Topical Encyclopedia
Haemorrhage, commonly referred to as bleeding, is a significant medical condition that is mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the context of miraculous healing. The most notable biblical account involving haemorrhage is found in the New Testament, where Jesus heals a woman suffering from a chronic bleeding condition.
Biblical Account:The account of the woman with a haemorrhage is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels:
Matthew 9:20-22,
Mark 5:25-34, and
Luke 8:43-48. In the Berean Standard Bible,
Mark 5:25-29 describes the situation as follows:
"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."
This passage highlights the woman's desperate situation and her faith in Jesus' power to heal. Despite the social and religious implications of her condition, which would have rendered her ceremonially unclean according to Levitical law (
Leviticus 15:25-27), she approached Jesus with faith, believing that even touching His garment would be sufficient for her healing.
Cultural and Religious Context:In the Jewish culture of the time, a woman with a haemorrhage would have faced significant social and religious challenges. According to the Mosaic Law, any issue of blood rendered a person unclean, affecting their ability to participate in religious and communal life. This condition would have isolated the woman, both socially and spiritually, for the duration of her illness.
The Levitical laws concerning purity (Leviticus 15) dictated that anyone who came into contact with her would also become unclean, further compounding her isolation. Her condition was not only a physical ailment but also a source of social stigma and religious exclusion.
Theological Significance:The healing of the woman with a haemorrhage is significant for several reasons. First, it demonstrates Jesus' authority over physical ailments and His compassion for those marginalized by society. The woman's faith is central to the narrative, as Jesus acknowledges in
Mark 5:34 : "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
This account underscores the transformative power of faith and the accessibility of Jesus' healing to all who believe, regardless of their social or religious standing. It also illustrates the breaking down of barriers between the clean and unclean, as Jesus willingly engages with those considered impure by societal standards.
Symbolic Interpretation:From a symbolic perspective, the woman's haemorrhage can be seen as representing the broader human condition of sin and separation from God. Just as her faith in Jesus brought physical healing and restoration, so too does faith in Christ bring spiritual healing and reconciliation with God. The narrative serves as a powerful testament to the redemptive work of Christ, who restores individuals to wholeness and community.
In summary, the biblical account of the woman with a haemorrhage is a profound illustration of faith, healing, and the breaking of social and religious barriers through the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Library
Death of Jesus.
... peculiar atrocity of crucifixion was that one might live three or four days in this
horrible state upon the instrument of torture.[1] Thehaemorrhage from the...
On the Educational Value of the Natural History Sciences.
... In this case, simple observation yields us a knowledge of the existence of the blood
from some accidentalhaemorrhage, we will say: we may even grant that it...
A Canticle of Love
... On the morning of that Good Friday, she made so little of thehaemorrhage of the
previous night, that Mother Prioress allowed her to practise all the penances...
part ii
My Life in Christ. <....
Thesaurus
Haemorrhage (3 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Haemorrhage (3 Occurrences).
... Mark 5:25 Now a woman
who for twelve years had suffered from
haemorrhage, (WEY).
...Afflicted (171 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:20 But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted withhaemorrhage
came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak; (WEY)....
Tassel (5 Occurrences)
... Matthew 9:20 But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted withhaemorrhage
came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak; (WEY)....
Doctors (7 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:43 And a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted withhaemorrhage--
and had spent on doctors all she had, but none of them had been able to cure her...
Cloak (73 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Matthew 9:20 But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with
haemorrhage came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak; (WEY NAS NIV)....
Cure (28 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:43 And a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted withhaemorrhage--
and had spent on doctors all she had, but none of them had been able to cure her...
Suffered (88 Occurrences)
... compassion on thee. (KJV ASV DBY WBS). Mark 5:25 Now a woman who for twelve
years had suffered fromhaemorrhage, (WEY). Mark 5:26...
Haemorrhoids
Ha-eleph (1 Occurrence)
Ha-eleph. Haeleph, Ha-eleph.Haemorrhage . Multi-Version Concordance Ha-eleph
(1 Occurrence).... (See RSV). Haeleph, Ha-eleph.Haemorrhage . Reference Bible
None (573 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:43 And a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted withhaemorrhage--
and had spent on doctors all she had, but none of them had been able to cure her...
Resources
Bible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus