“But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.” – Matthew 9:22
To understand this passage, read Matthew 9:20–21 first. In the previous scriptures, I shared why this woman approached Jesus from behind and when her healing truly began. Did it begin when she physically met Jesus, or did it begin when she first heard about Him?
Have you heard people often claim the Bible is against or suppresses women? This woman’s story shuts down that claim. There is no man in history who honored, protected, and restored women the way the LORD Jesus did.
The world often tells women that we are an afterthought of God because we were created second, after Adam, and for Adam. But when we read the scriptures carefully, we see something profound and deeper. After God created Adam, He did not say creation was complete and very good. It was only after the woman was created that God looked at everything He had made and said it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Creation was not perfectly completed without the woman. The creation of man and woman made God creation complete and very good.
Now watch how we will see what God thinks about us compared to what we think about ourselves by how Jesus moves for this woman with the issue of blood. Because of her condition and the society she lived in, she believed she did not have the right to approach Jesus from the front. For some reason she kept her distance. According to the law, she was not supposed to touch anyone, because anyone she touched would become unclean. I discussed this more in the previous passage. So she came from behind. Yet the scripture says, “But Jesus turned around.” In just a few words reveals the depth of God’s love towards us, a love so overwhelming and poweful. He turned around not to address the crowd, but to search for her. Mark says,
“And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” – Mark 5:30
and Luke tell us,
“And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”” Luke 8:45-46
The accounts in Mark and Luke give us additional details about what was happening. They show how this woman, who felt unworthy to approach Jesus openly, was the very one who made Jesus pause and stop the great crowd. At that moment, Jesus was on His way to Jairus’ house because his daughter was dying. The situation was urgent. Yet, even in the middle of that urgency and with a crowd pressing all around Him, Jesus stopped and asked His disciples, “Who touched Me?”.
Think deeper about this moment. Jesus is surrounded by a crowd pressing all around Him. That means everyone is touching Him, brushing against Him, and pushing through. Yet in the middle of all that contact, no one is truly touching Him. That is why Peter and the other disciples were surprised by His question. With the crowd pressing all around Him, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” (Luke 8:45). If we think about it, the question of Jesus did not making sense at all. Everyone was touching Jesus. But Jesus was not talking about the crowd brushing against Him.
Pause and think about that for a moment.
A touch happened that the crowd did not notice. It came from a woman hidden in the crowd, someone who felt unworthy, someone who quietly snuck in from behind and reached out to touch Him. Yet that very touch made Jesus turn around and search for that person.
Why? Because that touch was different. He was talking about the one touch that reached Him in faith. And in that moment, Jesus felt that power had gone out from Him. Here God is showing us something profound about how His power moves. It is not activated by gender. It is not controlled by circumstances. It is not impressed by status or wealth. The world often moves according to those things, but God does not. As it is written, “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). God’s power responds to faith.
If you want to see the power of God move, then believe in Him. Faith is what moves God. What Jesus said to Martha before Lazarus was raised from the dead after four days. “Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40).
Side note: Jesus knew that this woman had touched Him. What is amazing about God is that, even though He is all knowing and not bound by time, space, or circumstances, He still encourages us to step forward. God often does this. He invites us to come out of hiding, to speak, and to encounter Him personally.
Just reflect on this moment. The woman may have thought she had successfully snuck away after receiving her healing. She touched Jesus, and the bleeding stopped. Perhaps she hoped to disappear quietly into the crowd because she was not supposed to be there, and anyone she touched or who touched her would become unclean. Slipping away unnoticed may have seemed like the safest thing to do. But Jesus kept asking. He persistently searched for the one who touched Him. How many of us are like that?
Most of the time, we want the power of God more than God himself. We are satisfied with receiving something from Him, but we do not necessarily seek God to know Him and be known by Him. We settle for less when God is offering us everything. Scripture says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Mark provides us more detail about this moment:
“And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.” – Mark 5:32-33
This moment is like a child who has been caught doing something she was not supposed to do. When the child is discovered, they come forward fearing and trembling, expecting punishment or to be scolded. That is how this woman came to Jesus—fearful and trembling.
But watch what Jesus said to her. Be of good cheer.” The Greek word used here is tharseō, which means ‘take good courage’ or ‘be comforted’ or be of good cheer.’ Jesus did not look at her with condemnation. He looked at her with grace and love, giving her comfort. Why? Despite the fact that the law said she was not supposed to touch anyone, because whoever she touched would become unclean—which I discussed in more detail in the previous passage
Jesus responded differently to those who believe in Him. Instead of condemning her, He welcomed her. The Scripture says,
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
Jesus did not come to condemn those who believe in Him. He came to save them and give them life.
