# 39: 11-13-18 1

Matthew 9:18-26

We have now passed through another of the interludes, in Matthew’s record of miracles - one which shows
the calling of Matthew himself, to follow Jesus.

In this interlude, Matthew also recorded two accounts showing the reaction of some Pharisees and of
certain disciples of John the Baptist, to Jesus. Both of these pertain to ritualistic practices: ceremonial
purity, and fasting.

The teaching of Jesus challenged conventional religious thinking, showing that the ceremonial practices
were merely intended to point the way to the reality of a vital relationship with God. And now that Jesus
had come, those practices were finding their fulfillment in Him - being made obsolete, they were in the
process of vanishing away.

As Matthew continues, he presents two miracles done by Jesus that display this very concept - of
ceremonial form being overtaken, overruled, superceded by the fulfilling reality. We’ll read the whole
passage, since the account of one of the miracles is sandwiched right in the middle of the other account.

Jesus was approached while He was still speaking to the disciples of John the Baptist.

[Matthew 9:18-26]

So we have two miracles, both concerning women - one child and one adult - and we see that they are
intertwined, based on the moment in time when Jesus learned about each one of them.

These two accounts are also similarly joined in the other gospels that record them - in Mark and Luke. In
this way, the two miracles are united as one telling; one story. Since all three accounts present them as
intertwined, it is virtually certain that this is exactly the way the historical action unfolded.

Matthew presents a condensed version of these miracles, as told by the other gospel writers - once again,
eliminating details that were unnecessary for his telling of the account. But some of those details will give
us a better understanding of the circumstances and what Jesus did here, so we’ll bring them in as needed.

The first of these details concerns the ruler, in verse 18. The other accounts tell us that this was a ruler of
the synagogue, Jairus by name. Jairus means, “Jehovah will enlighten”. So this man and his daughter were
Jewish.

A ruler was one of several individuals considered the chief officials or elders, to whom was committed the
care of the synagogue. They were always prominent members of the community. For such a man to
“worship” Jesus - that is, to prostrate himself before Jesus - reflects two things: his desperate need, and his
belief that Jesus could meet that need.

This is borne out further by Jairus’ words - he believed that Jesus could bring his daughter back from the
dead. Mark tells us that the girl was twelve years of age (Mk 5:42), and Luke indicates that she was Jairus’
only child (Lk 8:42).

Now, it’s interesting that the other gospel writers record that Jairus told Jesus his daughter was, not dead,
but at the point of death; then the girl later died before Jesus came to her. Matthew eliminates these details
by having Jairus inform Jesus that his daughter had just died - which in Matthew’s day was a completely
acceptable way of condensing a story.
# 39: 11-13-18 2

The details of the account make it easier to understand what the ruler had originally asked Jesus; to lay
hands on and heal his very sick daughter.

If instead the ruler had originally asked Jesus to raise his dead daughter, that would have expressed
tremendous faith. We would have expected Jesus to commend Jairus for such great faith - which Jesus
didn’t.

Also, it is unlikely that Jairus would have specifically asked Jesus to lay His hand on his dead daughter’s
body - a corpse. That would be considered defiling, and was therefore not something Jairus would
probably have ventured to ask of Jesus.

In fact, touching a dead body was the most defiling of all the kinds of ritual uncleanness, according to the
Law. This will become a notable point in the story - for by the time that Jesus reaches the little girl, she is
indeed dead, and He will take her hand to lift her up.

Returning to Matthew’s account, since Jesus had been teaching the disciples of John the Baptist, He must
have been seated, in the typical manner of Jewish teachers. On hearing the request of the prostrate ruler,
Jesus then arose, and He began to follow Jairus to his house, where his daughter lay. The disciples of Jesus
accompanied them.

The other writers indicate that as they went, a crowd thronged Jesus, pressing against Him. This would
have greatly slowed the journey to Jairus’ house. But there was still another delay. Let’s read about that
again, starting in verse 20.

9:20-21 This flow, or issue of blood from the woman would have been some kind of menstrual disorder.
And the woman had this disorder for a long time - twelve years.

Luke comments that the woman spent all her livelihood on physicians, and could not be healed by any (Lk
8:43). And Mark indicates that she suffered many things from many physicians. She spent all that she had
and was no better, but rather grew worse (Mk 5:25).

Doctors don’t always have the answers to what ails us, do they? And they had less answers, back then -
and sometimes, their remedies were worse than the sickness itself. With the comments of the other gospel
writers, we have the sense that the disorder was essentially incurable.

