If I May But Touch Jesus' Garment Matthew 9:21

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus was sharing with the Pharisees about sewing “new cloth” on to “old garments” and pouring “new wine” into “old wineskins” when, “there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:” In chapter nine and verse twenty-one of his book, Matthew shared how the woman, “said within herself, If I may but touch his garment” where we read:

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

The verse reads, “For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, ...” Matthew began with the word, “for” or “because, since and on account that” “she said” which means “the woman with the issue of blood uttered, declared and proclaimed” “within herself” or “inside her own self”, “If I may but touch” which refers to “whether and in case the woman could and was able to fasten herself to, adhere to and cling to” “his garment” or “Jesus' robe, raiment, vesture or clothes”. Matthew shared how the “woman with the issue of blood” purposed within her own self the possibility of simply “touching” Jesus' clothes.

The verse continues, “... I shall be whole.” Matthew added the words, “I shall be” or “the hemorrhaging woman will exist as” “whole” which means “safe, sound, rescued, made well and restored to health”. Matthew shared how the drive of this woman to be “healed” made her purpose to “touch” Jesus' clothing.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we can almost imagine the passion of this desperate woman. She decided within herself that if she could only “touch” Jesus' clothes, she would be made well. This woman exemplified a marvelous example of faith as she knew her “point of contact” would bring “healing” to her “twelve year” suffering body. She knew Jesus could “heal” her, and Jesus desires for all people to come to Him with “desire and passion” like this woman. If someone reading these words needs a “point of contact” to release their faith to be healed whether physically or spiritually, allow this writing to be the point where “faith and trust” in Jesus is released.

Next time Matthew shares how “Jesus turned him about, and when he saw here, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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