Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

When the haemorrhaging woman touched Jesus’ cloak, He addressed her as a daughter of God, a beloved child reunited with her heavenly Father. In that one word, this Bible passage reveals something profound about our relationship with God and how we are justified and saved.

The account of the woman with the issue of blood is in all three synoptic Gospels. These short passages carry a powerful message. See: Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. This short account is one of the greatest life-changing miracles Yeshua performed on Earth.

As a bit of background, we will quickly look at Malachi 4:2. Once we understand this passage, we will be able to see the basis of the woman’s faith that caused her to reach out and touch the hem of His garment.

But to you who fear My name,
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings.
~ Malachi 4:2

First, the translation of ‘sun’ can also be translated as ‘servant’, as it is the same word (shin mem shin) with different vowel pointings (which were added around AD 600).  This then renders as the servant of righteousness, which is clearly Yeshua or Lord.

Secondly, the word wings in Hebrew is kanaph and can be translated as corner or skirt, as well as the wings of a bird. The knots of the tassels at the corners (wings) of the prayer shawl, were called tsiytsiyt, or fringes.

Refer to Ancient Hebrew Research Center — The Tsiytsiyt and the Sun of Righteousness for a detailed look at Malachi 4:2.

This prophecy of the Messiah from Malachi was fulfilled when the woman who had the issue of blood touched the ‘hem of his garment’, which can also be translated from the Greek as fringe or corner.

So when the woman reached out to touch Yeshua’s tsiytsiyt, she was acting on the word of God.

Daughter

I have been looking at these passages of scripture, and came to an amazing revelation! All sermons I have ever heard on this story focus on the woman’s faith, yet miss a keyword. The faith message is true and powerful. but misses something much more important.

The key word of this passage is the word Daughter! Let me explain.

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.
Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
~ Mark 5:34

Due to her condition, this woman was continually ceremonially unclean. This meant she was disconnected from her family and community. She was ostracised, rejected, shunned, treated as unclean, and unable to attend temple or synagogue to worship for twelve long years.

Further, if she touched a man such as a Pharisee, especially if that happened in Jerusalem, she, under the Pharisaical interpretation of the law, could have been whipped and possibly stoned. So when she touched Yeshua’s tsiytsiyt, she was taking a huge risk, as she technically made Yeshua unclean until sunset. The Pharisees could have had her whipped, yet she knew she would be healed if she acted on His word.

Yeshua’s first word to her was Daughter (Hebrew: בַּת (Bat)! In that one word. every rejection, every hurt, all loneliness, all pain, and all disconnection was made whole. Yeshua did not call her woman, but the intimate family word Daughter.

Such freedom, such deliverance, such life came from using that one word. Her relationship with God changed in an instant. This was and is an eternal miracle that completely transcended the physical healing she received. Yeshua was 100% representing Abba (Father) when He called her Daughter and recognised her as part of the family of God.

Understanding

The change of perspective of this amazing account is quite revolutionary. It leads us to see again that the basis of faith is relationship — i.e. not something we work or strain for, but something we live in due to who our Abba is.

Often we hear ‘just have faith’, or ‘only believe’ etc. — yet this, for some, leads to some sort of works in terms of something we seem to need to do. Once we know we are sons and daughters, we believe without struggle as we know and trust our Lord.

At any time, we can just touch His tsiytsiyt and be made whole. Healing is the children’s bread, and again, children trust their mums and dads. We trust Abba as children for all of our needs.

What Was Her Name?

The scriptures do not explicitly tell us the lady’s name. However, let me share a story from a trip to Israel. We were hiring a car from El Dan car rentals in Jerusalem, and the young lady serving us had a nametag that said בַּתאֵל, in English ‘Batel’ — that was her name. It stuck with me, as it literally means Daughter (בַּת Bat) of the Lord Almighty (אֵל El). I thought that was a wonderful and awesome name; we even chatted about it briefly.

My name for the woman in the scriptural account is Batel, Daughter of the Lord Almighty! It is easy to infer this name, at least as a new name for her. I’m sure this is a good extrapolation from scripture that is part of her story of healing and restoration. No longer the unclean woman, but instead Daughter of the Lord Almighty. In an instant, with one word from the Lord, she is transformed.

Prayer

Papa God, I come to You as Your son/daughter and receive Your love afresh at this time.

I reach out and touch Your tsiytsiyt and receive Your healing for all my needs.

I thank You for the power released to me, and see that I am made whole.

You are awesome, and I love being in Your presence. Let me go out and bless others with Your healing word, Your love, and Your power.  Amen!

 Originally published at Ruach haKodesh Ministries. Image: Simon Dewey, “Touch of Faith”