Bleeding Woman

"As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped." Luke 8:40-44

The woman commonly known as the bleeding woman is depicted in three different books of the Bible: Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56. 

12 years. 

The woman suffered for twelve years. Biblical scholars say that due to her constant bleeding, she was regarded as impure by the laws held in those times. Some scholars say that she was regarded impure mainly because of the menstruation laws indicated in Leviticus. The burden of physical illness as well as being regarded a sinner probably had her weak and weary. 

“'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.' But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.'" Luke 8:45-46 

With only brief seconds of joy and astonishment of her betterment, she was struck with complete fear. The Bible even indicates that she trembled. 

"Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'” Luke 8:47-48 

Fear turning to salvation seems to be a common theme in the Bible. It may even be the main motif of our lives. We are born into the world with fear. We fear everything. These fears stem from only one main problem: the problem of death. Death brings us fear. The presence of God strikes us with fear for we immediately recognize our mortal status before the immortal. 

Jesus, however, reaches out to us, calls us out from the crowds, from the darkness. He says, "Go in peace." 

In peace, we shall go, into his arms at the hour of our death.