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If I may but touch his garment, I shall he whole. "The woman's touch was an ignorant and superstitious appeal to the mercifulness of Christ." As viewed By Christ, the faith shown in the touch was of much greater importance than the superstition which connected blessing with the touch. Our Lord could easily look over the superstition, and accept the faith. "She did not think of a will that seeks to bless and save, but of a physical effluence passing from the body to the garments, and from the garments to the hand that touched them." "Even the ignorance and selfishness of the woman did not neutralize the virtue of her simple faith. It was not, of course, through her superstitious touch that she was healed, but through the faith that prompted the touch; a faith full of defects, - ignorantly conceived, secretly cherished, furtively put forth, openly exposed, humbly confessed, as if it had been a sin, - but yet, because a true faith, graciously accepted, rewarded, and perfected." In the woman's case we may see represented the religious experience of many. See the four stages of the woman's experience.

I. SHE KNEW HERSELF TO BE A SUFFERER. Some diseases carry on their work for a long time in secret. There is hope when they reveal their working, and set us upon finding remedies. It is a great thing to know our true moral condition,

(1) as sinners, exposed to the wrath of God, on account of our bad past;

(2) as diseased, and in an actual present state of corruption. The realities of our sin and danger are far more serious than we feel them to be.

II. SHE TRIED TO GET CURE, BUT TRIED IN VAIN. She had been to many physicians, and had spent all that she had. So the awakened soul will try to use means and to cure itself,

(1) by goodness;

(2) by wrestlings with sin;

(3) by devotions;

(4) by rites and ceremonies.

These are its "many physicians," all helpless in treating soul-diseases.

III. SHE HEARD OF JESUS, AND SOUGHT HIM OUT. We can only imagine what she heard, but we can clearly trace the influence of what she heard. It gave faith in Christ such a power as even enabled it to triumph over diffidence and superstitions; or, rather, enabled it to carry its superstitions along with it.

IV. SHE FOUND HEALING AND LIFE FLOW FROM CHRIST. Because her touch was to him a touch of faith, and of faith so really strong and sincere that he did not care to notice the strand of weakness that ran through it. - R.T.

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KJV: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

WEB: for she said within herself, "If I just touch his garment, I will be made well."