Now if this woman had spent all that she had on doctors, it is clear that she desperately wanted to be made
well. And we might wonder, why would she have been that desperate, about a flow of blood? It’s
inconvenient; it’s uncomfortable. But it would not have been life-threatening, right?

Not in the conventional sense. But having such a disorder in Jewish society deprived the woman of having
any quality of life. The reason for this can be found in the Law of Moses - for such a flow of blood was
considered ceremonially defiling.

Turn to Leviticus chapter 15. This pertains to the Law regarding ceremonial uncleanness. The law of the
leper is also found in this section of the Law. This particular part deals with bodily discharges - here,
specifically a woman’s menstrual discharge.

[Leviticus 15:19-27]
# 39: 11-13-18 3

v. 19-24 So this pertains to women when they are menstruating. Why would a woman’s bloody discharge
be considered defiling? Blood symbolizes death; and indeed, menstruation quite literally indicates that
there is no life, in the womb; no conception has taken place. So the idea is that death is defiling; it has a
corrupting influence.

The one who is unclean, defiled, must be separated from the LORD’s people - who are set apart to Him, in
His holy purity.

So the Jews could not touch a woman who is defiled, by her period; they could not sit where she sat, nor lie
where she lay.

And no Jewish man could have relations with his wife, during this time - else he himself would be defiled
for seven days! The emphasis is on the necessity of separating the unclean from the clean, to prevent
defilement.

The Law now discusses the case of a woman with a menstrual disorder, involving an extended period of
time.

v. 25-27 So this situation is dealt with in the same manner as for the menstrual period - except the
separation goes on as long as the woman has the discharge of blood. Notice it says in verse 25, She shall be
unclean. The woman is continuously unclean; she is essentially treated like a leper; she is completely
excluded from society, as long as the disorder continues.

[Return to Matthew 9]

This woman, then, would have virtually no contact with other members of Jewish society - including her
own family. Either she would never have married, or her husband would certainly have divorced her.

No one would risk living with her, and becoming defiled on a regular basis. She would have been a pariah
in her city; always to be avoided. And she could never go into the synagogue to worship; that was a holy
place; she would have defiled it, just by her unclean presence. Bearing such a social stigma, the woman
would endure a constant sense of shame.

You get the sense of why this woman would have been so desperate. She was wasting away in wretched
isolation.

So what in the world is she doing in a crowd? Trying to defile everyone? No; she trying to get undefiled,
by being healed.

Of course, she’s heard of Jesus - just like everyone in Capernaum, by now. And she saw the crowd in the
road - and Jesus in their midst, passing her by. We know He must have passed her by, because she came up
behind Him - as all three writers tell us. Now, why would she have approached Him, from behind? Why
not call out to Jesus, and entreat Him to heal her?

One reason was because she was a woman, and it would have been improper for her to call out to Jesus in
this manner. But the greater reason was because her uncleanness caused her to be ashamed, in Jewish
society. She would have been well-practiced in making herself as invisible as she could, and she would
never risk drawing attention to herself.
# 39: 11-13-18 4

But her desperation made her bold. She took a chance, and worked her way up through the crowd, toward
Jesus. Clearly she believed that Jesus could heal her - so much so, that she thought she only had to touch
His garment - His outer cloak.

Maybe she reasoned within herself that this would not defile Jesus - too much. She was so desperate! And
so from behind, to avoid detection, she bowed down, and touched the hem of His cloak. No one could
possibly have known she even did it.

Except Jesus. Let’s turn to Luke’s account for the details - chapter 8.

[Luke 8:43-48]

v. 43-44 Luke also mentions the border of the garment; the hem, or border, actually refers to tassels that
were placed at the four corners of the outer cloak for Jewish men, in accordance with the Law (Num 15:38-
41).

So the woman touched the place on Jesus’ garment that was most distant and separate from His person - to
avoid detection on her part, and defilement on His part - hopefully. Mark records that when she did this,
the fountain of her blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction (Mk 5:29).

The woman was healed, just as she hoped - but she didn’t escape detection.

v. 45-46 So everyone was saying they didn’t touch Jesus, though a lot of people must have, in that crowd -
as the disciples pointed out, to Jesus. But Jesus was speaking of the specific individual who touched Him,
to be healed.

That’s fascinating - that power could go out of Jesus; and He was aware that it went out; but apparently, He
Himself did not direct or command it to do so. How could that be?

It could be that the Father had determined to heal this woman through the power of the Spirit in Jesus - but
in this case, without disclosing this to Jesus ahead of time.

