Christ, and therefore he puts most honour upon it; Thy faith has made thee whole. Thus by faith she obtained a good report. And as of all graces Christ puts the greatest honour upon faith, so of all believers he puts the greatest honour upon those that are most humble; as here on this woman, who had more faith than she thought she had. She had reason to be of good comfort, not only because she was made whole, but because her faith had made her whole; that is,
[1.]She was spiritually healed; that cure was wrought in her which is the proper fruit and effect of faith, the pardon of sin and the work of grace. Note, We may then be abundantly comforted in our temporal mercies when they are accompanied with those spiritual blessings that resemble them; our food and raiment will be comfortable, when by faith we are fed with the bread of life, and clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ; our rest and sleep will be comfortable, when by faith we repose in God, and dwell at ease in him; our health and prosperity will be comfortable, when by faith our souls prosper, and are in health. See Isa 38:16, Isa 38:17.
[2.]Her bodily cure was the fruit of faith, of her faith, and that made it a happy, comfortable cure indeed. They out of whom the devils were cast, were helped by Christ's sovereign power; some by the faith of others (as Mat 9:2); but it is thy faith that has made thee whole. Note, Temporal mercies are then comforts indeed to us, when they are received by faith. If, when in pursuit of mercy, we prayed for it in faith, with an eye to the promise, and in dependence upon that, if we desired it for the sake of God's glory, and with a resignation to God's will, and have our hearts enlarged by it in faith, love, and obedience, we may then say, it was received by faith.
IV.The posture in which he found the ruler's house, Mat 9:23.
- He saw the people and the minstrels, or musicians, making a noise. The house was in a hurry: such work does death make, when it comes into a family; and, perhaps, the necessary cares that arise at such a time, when our dead is to be decently buried out of our sight, give some useful diversion to that grief which is apt to prevail and play the tyrant. The people in the neighbourhood came together to condole on account of the loss, to comfort the parents, to prepare for, and attend on, the funeral, which the Jews were not wont to defer long. The musicians were among them, according to the custom of the Gentiles, with their doleful, melancholy tunes, to increase the grief, and stir up the lamentations of those that attended on this occasion; as (they say) is usual among the Irish, with their Ahone, Ahone. Thus they indulged a passion that is apt enough of itself to grow intemperate, and affected to sorrow as those that had no hope. See how religion provides cordials, where irreligion administers corrosives. Heathenism aggravates that grief which Christianity studies to assuage. Or perhaps these musicians endeavoured on the other hand to divert the grief and exhilarate the family; but, as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that sings songs to a heavy heart. Observe, The parents, who were immediately touched with the affliction, were silent, while the people and minstrels, whose lamentations were forced, made such a noise. Note, The loudest grief is not always the greatest; rivers are most noisy where they run shallow. Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet - That grief is most sincere, which shuns observation. But notice is taken of this, to show that the girl was really dead, in the undoubted apprehension of all about her.
V.The rebuke that Christ gave to this hurry and noise, Mat 9:24.
He said, Give place. Note, Sometimes, when the sorrow of the world prevails, it is difficult for Christ and his comforts to enter. They that harden themselves in sorrow, and, like Rachel, refuse to be comforted, should think they hear Christ saying to their disquieting thoughts, Give place: "Make room for him who is the Consolation of Israel, and brings with him strong consolations, strong enough to overcome the confusion and tyranny of these worldly griefs, if he may but be admitted into the soul." He gives a good reason why they should not thus disquiet themselves and one another; The maid is not dead but sleepeth.
1.This was eminently true of this maid, that was immediately to be raised to life; she was really dead, but not so to Christ, who knew within himself what he would do, and could do, and who had determined to make her death but as a sleep. There is little more difference between sleep and death, but in continuance; whatever other difference there is, it is but a dream. This death must be but of short continuance, and therefore is but a sleep, like one night's rest. He that quickens the dead, may well call the things which be not as though they were, Rom 4:17.
