Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 9:22

"But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." — Matthew 9:22 (ASV)

The nature of the woman’s hemorrhage is probably chronic bleeding from the womb, making her perpetually unclean (cf. Leviticus 15:25–33). Having heard of others who had been healed at Jesus’ touch, this woman decided to touch even a tassel of Jesus’ cloak. Moved in part by a superstitious view of Jesus, she struggled through the crowd, which, because of her “unclean” condition, she should have avoided.

Matthew’s account is shorter than Mark’s (Mark 5:22–43), keeping only what is of most interest to him. The woman was healed on touching Jesus’ cloak. He turned to her and indicated that it was her faith that was effective, not the superstition mingled with it.