As it is written:
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17)
Instead of rebuking her, He called her “Daughter.” Do you see how powerful that is? In all the Gospel accounts, this is the only time Jesus directly calls someone “Daughter.” Reflect on that for a moment.
A woman who had been labeled unclean for twelve years…
A woman who felt unworthy and sneak from behind…
A woman who tried to remain hidden in the crowd…
A woman who had been isolated for twelve years…
A woman who suffered under many physicians and only grew worse (Mark 5:26)…
A woman who lost everything she had trying to be healed…
A woman with no title, no status, no wealth…
Just a woman who represented everyone who feels forgotten and unseen…
A woman who society expected to stay silent and suffer alone…
A woman many believed had no right to approach God because of her condition or cirumtances…
And yet, this was the very woman whose touch alone reached Jesus, even though everyone around Him was pressing against Him. Her faith activates the power of God. In the middle of a pressing crowd, Jesus paused for her and even caused a man of status, wealth, and importance to wait.
Be the judge for yourself, knowing all of this about how Jesus responded to this woman. What Jesus said was, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do” (John 5:19). He also said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). And He declared, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58).
Who first said “I AM”? It was God Himself speaking to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). So if Jesus reveals the Father…
If we see Jesus, we are seeing the Father. Then what is this telling us?
If God weren’t concerned about women at all, as many claim, Jesus would have ignored her. He could have kept walking. He could have focused only on Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was dying.
But He did not.
He stopped the entire large crowd for her.
He turned around and searched for her.
And He called her “Daughter.”
In that moment, Jesus declared a powerful statement—even though it was just one word. This woman represents all of us who have been lied to that God is not concerned about us, that we are meant to suffer alone, to stay silent, and to have no voice. But look at what Jesus called her “Daughter.” What does that mean?
It means we belong!
Remember the story of Mary and Martha. Martha expected Mary to stay busy serving, as if her role was only to work while the men sat and learned. But Mary knew she have the same rights as men does as she sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teaching. When Martha questioned it, Jesus defended Mary and said, “Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Because she is a daughter of God!
In they’re culture, sitting at the feet of a rabbi meant being a disciple. Jesus allowed Mary to learn His word alongside the men. She was not excluded. She was welcomed. Because she is a daughter of God!
Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet in the presence of God—her Father. That moment is a radical and profound affirmation not only for women but also to the discples how they should treated women. Just like the woman who touched Jesus was not an outsider, neither are we. Women are also part of the work of God’s kingdom. Scripture shows that we are fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16–17) and fellow workers in the gospel (Philippians 4:3; Romans 16:3).
We belong in the family of God and in the work of His kingdom. This is not a validation but an absolute truth!
It means we also have the same access to our Father. Peter understood and witnessed this absolute truth. That is why he instructed the husbands to honor their wives, ““Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7). If a man mistreats his wife, even his prayers can be hindered. This shows how seriously God cares for His daughters, whom He has entrusted to her husband to love, protect, and lead with honor.
The moment Jesus declared her “Daughter,” He secured her identity. In that moment, He disarmed the work of satan and the lies spoken over her by people and society. By Jesus declaring her as His Daughter, He made it clear that she had the same access to the Father that any man has—the same access that every child has to a loving Father, regardless of gender or circumstances. That is why Jesus said to her next, “Your faith has made you well” Not the law. Not her works. Not her gender. Not her status. That made her well, It was her faith.
Again, what made her catch Jesus’ attention? It was her faith!
And again, what activated the power of God? It was her faith!
After living in darkness, being lied to, isolated, condemned, oppressed, and taken advantage of by men, Jesus did not send her away empty handed or leave her to continue living in isolation and separation from others. Jesus set her free, not only before the crowd but also within herself. He sent her away restored, saying, “Go in peace.” Jesus set her free from the uncleanness that had separated her from God and from her community. He set her free from darkness and isolation. He restored the identity that had been stolen from her. He declared God’s truth over her life: she belongs to God, and she has access to the Father as His child. Her portion was no longer just the hem of His garment. Now she could stand her Father openly as His daughter who belongs to Him. Jesus transformed Her life!
But she would not have attained any of this if she had not first believed in Jesus. Take note of that.
That is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He forgives us from all our uncleanness (1 John 1:7).
He removes and disarmed all the power of darkness that once held us captive.
He restores what the enemy has stolen (John 10:10).
He gives us eternal life (John 3:16).
He reconciles us to the Father and gives us bold access to Him (Ephesians 2:13–18).
And He gives us the Holy Spirit, who testifies that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).
Before we receive all the benefits of the gospel, we must first believe in the LORD Jesus Christ. As the Scripture says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). And again, “If you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9–10). It is by faith that we receive salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Amen!
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