2.It is in a sense true of all that die, chiefly of them that die in the Lord. Note,
(1.)Death is a sleep. All nations and languages, for the softening of that which is so dreadful, and withal so unavoidable, and the reconciling of themselves to it, have agreed to call it so. It is said, even of the wicked kings, that they slept with their fathers; and of those that shall arise to everlasting contempt, that they sleep in the dust, Dan 12:2. It is not the sleep of the soul; its activity ceases not; but the sleep of the body, which lies down in the grave, still and silent, regardless and disregarded, wrapt up in darkness and obscurity. Sleep is a short death, and death a long sleep. But the death of the righteous is in a special manner to be looked upon as a sleep, Isa 57:2. They sleep in Jesus (Th1 4:14); they not only rest from the toils and labours of the day, but rest in hope of a joyful waking again in the morning of the resurrection, when they shall wake refreshed, wake to a new life, wake to be richly dressed and crowned, and wake to sleep no more.
(2.)The consideration of this should moderate our grief at the death of our dear relations: "say not, They are lost; no, they are but gone before: say not, They are slain; no, they are but fallen asleep; and the apostle speaks of it as an absurd thing to imagine that they that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished (Co1 15:18); give place, therefore, to those comforts which the covenant of grace ministers, fetched from the future state, and the glory to be revealed."
Now could it be thought that such a comfortable word as this, from the mouth of our Lord Jesus, should be ridiculed as it was? They laughed him to scorn. These people lived in Capernaum, knew Christ's character, that he never spake a rash or foolish word; they knew how many mighty works he had done; so that if they did not understand what he meant by this, they might at least have been silent in expectation of the issue. Note, The words and works of Christ which cannot be understood, yet are not therefore to be despised. We must adore the mystery of divine sayings, even when they seem to contradict what we think ourselves most confident of. Yet even this tended to the confirmation of the miracle: for it seems she was so apparently dead, that it was thought a very ridiculous thing to say otherwise.
VI.The raising of the damsel to life by the power of Christ, Mat 9:25.
The people were put forth. Note, Scorners that laugh at what they see and hear that is above their capacity, are not proper witnesses of the wonderful works of Christ, the glory of which lies not in pomp, but in power. The widow's son at Nain, and Lazarus, were raised from the dead openly, but this damsel privately; for Capernaum, that had slighted the lesser miracles of restoring health, was unworthy to see the greater, of restoring life; these pearls were not to be cast before those that would trample them under their feet.
Christ went in and took her by the hand, as it were to awake her, and to help her up, prosecuting his own metaphor of her being asleep. The high priest, that typified Christ, was not to come near the dead (Lev 21:10, Lev 21:11), but Christ touched the dead. The Levitical priesthood leaves the dead in their uncleanness, and therefore keeps at a distance from them, because it cannot remedy them; but Christ, having power to raise the dead, is above the infection, and therefore is not shy of touching them. He took her by the hand, and the maid arose. So easily, so effectually was the miracle wrought; not by prayer, as Elijah did (Kg1 17:21), and Elisha (Kg2 4:33), but by a touch. They did it as servants, he as a Son, as a God, to whom belong the issues from death. Note, Jesus Christ is the Lord of souls, he commands them forth, and commands them back, when and as he pleases. Dead souls are not raised to spiritual life, unless Christ take them by the hand: it is done in the day of his power. He helps us up, or we lie still.
VII.The general notice that was taken of this miracle, though it was wrought privately; Mat 9:26.
The fame thereof went abroad into all that land: it was the common subject of discourse. Note, Christ's works are more talked of than considered and improved. And doubtless, they that heard only the report of Christ's miracles, were accountable for that as well as they that were eye-witnesses of them. Though we at this distance have not seen Christ's miracles, yet having an authentic history of them, we are bound, upon the credit of that, to receive his doctrine; and blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed, Joh 20:29.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
9 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Herein is to be observed the marvellous virtue of the Lord, that the power that dwelt in His body should give healing to things perishable, and the heavenly energy extended even through the hems of His garments; for God is not comprehensible that He should be shut in by a body. For His taking a body unto Him did not confine His power, but His power took upon it a frail body for our redemption. Figuratively, this ruler is to be understood as the Law, which prays the Lord that He would restore life to the dead multitude which it had brought up for Christ, preaching that His coming was to be looked for.
The deed overtook the words; so that the mouths of the Pharisees were the more stopped. For both he that came was a ruler of the synagogue, and his affliction terrible. For the young damsel was both his only child, and twelve years old, the very flower of her age; on which account especially He raised her up again, and that immediately.
