8.63 The woman with the issue of blood had “works of faith”
Today, we study an interesting story about a woman who had faith, and who took actions of faith to receive her healing. This story is a good contrast between “works of the law” vs. “works of faith” because she literally broke the law when she acted in faith. This reinforces the fact that in the New Covenant, it is faith in Christ that matters.
This story is about the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. But she heard about Jesus; she heard that He was coming to town. She believed that He was the Messiah who could heal her. She had faith in her heart. She believed that if she could sneak from among the crowd to touch His clothes, she would be healed.
But there was a problem. A woman with an issue of blood is considered unclean under the Law of Moses (Lev 15:25). As such, she is prohibited from touching anyone. Whoever touches her shall be unclean (Lev 15:27). So she was in a dilemma. If she went into the crowd and touched Jesus, she would be breaking the Law of Moses. She would be breaking the works of the law.
(Mark 5:25-34)
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
She acted out her faith. She touched Jesus and received her healing. Jesus said that her faith had made her well. Jesus saw her faith in action. Technically, it wasn’t faith in her heart that healed her. She was healed when she acted in faith to touch Jesus. Touching Jesus was her works of faith. Her faith was perfected by her action.
Today under the New Covenant, we are no longer under “works of the law”. Works of the law did not heal the woman. It was the “works of faith” that healed her. We need to understand the difference between the two. Works of faith always result from the revelation of the finished work of Christ. Today, we no longer look at the law; we look at Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith.
This story is about the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. But she heard about Jesus; she heard that He was coming to town. She believed that He was the Messiah who could heal her. She had faith in her heart. She believed that if she could sneak from among the crowd to touch His clothes, she would be healed.
But there was a problem. A woman with an issue of blood is considered unclean under the Law of Moses (Lev 15:25). As such, she is prohibited from touching anyone. Whoever touches her shall be unclean (Lev 15:27). So she was in a dilemma. If she went into the crowd and touched Jesus, she would be breaking the Law of Moses. She would be breaking the works of the law.
(Mark 5:25-34)
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
She acted out her faith. She touched Jesus and received her healing. Jesus said that her faith had made her well. Jesus saw her faith in action. Technically, it wasn’t faith in her heart that healed her. She was healed when she acted in faith to touch Jesus. Touching Jesus was her works of faith. Her faith was perfected by her action.
Today under the New Covenant, we are no longer under “works of the law”. Works of the law did not heal the woman. It was the “works of faith” that healed her. We need to understand the difference between the two. Works of faith always result from the revelation of the finished work of Christ. Today, we no longer look at the law; we look at Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:00 AM
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