What Was She Thinking?

Let's get into this. As I mentioned, I have written a book about this precious woman, so I had to do months and months of research squeezing every little morsel of enlightenment out of this seemingly stuffed in account. So let's look at it this way, you have Matthew, who was writing to the Jews, Mark, he was giving a second hand account but he was young, so as teenagers do, he just wanted to get the facts out so he could move on to the next thing, and then Luke, who was a physician so he wanted to bring into play the medical mindset.

I find it interesting that Matthew's version of the testimony is the shortest. as I mentioned he was writing to the Jews. So how were women viewed by the Jewish people. We will need to go back to the Old Testament to get a clear understanding. Let's read Genesis 17:11

"And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you."

This was God speaking to Abram. Notice this is before the law of Moses but this covenant clearly excludes a woman from entering a covenant with God directly. In verse 10 of the same chapter it is clear that "Every man child among you shall be circumcised." So here now we see that women could only have a relationship (covenant) with God through the covenant the men in their lives made. She would have to be related to a circumcised male as a wife, daughter or (depending on stage of life) sister.

Oh but there is more, let's read Exodus 19:1-15 - For sake of space I will just paraphrase for you but here we have God speaking to Moses about "the people" however reading it becomes clear that "the people" are the men of Israel because in verse 15 it states "And he said to the people, Be ready by the day after tomorrow; do not go near a woman." Again, women are to have their relationship through the Man of the house and these men would stand before God.  Beginning to see a pattern forming here?

Now it brings me to the issue this woman was having... an issue of blood. In Lev 15:19-30, again for space I will just paraphrase, it talks about the menstrual cycle of a woman. It speaks of  a woman's “regular flow of blood” according to the priestly laws, the menstruating woman will be unclean for the seven days of her period, as well as seven days following her period. Then, upon the eighth day, she must take two doves or young pigeons to the priest to make an offering before God that will atone for her uncleanness. Man, aren't you glad the law was fulfilled in the New testament. :).

Wait, there's more, during her cycle, anything the woman sits or lies upon (basically anything she touches) will be deemed unclean, as well as anyone who touches the woman. This means that the husband of a this woman is forbidden to approach her for intercourse (Lev 18:19) and, get this, “If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly cycle, he along with her has exposed the source of her flow, both of them are to be cut off from their people” (Lev 20:18). OUCH!

Plainly speaking, these Laws mean that every menstruating woman is ceremonially unclean for 14 days out of every month—roughly half of every year. Also, the menstruating woman is defiling to her husband and everyone within close proximity to her during this period of time as well. For women who had physical problems that caused constant menstruation, such as the woman with the issue of blood, she would be ceremonially unclean for her entire life and never able to make “atonement” for her uncleanness. this woman was just out of luck. however, knowing all this she pressed in to touch Jesus.

So think about it, this woman was putting herself in a dire situation to even go and approach Jesus, let alone touch him.

In my next blog, we will explore this a bit more and talk about how to overcome overwhelming circumstances.

You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2015 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

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Through the scripture and the story of the woman with an issue of blood, Linda Hillman moves past the obvious, more common meaning of the text to a revelatory truth: GOD would not have us live unbalanced and incomplete lives. In her book WILL YOU BE MADE WHOLE, Linda reveals just how crucial balance is in every area of your life. Through scripture,    practical principles and faith, Linda shows the reader how to get back on    track when life derails. In Pastor Hillman’s own words—“The one thing I have discovered in my life is that the pains I have had to endure were not to take me out of the game but to polish me for the end result.” Get    your copy today and be made whole!