Jesus learned of it from the perceived outflow of power from His body; He sensed it. Perhaps the reason
for God doing it this way was to give the woman the opportunity to testify as to how she was healed -
through faith in Jesus.

v. 47-48 Her declaration also informed all the people of her cleansing from defilement; confirmed by
Jesus. It was the beginning of a whole new life, for her. Truly she could now go in peace - with God, and
with her fellow man. The woman had been restored.

[Return to Matthew 9]

Matthew once again condenses the account, which ends in verse 22.

9:22 Although Matthew doesn’t mention the reason why, he still points out that Jesus turned around; the
woman was behind Him. He had to turn, in order to identify who came to Him, for healing.

Also by his wording, Matthew almost makes it sound like the woman was healed, not when she touched the
garment, but when Jesus spoke to her. So does that mean that she defiled Jesus? No - her uncleanness
could not touch Jesus; instead, His perfect cleanness went out to her - with the power to overrule it.
# 39: 11-13-18 5

Mark and Luke bring out that it was following this delay that the daughter of Jairus was pronounced dead.

You can imagine how anxious Jairus must have been, to get to his house; how concerned he would have
been, by the delay of the crowd, and then the encounter with the woman. When word arrived that his
daughter had died, Jairus’ worst fear was realized.

But the other writers indicate that Jesus immediately encouraged him not to fear; only believe, and his
daughter would be made well (Mk 5:35-36, Lk 8:49-50). Since Matthew had already recorded the girl’s
death, we see in his account that Jesus just continues toward the home of Jairus.

9:23-24 By all accounts, not much time has passed since the young girl had died. Yet already the
professional mourners had been brought in, with the traditional pipe players, and weeping women. This
was typical, as corpses were usually buried within 24 hours in that warm climate.

There were the mourners, bewailing the reality of the death of Jairus’ daughter. And there was Jesus,
telling them to make room - move out of the way - because the girl was not dead, but sleeping.

What did Jesus mean, the girl was sleeping? He meant the same thing as when He said something similar
concerning Lazarus. Turn to John chapter 11. Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had been very sick. Jesus
intentionally stayed away until Lazarus had died, for He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. This is
what Jesus said to His disciples.

[John 11:11-14] So Jesus spoke of the dead Lazarus as sleeping, because He intended to wake Lazarus up -
by resurrecting Lazarus from the dead.

[Return to Matthew 9]

So when Jesus spoke of Jairus’ daughter as sleeping, it’s because her death would be only temporary, like
sleep.

But those in the home ridiculed Jesus. Mockery of Jesus? How could they ridicule Jesus, when everyone
in Capernaum knew about His ability to miraculously heal people?

But these people had seen the little girl die, and the reality - and the absoluteness - of that death was fixed
in their minds - like a grave stone. They knew she wasn’t really sleeping, as Jesus stated. Jesus might be
able to heal the sick; but surely He couldn’t awaken the dead! They failed to believe He could do that.

But Jairus believed. We know he did, because Jesus had assured him that if he believed, his daughter
would be made well (Lk 8:50). And Jairus would be blessed by actually seeing his daughter brought back
to life, by Jesus.

But not the mourners. Jesus put them all outside; after all, they had no reason to be there anymore, since
death was about to become a thing of the past, for this girl. Then Jesus went in, taking with Him Peter,
James, John, and the parents of the girl - Jairus and his wife.

v. 25-26 Notice that Jesus took the little girl by the hand - bringing Himself in contact with the dead body,
which would be considered ceremonially defiling. But instead of defiling Jesus with death, the touch of
Jesus overruled death, and brought life to the girl.
# 39: 11-13-18 6

Mark and Luke indicate that Jesus spoke to the girl, “Little girl, arise” (Mk 5:41, Lk 8:54). Jesus always
raised the dead by speaking to the person directly. And the girl arose, and walked about. Jesus told them to
give her something to eat - most likely, to counter people’s superstitious belief in ghosts.

The little girl really was alive again - resurrected - restored, to this life; her soul of spirit life, returned to her
earthly body. Can you imagine the joy of Jairus and his wife? And naturally, the news that Jesus had
brought back someone from the dead spread throughout the region.

We have seen the miracles arranged by Matthew here have a spiritual dimension to them. You may
remember that the first three healings reflect deliverance of men from death, and from sin. The next three
miracles show the power and authority of the Creator, over His creation.

Likewise, the last set of four miracles in chapter nine have a spiritual dimension. Together they reflect
God’s deliverance and restoration of His nation, Israel - the nation God made for Himself.

Let’s consider the first two of these miracles - which we looked at today. We have noted that they are
intertwined as one story - and they form one picture.

