Home > Jesus is God in Mark's Gospel
Mark uses a literary technique called "intercalation" (a Markan Sandwich), inserting the story of the bleeding woman into the story of Jairus’ daughter. This story is also found in Matthew 9:18-19 and Luke 8:40-42.
Mark 5:25–34
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
“Discharge of blood” - Likely describing some kind of ongoing vaginal bleeding, which according to Lev 15:19–33 would have made the woman ceremonially unclean—preventing her from worshiping in the temple or joining her people in everyday activities.
“Twelve years” - Links this woman with the healing of Jairus’ daughter, who is 12 years old (Mark 5:42).
“Behind him” - She does not approach Jesus directly but this may be only way she could get close enough to Him with the crowd.
“touched his garment” - Under Levitical law an "unclean" person made anything they touched unclean. When the woman touches Jesus, the "flow" is reversed! Instead of the woman’s uncleanness "infecting" Jesus, His holiness "infects" her.
"power (dynamis) had gone out from Him." - Jesus is the source. This indicates that His healing power is not a requested gift from above (like Elijah), but an inherent "reserve" within His own person. He is the Fountain of Life.