And if Luke say that men came, saying, "Trouble not the Master, for she is dead;" we will say this, that the expression, "she is even now dead," was that of one conjecturing from the time of his journeying, or exaggerating his affliction. For it is an usual thing with persons in need to heighten their own evils by their report, and to say something more than is really true, the more to attract those whom they are beseeching.
But see his dullness: how he requires of Christ two things, both His actual presence, and the laying on of His hand: and this by the way is a sign that he had left her still breathing. This Naaman also, that Syrian, required of the prophet. "For I thought," saith he, "he will surely come out, and will lay on his hand." For in truth they who are more or less dull of temper, require sight and sensible things.
And whereas Mark saith, He took the three disciples, and so doth Luke; our evangelist merely saith, "the disciples." Wherefore then did He not take with Him Matthew, though he had but just come unto Him? To bring him to a more earnest longing, and because he was yet rather in an imperfect state. For to this intent doth He honor those, that these may grow such as those are. But for him it sufficed for the present, to see what befell the woman with the issue of blood, and to be honored by His table, and by His partaking of his salt.
And when He had risen up many followed Him, as for a great miracle, both on account of the person who had come, and because the more part being of a grosser disposition were seeking not so much the care of the soul, as the healing of the body; and they flowed together, some urged by their own afflictions, some hastening to behold how other men's were cured: however, there were as yet but few in the habit of coming principally for the sake of His words and doctrine. Nevertheless, He did not suffer them to enter into the house, but His disciples only; and not even all of these, everywhere instructing us to repel the applause of the multitude.
(Hom. xxxi.) After His instructions He adds a miracle, which should mightily discomfit the Pharisees, because he who came to beg this miracle, was a ruler of the synagogue, and the mourning was great, for she was his only child, and of the age of twelve years, that is, when the flower of youth begins; While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came one of their chief men unto him.
Or; The ruler says, she is dead, exaggerating his calamity. As it is the manner of those that prefer a petition to magnify their distresses, and to represent them as something more than they really are, in order to gain the compassion of those to whom they make supplication; whence he adds, But come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. See his dullness. He begs two things of Christ, to come, and to lay His hand upon her. This was what Naaman the Syrian required of the Prophet. For they who are constituted thus hard of heart have need of sight and things sensible.
Mark and Luke say that He took with Him three disciples only, namely, Peter, James, and John; He took not Matthew, to quicken his desires, and because he was yet not perfectly minded1; and for this reason He honours these three, that others may become like-minded. It was enough meanwhile for Matthew to see the things that were done respecting her that had the issue of blood, concerning whom it follows; And, behold, a woman who had suffered an issue of blood twelve years, came behind and touched the hem of his garment.
She came not to Christ with an open address through shame concerning this her disease, believing herself unclean; for in the Law this disease was esteemed highly unclean. For this reason she hides herself.
Or because the woman was fearful, therefore He said, Be of good cheer. He calls her daughter, for her faith had made her such.
She had not yet a perfect mind respecting Christ, or she would not have supposed that she could be hid from Him; but Christ would not suffer her to go away unobserved, not that He sought fame, but for many reasons. First, He relieves the woman's fear, that she should not be pricked in her conscience as though she had stolen this boon; secondly, He corrects her error in supposing she could be hid from Him; thirdly, He displays her faith to all for their imitation; and fourthly, He did a miracle, in that He showed He knew all things, no less than in drying the fountain of her blood. It follows, And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Wherefore did she not approach Him boldly? She was ashamed on account of her affliction, accounting herself to be unclean. For if the menstruous woman was judged not to be clean, much more would she have the same thought, who was afflicted with such a disease; since in fact that complaint was under the law accounted a great uncleanness. Therefore she lies hidden, and conceals herself. For neither had she as yet the proper and correct opinion concerning Him: else she would not have thought to be concealed. And this is the first woman that came unto Him in public, having heard of course that He heals women also, and that He is on His way to the little daughter that was dead.
