### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb αἱμοῤῥέω (haimorrhéō, `{{G131}}`) is a compound word derived from αἷμα (haima, `{{G129}}`), meaning "blood," and ῥέω (rheō, `{{G4482}}`), meaning "to flow." Its literal meaning is "to flow blood" or "to suffer from a flow of blood." In ancient Greek medical contexts, it referred to a hemorrhage or a chronic discharge of blood. Within the New Testament, its semantic range is highly specific and narrow, exclusively denoting the persistent and debilitating condition of a woman suffering from a prolonged "issue of blood," a state that rendered her ritually unclean under the Mosaic Law (cf. [[Leviticus 15:25-30]]).
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term αἱμοῤῥέω (haimorrhéō, `{{G131}}`) appears three times in the New Testament, always in reference to the same individual—the woman miraculously healed by Jesus. These occurrences are found in the Synoptic Gospels:
* [[Matthew 9:20]]: "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." This introduces the woman and her long-standing affliction.
* [[Mark 5:25]]: "And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years." Mark's account expands on her suffering, noting she "had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but grew worse." This detail underscores the futility of human remedies and the depth of her desperation.
* [[Luke 8:43]]: "And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone." Luke, himself a physician, corroborates Mark's description of her medical plight, emphasizing the incurable nature of her condition from a human perspective.
In each instance, the word highlights the chronic nature of her illness (twelve years), which not only caused physical weakness and financial ruin but also imposed severe social and religious ostracism due to the laws of ritual impurity (cf. [[Leviticus 15:25-30]]). Her healing by Jesus, therefore, was not merely a physical restoration but also a profound act of social and spiritual reinstatement.
### Related Words & Concepts
* αἷμα (haima, `{{G129}}`): "blood," the core component indicating the nature of the discharge.
* ῥέω (rheō, `{{G4482}}`): "to flow," indicating the continuous and persistent nature of the condition.
* Ritual Purity/Impurity: The concept of ṭum'ah (impurity, `{{H2930}}`) and ṭahorah (purity, `{{H2893}}`) in the Old Testament is crucial for understanding the woman's social and religious status. Her condition rendered her perpetually unclean, making her touch defiling and isolating her from community worship and social interaction.
* Healing Miracles: This word is central to one of Jesus' most poignant healing miracles, demonstrating his divine power over disease and his compassion for the marginalized.
* Faith (πίστις, pistis, `{{G4102}}`): The narrative surrounding αἱμοῤῥέω profoundly illustrates the power of faith, as Jesus explicitly attributes the woman's healing to her belief ("Your faith has made you well").
### Theological Significance
The narrative surrounding αἱμοῤῥέω (haimorrhéō, `{{G131}}`) carries profound theological weight:
* **Divine Compassion and Power:** The healing of the woman with the issue of blood powerfully demonstrates Jesus' boundless compassion for the suffering and marginalized. His ability to heal a chronic, medically incurable, and ritually defiling condition underscores His divine authority over sickness and the limitations of human capabilities.
* **Transcendence of Ritual Law:** Under the Old Covenant, the woman's condition rendered her perpetually unclean, making her an outcast. Jesus' healing not only restores her physical health but also her ritual purity and social standing. This act profoundly illustrates the New Covenant's emphasis on inward purity and the spiritual cleansing offered through Christ, transcending the strictures of the ceremonial law. Notably, her touch, which according to the Law should have made Jesus unclean, instead transmits purity and healing from Him, reversing the expected flow of defilement.
* **The Efficacy of Faith:** Jesus' declaration, "Your faith has made you well" ([[Mark 5:34]], [[Luke 8:48]]), highlights the active role of human faith in receiving divine grace and healing. It is not merely a passive reception but an active, desperate, and believing "reaching out" to Christ.
* **Intimacy of Encounter:** This healing, initiated by a private act of faith, is brought into the open by Jesus, who affirms the woman and her faith. It reveals Jesus' profound attentiveness to individual suffering and His desire to restore not only health but also dignity and wholeness.
### Summary
The Greek word αἱμοῤῥέω (haimorrhéō, `{{G131}}`) literally means "to flow blood" and is used exclusively in the New Testament to describe the chronic, debilitating condition of the woman with the issue of blood in the Synoptic Gospels ([[Matthew 9:20]], [[Mark 5:25]], [[Luke 8:43]]). Her twelve-year affliction rendered her ritually unclean, leading to profound social and religious isolation. Her desperate act of faith—touching Jesus' garment—resulted in immediate and complete healing, a miracle Jesus explicitly attributed to her faith. The theological significance of this word and the narrative it describes is profound: it powerfully illustrates Jesus' divine compassion, his authority over sickness and ritual impurity, and the transformative power of faith that brings not only physical restoration but also social and spiritual reintegration.
TRV