Matthew 9:21 — Community Reflections

MATTHEW 9:21 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”

For she said to herself, If I only touch his garment, I will be made well. The interior reasoning of the woman: if only. The faith is small in its self-assessment but large in its object — she is convinced that a single touch of Jesus' garment, even from behind, even without his explicit attention, will be sufficient. Mark 5:28 records the same inner reasoning. The conviction about the sufficiency of contact with Jesus, even minimal contact, is the faith that Jesus will commend. She does not need Jesus to know she is there; she only needs to touch what he is wearing.

Church Fathers on Matthew 9:21

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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