We have two females. The account begins with the girl, twelve years old; then it moves to the woman,
twelve years sick; and then it returns to the twelve-year-old girl, again. Both of these females are unclean;
the girl is defiled by death; the woman is defiled by a flow of blood.

Together, the two females in the intertwined story reflect the nation Israel as a woman; Israel is the
daughter of Zion; the wife of Jehovah. What does the number 12 represent, in Scripture? Government. The
twelve tribes which became Israel were intended to be the LORD’s ruling nation, on the earth (Ps 2:6, 110:2).

But in order to rule for the LORD on the earth, Israel first had to become a regenerate nation - alive to God -
which required that the nation receive their Messiah. And from the time of their inception, Israel never did
this; they tried to live, like all the other nations on the earth. And they were just like them. They were a
dead nation from the beginning - like the little girl.

As Israel grew into the land in which the LORD planted her, she continued to follow a course like the rest of
the worldly nations; rejecting the covenant that the LORD offered her - eternal life through faith in Christ -
and making covenants with other nations, instead - trusting in them, and their idols, instead of in the true
God.

Israel was like the woman with the menstrual disorder - her constant blood flow indicated that she had
never conceived life. The LORD judged her as an unclean woman - continually unclean - in her rejection of
Him, as her husband.

In Matthew’s account, the little girl is not brought back to life, until Jesus first heals the unclean woman.
The uncleanness of Israel must be dealt with first, before Israel can be raised up alive.

The woman approached Jesus from behind, suggesting that He had already passed her by. When Jesus
came to the earth, He came to His own. But did they receive Him? No (Jn 1:11). The nation rejected Him;
they had Him put to death. So Jesus passed His nation by - and went to the Gentiles, who gladly received
Him.

It will take Great Tribulation before Israel realizes that she let her Messiah pass her by. But in the end, she
will approach Him - from behind, so to speak - for healing, from her uncleanness; ready to trust in Him.
# 39: 11-13-18 7

And then, He will turn to her, and look on her with favor. He will cleanse her from all her defilement - as
He returns to the earth, in His Second Coming.

The woman believed if she just touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. Remember that
this was a reference to the tassels on the outer cloak that Jewish men wore - including Jesus. They wore
them in obedience to the Law. This is found in Numbers chapter 15.

[Numbers 15:38-41]

v. 38 In Scripture, blue symbolizes the heavens - where the LORD’s will is done, perfectly.

v. 39-41 The tassel with its blue thread was to be a reminder to obey the LORD. To see the tassels, Israel
would have to keep looking down - which would keep them from looking to all the other nations, and at
their so-called gods.

The eyes cast down show submission and obedience to the LORD, as a wife to her husband. In this way,
Israel would be holy for their God; set apart to Him; clean and pure, a chaste wife.

This is what the unclean woman had focused her eyes on; she saw in them her healing. What would she
have to do, to touch tassels that were at the hem of a garment? She would have to bow down.

It reflects the realization that Israel will come to - that with repentance for her uncleanness and submission
to the LORD will come cleansing - and then the LORD can and will lift her up to new life.

[Return to Matthew 9]

This theme of a new life is further developed, as Jesus proceeded to come to the home of Jairus, to heal his
daughter.

During the Great Tribulation, Israel will be persecuted beyond measure by the Beast, called by some the
Antichrist. Many Gentiles will subscribe to his plan to destroy the Jews - and it will seem as if Israel
cannot survive; in fact, Israel’s enemies will rejoice in her demise (Ps 35:15-16, Eze 36:4, 15), like the
funeral dirge of the mourners - but their rejoicing will prove to be premature.

God will shorten the time, in order to save the remnant of His people - those Jews who will turn to Him, for
deliverance (Mt 24:22, Dan 12:1). And when Jesus returns to the earth in His Second Coming, to set up
His kingdom, His own will receive Him.

The nation will be born at once - Zion will give birth to her children - she will become an entirely
regenerate nation (Is 66:8). And just as Jesus took the little girl by the hand, and lifted her up, Israel will be
raised up, that they may live in the LORD’s sight (Hos 6:2).

Israel will be lifted up as the head nation (Deut 28:13) in the Kingdom age - the Gentiles will have to
“make room” for her, or be put out of the Kingdom - as the crowd had to do, at Jesus’ command (Mt 9:24).
For then Israel will be ready to rule and reign over the earth with the Lord - the daughter of Zion will have
received her King (Is 62:11-12).

Reading: Ezekiel chapters 16, 36, 37