Matthew 9:18-26

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Matthew 9:18-26
We noted earlier that chapters eight and nine record nine miracles of Jesus divided into three groups with the reaction of the people given at the conclusion of each grouping. We now come to the final group of three. The first incident is actually two miracles combined into one story. Jesus is on His way to raise a twelve-year-old girl and in the midst of the press of the multitude a woman who has suffered for those same twelve years comes behind Him and touches the hem of His garment. Matthew abbreviates the account while Mark and Luke fill us with the details (Mark 5:22-43; Luke 8:41-56).First, there is a ruler of a synagogue whose only child lies near death and in fact dies as Jesus agrees to come to his home to heal her. It is important for us to feel what this man felt. Mark tells us that he “earnestly begged” Jesus to help him. Remember a similar incident with the centurion at the beginning of chapter eight? The Gentile believed Jesus could heal without coming to his house. But the Jewish ruler bids Him to come. In both cases we see the compassion of Jesus. It is this compassion we also must learn. In the midst of the busy schedules we keep, there are needs of people around us, lost people, suffering people, dying people. Will we stop what we are doing and show compassion?

The second picture is fascinating. The crowd is thronging Jesus, but somewhere standing on that street is a woman who has suffered for twelve years with a constant flow of blood. She had spent all she had on doctors and was no better. But there is a greater tragedy. Under the law, she has been unclean for all those years. Everything she touched and every person who touched her would have to be cleansed. But now, within reach, is the Great Physician. “If only I can touch His garment,” she thought. Weaving through the crowd she came within reach, and with that one touch twelve years of misery was wiped out. When an unclean leper came to Jesus, He touched him. And when an unclean woman touches Him, the result is the same. Do we really see what has happened here? These have touched God and the result is healing and cleanness. We need that. Every one of us needs that. Today, we can still come to Him and the suffering from spiritual illness will be healed, the separation from heaven’s realm will be mended.
Berry Kercheville