The Hem of the Garment and the Woman with the Flow of Blood

In Matthew 9:20-22, “Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his garment. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’ Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed from that moment.”

The “hem of the garment” (tzitzit, ציצית in Hebrew) refers to the tassels with a blue cord that Jews were commanded to wear on the corners of their garments (Numbers 15:37-40; Deuteronomy 22:12). These tassels served as a reminder to remember and obey all of God’s commands. The Hebrew numerical value of the word tzitzit is 600 (ancient Jews assigned a specific number to each Hebrew letter based on its order in the alphabet). Each tassel consists of 5 double knots and 8 threads, totaling 13 elements. When you add 600 to 13, you get 613, which represents the 613 laws and ordinances of the Mosaic Law.

The woman with the flow of blood is the only woman recorded in the four Gospels to be called “daughter” by Jesus (Luke 8:48; Mark 5:34). According to the Law, a “flow of blood” was considered ceremonially unclean, and anyone who touched her would also become unclean (Leviticus 15:25-30). This is likely why the woman came secretly to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, not wanting to be noticed. She had been suffering for twelve years. Her action of touching the hem of Jesus’ garment was an expression of her inner faith. It was her faith that healed her, not the mere act of touching the tassel. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

When people are in a state of despair and there is no possibility in sight, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” This “faith” is not self-confidence or a belief that our own wishes will come true. Instead, it is solely an act of trusting in Jesus Himself. All of Jesus’ ministry on earth was not based on people’s wishes, but on revealing the authority, power, and abundance of His life, and demonstrating who He is. The purpose was to lead people to know Him, accept Him, seek Him, and take up their cross to follow Him.

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.