Two Miracles: Authority Over Disease… (Luke 8:40-56)

Luke next tells the story of two intertwined miracles. These miracles reveal more about Christ’s authority, but also more about the nature of faith.

Jesus is approached by a Jewish leader who has a twelve-year-old daughter that is sick unto death. He asks Jesus to come heal her. On the way, a woman that has been sick (and unclean as a result) for 12 years makes her way to Jesus, unnoticed in the crowd. She reaches out and touches His clothes and is instantly healed!

Jesus knows what has happened right away. He then does something strange. He asks who it was that touched Him. This is strange for several reasons. First, He is in a crowd of people. This is something that Peter points out in the story. Tons of people have likely touched, brushed, and bumped into Him! It is also strange, however, because it is something the woman desperately wanted to avoid. She snuck up on Jesus out of shame and fear. She had suffered so long from her illness, but also the stigma of her uncleanliness. Why would Jesus want to call her out like this?

As Jesus continues to insist, the woman realizes she will not get away with what she had done. What will happen now? Is Jesus mad that she took His power? Is He mad that she has made Him unclean? She confesses what she had done and gives testimony to what has happened. She was healed instantly! Will HE condemn her?

Instead, He commends her. Her faith has saved her. Not the amount or quality of her faith, but where it is placed. Jesus has all the power and authority of God, and when we trust in Him, we are restored to the life we were created to lead.