Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 8 : 41-56 "NEVER LOSING SENSITIVITY"
Day 103 – Luke 8
Text: Luke 8 : 41-56
NEVER LOSING SENSITIVITY
One of the most amazing lessons that the Disciples must have learned, as they watched the Lord Jesus at work, must have been His amazing sensitivity to the many needs of the multitudes! Jesus must have seen the greater needs of the soul of Jairus. Of course he did not possess the faith of the Centurion. However, this was not the time to lecture him on how to have greater faith. Jairus’ need was to have Jesus come to his home and heal his daughter who was already perilously close to death.
The crowds did not know that Jesus was on His way to make a house call. They did not know that He was on an urgent errand, to heal the dying daughter of Jairus. They jus thronged Him, because they had heard so much about Jesus, they just wanted to be as close to Him as possible.
Suddenly Jesus stopped, and He posed a startling question to the multitudes,
“Who touched Me?”
Luke 8:45
That question may have seemed to be preposterous to the multitudes! What kind of question was that? What did Jesus mean by the word “touch” anyway?
1. Did He mean “jostle”?
2. Was He upset by so many just wanting to be close to Him, and some would inadvertently touch Him?
All denied touching Jesus. Some probably realized that they should not have pressed too hard to come closer in order to get a better view of Jesus, but all denied, lest there be a public rebuke and of course then there would also be public embarrassment.
Peter, not fully understanding what Jesus meant exactly, turned to Him and said,
“Master, the multitudes throng and press You,
and You say,
‘Who touched Me?’ “
Luke 8:45
It must have been quite exasperating to Peter. How could Jesus even raise the question? But of course, from time to time, there would be some who would press close to Jesus and reach out a hand and feel happy that he had touched the famous Teacher! He would later have something to share with his friends. He had touched Jesus. (He would be equivalent to the modern-day autograph collector).
“SOMEBODY TOUCHED ME…” Luke 8:46
Jesus insisted that He was right! Somebody did touch Him. That person had touched Him with a special kind of faith and trust. How sensitive Jesus was to those who were hurting and in need of His power in their lives.
The whole procession on its way to the home of Jairus stopped suddenly. Jesus halted and waited for a while. The crowds must have grown deathly quiet at that point of time. What was Jesus talking about?
What did He mean when He said?
“Someone touched Me,
For I perceived power going out from Me.”
Luke 8:46
Finally, a woman came to Jesus, “trembling and falling down before Him” (Luke 8:47). It was she who had stolen a touch. She confessed to the crowds that she had touched Jesus and also how she had been “healed immediately” (Luke 8:47).
“DAUGHTER, BE OF GOOD CHEER…” Luke 8:48
The woman must have felt greatly frightened because some Rabbis were known to be very, very upset should a woman ever touch them. They would actually have felt unclean and defiled if they had people touching them without permission, or unnecessarily.
Jesus quickly assured the woman, that He was not upset with her. Of course He knew who it was who touched Him. He just wanted her to know that she did not have to have a “stolen touch”. She could have come to Him openly. She may have been a woman, and the custom in those days would have frowned on a woman attempting to talk to a Rabbi in public!
Yes, He was indeed “Master” – a term of high respect that His Disciples seemed to like to use when they addressed Him. He was indeed a Rabbi of great reputation. However, He was not like the Rabbis she might have heard of, who kept away from people, especially women folk!
Kindly and tenderly, He addressed her with loving words,
“Daughter, be of good cheer;
Your faith has made you well.
Go in peace.”
Luke 8:48
(It was quite common in those days for Teachers of the Law to address their students as, their children. Cf. The Book of Proverbs, where the words, “My son” is used frequently. It was the Teacher’s way of affectionately addressing his students; Proverbs 1:8, 10; 2:1; 4:1etc).
The woman was trembling when she prostrated herself before Jesus. She had expected a public rebuke. However, instead of words of rebuke, she heard tender words that must have lifted up her spirit. The Lord Jesus had recognized her touch of faith. He was not angry with her. He even wished her well… “Go in peace…” What wonderful words those were!
The crowds, Peter and his fellow disciples must have been astonished at the sensitivity of Jesus, and then His gentleness towards this stranger – this woman! But wait, what about Jairus? How did he feel as he waited nervously for Jesus to resume His journey to his home? Would they arrive too late? Why did this woman have to touch Jesus at that time anyway? Worrying thoughts indeed. “But we see Jesus…”