Matthew 9:20 — Community Reflections

MATTHEW 9:20 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:”

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. The woman with the twelve-year hemorrhage is the interruption of the journey to the ruler's daughter. By the law of Leviticus 15:25, her discharge made her ritually impure and made impure everyone she touched. Coming up behind Jesus and touching his garment rather than approaching from the front is the self-effacing approach of someone who knows her approach is technically prohibited. She has been excluded from the covenant community's normal life for twelve years — the same twelve years that Jairus' daughter has been alive. Numbers 15:38–39 specifies the fringe of the garment as the reminder of the commandments; the woman touches the covenant reminder on the covenant teacher's clothing.

Church Fathers on Matthew 9:20

aug hter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Augustine · 4th century

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.'
Chrysostom · 4th century · Hom., xxxi

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 shews how earnest and watchful they should be in teaching; whenever they hear of any being dead in spirit, they should…
Remigius · 9th century

Read all 18 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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