And she durst not invite him to her house, although she was wealthy; nay, neither did she approach publicly, but secretly with faith she touched His garments. For she did not doubt, nor say in herself, "Shall I indeed be delivered from the disease? shall I indeed fail of deliverance?" But confident of her health, she so approached Him. "For she said," we read, "in herself, If I may only touch His garment, I shall be whole." Yea, for she saw out of what manner of house He was come, that of the publicans, and who they were that followed Him, sinners and publicans; and all these things made her to be of good hope.
(Verse 21) For she said within herself, If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, According to the Law, he who touches a woman who is menstruating or has a discharge of blood is unclean (Lev. 20:25). She touches the Lord for this reason, that she may be healed of the defect of blood.
This woman that had the flux came to the Lord not in the house, nor in the town, for she was excluded from them by the Law, but by the way as He walked; thus as He goes to heal one woman, another is cured.
He said not, Thy faith shall make thee whole, but, hath made thee whole; for in that thou hast believed, thou art already made whole.
We ought to admire and at the same time to imitate the humility and mercifulness of the Lord; as soon as ever He was asked, He rose to follow him that asked; And Jesus rose, and followed him. Here is instruction both for such as are in command, and such as are in subjection. To these He has left an example of obedience; to those who are set over others He shows how earnest and watchful they should be in teaching; whenever they hear of any being dead in spirit, they should hasten to Him; And his disciples went with him.
In which her humility must be praised, that she came not before His face, but behind, and judged herself unworthy to touch the Lord's feet, yea, she touched not His whole garment, but the hem only; for the Lord wore a hem according to the command of the Law. So the Pharisees also wore hems which they made large, and in some they inserted thorns. But the Lord's hem was not made to wound, but to heal, and therefore it follows, For she said within herself, If I can but touch his garment, I shall be made whole. How wonderful her faith, that though she despaired of health from the physicians, on whom notwithstanding she had exhausted her living, she perceived that a heavenly Physician was at hand, and therefore bent her whole soul on Him; whence she deserved to be healed; But Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Be of good cheer, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.
The different comparisons all refer to the same thing, and yet are they different; the garment by which we are covered abroad signifies our good works, which we perform when we are abroad; the wine with which we are refreshed within is the fervor of faith and charity, which creates us anew within.
What is this that He bids her, Be of good cheer, seeing if she had not had faith, she would not have sought healing of Him? He requires of her strength and perseverance, that she may come to a sure and certain salvation.
(part. e Beda.) Or; The ruler of the synagogue signifies Moses; he is named Jairus, 'illuminating,' or, 'that shall illuminate,' because he received the words of life to give to us, and by them enlightens all, being himself enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The daughter of the ruler, that is, the synagogue itself, being as it were in the twelfth year of its age, that is, in the season of puberty, when it should have borne spiritual progeny to God, fell into the sickness of error. While then the Word of God is hastening to this ruler's daughter to make whole the sons of Israel, a holy Church is gathered from among the Gentiles, which while it was perishing by inward corruption, received by faith that healing that was prepared for others. It should be noted, that the ruler's daughter was twelve years old, and this woman had been twelve years afflicted; thus she had begun to be diseased at the very time the other was born; so in one and the same age the synagogue had its birth among the Patriarchs, and the nations without began to be polluted with the pest of idolatry. For the issue of blood may be taken in two ways, either for the pollution of idolatry, or for obedience to the pleasures of flesh and blood. Thus as long as the synagogue flourished, the Church languished; the falling away of the first was made the salvation of the Gentiles. Also the Church draws nigh and touches the Lord, when it approaches Him in faith. She believed, spake her belief, and touched, for by these three things, faith, word, and deed, all salvation is gained. She came behind Him, as He spake, If any one serve me, let him follow me; (John 12:26.) or because, not having seen the Lord present in the flesh, when the sacraments of His incarnation were fulfilled, she came at length to the grace of the knowledge of Him. Thus also she touched the hem of His garment, because the Gentiles, though they had not seen Christ in the flesh, received the tidings of His incarnation. The garment of Christ is put for the mystery of His incarnation, wherewith His Deity is clothed; the hem of His garment are the words that hang upon His incarnation. She touches not the garment, but the hem thereof; because she saw not the Lord in the flesh, but received the word of the incarnation through the Apostles. Blessed is he that touches but the uttermost part of the word by faith. She is healed while the Lord is not in the city, but while He is yet on the way; as the Apostles cried, Because ye judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46.) And from the time of the Lord's coming the Gentiles began to be healed.
