Not long ago our pastor preached a sermon in which he retold the story of the woman with an issue of blood who believed that if she touched even the edge of Jesus' garment she would be healed - - and after years of illness and a drained bank account, she was miraculously and immediately healed when she reached through the people crowded around Him and touched his clothing.... The miracle happened precisely as she believed it would be.
And even though there was a crowd pressing in around Him, when she touched Him, according to the report recorded in the Bible, Jesus asked, "Who touched me?"
I believe the reporter of the incident made some assumptions at that point.... He assumed that when Jesus asked who touched Him that He didn't already know who had caused power to go out of Him. But I believe Jesus knew precisely who touched Him in faith, believing in His healing power. And, I suspect that when he asked the question, His eyes were lovingly locked with hers. Why did He ask? Because in her confession and His public declaration of her healing she would become socially healed as well as physically healed.
I know the Bible doesn't specifically provide all that information, but I believe our translation of and understanding of the Bible is found within its pages. When Jesus 'saw' Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip even called Nathanael, he demonstrated His divine power to see what others don't see. When Jesus 'heard that Lazarus was ill' he intentionally stayed 2 additional days before heading back to Bethany. In His explanation to the disciples with Him at that point, he initially told them that He was going to go awaken him - - but then was absolutely clear that Lazarus had died - - and by the time they walked back to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. That corroborates that Jesus knew circumstances that were not shared with Him by others.
So, with those 2 instances as examples, and allowing the Bible to interpret the Bible, it is logical to believe that Jesus knew precisely who touched Him.
With that established, the question is why did He ask her? The answer: because she was unclean. She had been totally isolated for years. She shouldn't have been out in the crowd at all, because according to Jewish law, no one could even sit on a chair she had sat on. And the only way people were determined touchable again after being an untouchable was by going to the priest and having him corroborate and declare it. Jesus did that for her.
In another healing example, when Jesus healed the 10 lepers, he instructed them to go to the priest so their purity could be established. Only one came back to thank him...but it wasn't because he was the only one filled with gratitude, it was because he was a Samaritan and wasn't eligible to go to the priest.
When we sift through the layers to see what is meant behind the words on the page, there is so much depth to be plumbed....
Jesus knew!
And that gives me enormous comfort. He knows me, my circumstances, my needs, my future. And He has it all in His very capable hands....
Mark 5
Luke 8
John 1: 48 - 50
John 11
Leviticus 15:19 - 33
