In Mark 5:25 we are introduced to a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years. That is, she had a flow of blood all month long, and this made her ceremonially unclean continuously, according to the Law (Leviticus 15:25-28). So, she not only had a physical ailment, but, being unclean, she was also a religious and social outcast, not too unlike the demoniac who dwelt alone in the mountains and among the dead (Mark 5:3, 5). Whereas, no one could bind the demoniac, no one was able to cure the woman of her constant flow of blood, despite her spending all her living on physicians, (Mark 5:26) who were unable to cure her condition and make her clean once more.
Notice, too, that the woman’s condition had been going on for twelve years (Mark 5:25), which by itself may mean nothing more than the length of time of her ailment, but it seems to be connected with the age of Jarius’ daughter who was twelve years old (Mark 5:42). The number 12 is often used to identify the Lord’s chosen, 12 patriarchs, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles etc. On the other hand, it can also be used to point to the government or Kingdom of God. The Lord placed the sun and the moon to rule the day and night (Genesis 1:16), and their course took them through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, thus, governing the whole year or time in general (cp. Hebrews 1:2). Moreover, the twelve Apostles were destined to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:27-28), and the walls of New Jerusalem, from where they would rule, had twelve foundations (Revelation 21:14, and twelve gates (Revelation 21:12). In the context of Mark 5, the demoniac was in rebellion against the government of God, seeking to undo the Lord’s judgment upon Israel, which made the Jews a vassal kingdom. Jarius had rejected his Messiah in order to save face in the eyes of those from whom he desired approval (cp. John 12:42-43) and the woman, seeking to be healed, took no thought of making her King unclean in the process (Mark 5:27; cp. Leviticus 15:26-27).
Mark tells us the woman came from behind Jesus with the throng of people, and she touched his garment (Mark 5:27), saying within herself that, if she did so, she would be healed (Mark 5:28; cp. Matthew 9:21). Luke 8:44 records that she touched the tassels or fringe of Jesus robe. In the Law the fringe or tassels were sewn onto men’s garments to aid the Jews in remembering the commandments of the Lord, instead of acting upon their own impulses (Numbers 15:38-39). Therefore, although the woman appears to be taking no thought of defiling those around her or even of defiling Jesus, the fact that she sought to touch the tassels of Jesus’ robe, seems to point to her repentance, in that the tassels point to the commandments of God. The woman, thus, believes Jesus’ tassels will heal her of her ailment, and when she touched them, she was able to feel the flow within her stop. She knew she was healed (Mark 5:29).
Just as the woman knew from within that the flow had stopped, Jesus knew, immediately, from within that power flowed out of him and into someone else (Mark 5:30), so he reacted by demanding of the multitude: “Who touched me?” Nevertheless, everyone denied it, and Peter tried to point out how ridiculous it was for Jesus to ask such a question (Mark 5:31; cp. Luke 8:45). Jesus, however, persisted and demanded of the multitude to tell him who touched him, because he knew power had flown out of him and into another (Luke 8:46).
Apparently, the woman couldn’t hide what she had done. Perhaps it was revealed in her facial expression, but however it was done, Jesus looked at her, and she knew she had been discovered (Mark 5:32-33; cp. Luke 8:47). So, she approached Jesus and told him everything.
We need to realize that no one can believe Jesus and remain silent. Jesus told the former demoniac he had to go to those who knew him and tell them what Jesus had done for him. Jarius, found out that he couldn’t believe the Messiah and publicly reject him at the same time. His faith had to become public, if it was to continue. So, too, the woman couldn’t trust in Christ to heal her, and remain silent about what the Lord had done for her. Believing in Jesus must, in one way or another, become known to those who know us, if our faith in him is to survive. So, when the woman stepped out to reveal herself and what she had done, the Lord told her it was her faith, not the tassels on Jesus’ robe that healed her (Mark 5:34). Faith that takes risks, as opposed to what I call comfortable faith, has a way of uncovering truth. Comfortable faith is as the “faith” of the multitude that throngs Jesus and those seeking a relationship with him. Comfortable faith, the faith of the multitude, changes no one and can only impede the progress of those who are willing to risk life and reputation to follow Jesus.
Smoodock's Blog 