(ap. Anselm.) This must be understood as the time in which she touched the hem of His garment, not in which Jesus turned to her; for she was already healed, as the other Evangelists testify, and as may be inferred from the Lord's words.
Continue studying Matthew 9:21 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Matthew 9:21 captures the profound internal conviction of a woman suffering for twelve years from a debilitating hemorrhage, who, in an act of desperate yet resolute faith, believes that merely touching the fringe of Jesus' garment will bring about her complete restoration. Her quiet declaration, spoken only to herself amidst a bustling crowd, reveals a deep understanding of Jesus' unique power and authority, anticipating the miraculous healing that immediately follows and underscores the transformative power of faith.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is embedded within a series of healing miracles in Matthew 9, immediately following the healing of a paralytic and the call of Matthew. It serves as a parenthetical narrative, interrupting the main story of Jesus on His way to heal Jairus' daughter (Matthew 9:18-19). This literary technique highlights the woman's story as a significant demonstration of faith and divine power, while also building suspense for Jairus' situation. The swiftness of her healing contrasts with the perceived urgency of Jairus' request, emphasizing that Jesus' power is not bound by human timelines or expectations.
Historical & Cultural Context
The woman's condition, a chronic hemorrhage, rendered her ritually unclean under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 15:25-27). This meant she was isolated from community life, unable to participate in temple worship, and anything she touched also became unclean. Her suffering was not merely physical but also profound social and spiritual ostracization. For twelve years, she had endured this, likely exhausting all her financial resources on physicians who offered no cure (Mark 5:26). Her act of pushing through a crowd to touch Jesus was not only an act of faith but also an act of immense courage, as her presence in public could have been met with condemnation.
Key Themes
The central theme in Matthew 9:21 is desperate, active faith. Despite her long-term suffering and social isolation, the woman's belief in Jesus' power was so strong that she sought healing through a seemingly minimal act. This highlights Jesus' unparalleled divine power, which emanates from Him even without His explicit command or prior knowledge, demonstrating His inherent ability to heal and restore. Furthermore, the narrative emphasizes the holistic nature of "wholeness" (Greek: sōzō), implying not just physical cure but also restoration to social acceptance and spiritual well-being, a theme consistently seen in Jesus' ministry, such as when He tells the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee" just prior to this account.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning to "lay forth" or relate in words, often implying systematic or set discourse. Here, it emphasizes that her statement was not a fleeting thought but a deeply held, deliberate conviction, a firm resolve expressed "within herself." It highlights the internal, conscious nature of her faith.
Meaning to attach oneself to, or to touch. This word conveys an intentional, active, and physical engagement. It wasn't an accidental brush, but a deliberate act of reaching out and making contact, believing that this physical connection would be the conduit for divine power.
Meaning to save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, or make well. While often translated as "save" in the context of salvation from sin, in this instance, it primarily signifies physical healing and restoration to health. However, given the woman's social and religious ostracization due to her condition, sōzō also implies a broader restoration to social and spiritual well-being, a complete making-right of her life.
Verse Breakdown
"For she said within herself,"
This clause immediately draws the reader into the woman's internal world, revealing her private thoughts and the depth of her conviction. It underscores that her faith was not for public display or seeking attention, but a personal, desperate, and profound belief in Jesus' power. The phrase "within herself" emphasizes the quiet, intimate nature of her plea.
"If I may but touch his garment,"
This phrase articulates the specific, humble, yet incredibly bold act she believed would bring about her healing. The "if" (G1437 eán) expresses a conditional hope, but the "but" (G3440 mónon, meaning "merely" or "only") highlights her minimalist yet potent faith—she didn't need a direct word or a grand gesture, just the slightest physical contact with His person or His power. The "garment" (G2440 himátion) likely refers to the fringe or hem of His outer robe, which was considered the most accessible part of a person in a crowd.
"I shall be whole."
