Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 8:43

"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed of any," — Luke 8:43 (ASV)

The “crowds” , now an integral part of the narrative, cover the woman’s furtive approach to Jesus. Luke does not specify the nature of the “bleeding” (v.43), which is usually taken to have been a gynecological problem. The restrictions imposed by Lev 15:25–33 and by Jewish custom would have radically affected the woman’s life. But her primary problem was the discomfort and embarrassment of her prolonged malady.

More serious questions are raised by (1) the woman’s touching his cloak as though magical power could be transferred, and (2) Jesus’ awareness of the transfer of power apparently without knowledge of who had done this. As to the first, the intrusion of Hellenistic ideas and superstitions may indeed have influenced her action; but Jesus did not quench the “smoldering wick” (Matthew 12:20) of her faith; instead, he fanned it into flame.

Regarding the second issue, Jesus’ question need not imply ignorance of the woman’s identity but only his intention of singling her out. Yet the dialogue suggests that he knew only the fact that power had been transferred. While at times Jesus chose to heal people who had not expressed any faith, the reverse seems to be true here—namely, that someone with faith in him drew on his power without his conscious selection of that person. God may have extended his healing power through his Son without Jesus’ yet being aware of the woman’s identity.