This is the declaration of her absolute certainty in the outcome. It's a statement of confident expectation, not a mere wish. The word "whole" (G4982 sōzō) encompasses not only her physical healing from the hemorrhage but also her restoration to ritual purity, social acceptance, and overall well-being, signifying a complete transformation of her life.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. Irony is evident in the fact that an "unclean" woman, according to the Law, dares to touch the holy one, yet instead of defiling Him, she is made clean. This highlights Jesus' transcendence over ritual law and His power to purify. Synecdoche is present in "his garment," where a part (the garment) stands for the whole (Jesus' person and power), symbolizing her belief that even the periphery of His being carried divine efficacy. The woman's internal monologue functions as a form of Foreshadowing, setting up the miraculous healing that is about to occur and emphasizing that her faith is the catalyst. Furthermore, the phrase "I shall be whole" serves as a powerful Declaration of Faith, demonstrating her absolute conviction in Jesus' ability to restore her completely.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This narrative profoundly illustrates the power of faith, even when expressed in a seemingly small or desperate act. It reveals Jesus' divine nature, as power emanates from Him without His conscious effort, and His boundless compassion, as He perceives and responds to the woman's hidden act of faith. The concept of "wholeness" (sōzō) extends beyond mere physical healing to encompass spiritual restoration and reconciliation, a hallmark of God's redemptive work. Her story is a testament to the truth that God often meets us in our most vulnerable and marginalized states, responding to genuine faith with transformative grace.
Reflection and Application
The woman's story in Matthew 9:21 offers a timeless lesson on the nature of true faith and God's boundless grace. Her desperate situation, coupled with her unwavering belief, serves as a powerful model for believers facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. It teaches us that authentic faith is not passive but active, willing to push through obstacles, social stigma, and personal limitations to reach for the source of healing. Her conviction that even a touch of His garment would suffice speaks to the profound truth that Jesus' power is not limited by our understanding or the magnitude of our need. We are invited to approach Him with similar humility and audacious trust, believing that His compassion and power are sufficient for our deepest needs—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. This narrative encourages us to bring our hidden hurts and long-standing burdens to Jesus, trusting that He sees, knows, and has the power to make us truly whole.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did she only want to touch his garment, rather than asking for a direct healing?
The woman's desire to "but touch his garment" speaks volumes about the nature of her faith and the cultural understanding of the time. First, her condition made her ritually unclean, meaning she was forbidden from public contact. A direct request would have exposed her and potentially caused a scene. Second, her faith was so profound that she believed Jesus' power was so inherent and pervasive that it radiated from Him, even through His clothing. This was not a superstitious belief, but a deep conviction in His divine efficacy. She believed that the very presence of the Son of God was imbued with healing power, and that a formal request or public acknowledgement was unnecessary for Him to effect a cure. Her focus was on the source of power, not the method of its transmission, as Jesus later affirms her faith in Matthew 9:22.
What does "whole" mean in this context, beyond just physical healing?
The Greek word translated "whole" is sōzō (G4982), which carries a rich semantic range, meaning to save, deliver, preserve, or make well. While it certainly refers to her immediate physical healing from the hemorrhage, its implications extend much further. For twelve years, her condition had rendered her ritually unclean (Leviticus 15:25), leading to social isolation and exclusion from temple worship. Therefore, being made "whole" by Jesus meant not only the cessation of her physical suffering but also her restoration to ritual purity, social acceptance, and full participation in community and religious life. It signifies a holistic healing—physical, social, and spiritual—reflecting God's desire for complete well-being for His people, as seen in the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10:10.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The woman's desperate act of faith to touch Jesus' garment and be made "whole" finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the broader redemptive work of Jesus, who is the source of all true wholeness and salvation. Her physical healing, achieved through contact with His person, powerfully foreshadows the spiritual healing and salvation available to all who, by faith, "touch" Him. Just as His garment was a conduit of divine power for her physical ailment, so Jesus Himself, through His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection, became the ultimate conduit for humanity's spiritual healing from the defilement of sin. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, making those who were spiritually unclean, clean through His blood. The "wholeness" she experienced, encompassing physical, social, and spiritual restoration, points to the comprehensive salvation offered by Christ, who came not only to heal bodies but to restore souls, reconcile humanity to God, and grant eternal life (John 3:16). Her story is a vivid illustration that faith in Jesus, however small or desperate the act, connects us to the inexhaustible power of God, bringing us into a state of complete and everlasting wholeness in Him (Romans 10:9-10).