Our Lord and the Woman Who Had the Issue of Blood Mark 5:24-34

(Compare Matthew 9:20-22; Luke 8:43-48)

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS

1. In Need of a Saviour, vv. 24-26 Whither was Christ going in the opening verse of the lesson? What does He do by the way? What lesson is in that? What was the condition of this woman? In what way did this issue of blood injure her? (Lev. 15:19, 20.) In what way was this sickness a type of sin? How long had she been thus afflicted? Whom did she need? Whom does the sinner need? Did not the long continuance of her plague make her case hopeless? (Luke 13:16; John 5:5, 8, 9; Acts 4:22, 26.)

To whom had this woman been for relief? Had she got it? Is it ever the case nowadays that our Lord heals those whom no human skill can help? If this sickness is a type of sin, of whom are these baffled physicians a type? Was there any help for her? When man's help is vain whither should we look? (Ps. 108:12.) Why did this woman come to our Lord? 2. Coming to Our Lord, vv. 27-29 What prompted her to come to our Lord? If we want people to come to Him as their Healer, Helper and Saviour, what ought we to do?

Did the mere hearing about Him save her? What was the connecting link between the hearing and coming? What must hearing always be mixed with to profit any one? (Heb. 4:2.) What was the woman's plan for getting the desired healing? What was there wrong in her thought? What was there wrong in her purpose? What was there right? Did her mistake shut her out of the blessing? Which is better--heart faith mixed with errors that nevertheless brings one to Jesus, or views that are correct but entirely a matter of the head?

Was the thought that that which belongs to Jesus (as, for instance, His garment) had something of His power in it, altogether mistaken? (Matt. 14:36; Acts 5:15, 16; 19:12.) What was the effect of that touch? How prompt was the going forth of healing power? What was there about that touch that brought so prompt a blessing? How complete was the cure? How did the woman know she was cured? Was the cure the effect of imagination? 3. Confessing the Saviour, vv. 30-34 Did she expect our Lord to know about this cure?

Did He? How soon? Why? What did He do? What did He do that for? (Ro. 10:10.) Why were the disciples surprised at His question? Was there anything unreasonable in it? What two different ways are there of touching Him? Are there any nowadays who "throng" Him but do not "touch" Him? What was His answer to the disciples? (Luke 8:46.) What did that answer imply? Did the woman at first confess what she had done? (Luke 8:45.) Did He let her go without confessing the blessing she had received?

Why not? Any lesson in this? Why did she come at last and confess all? (Luke 8:47.) How did she come? Why trembling and fearing? In which did she have most confidence--our Lord's power or His love? How is it with men today? How much did she tell? How much does our Lord want us to tell? Whom did she tell? Didn't He know it already? Why then did He want her to tell it? When He has healed or helped us, what should be our feeling about telling it to others? (Ps. 66:16.) What was His response?

Wasn't that comforting? Would she have received that benediction if she had not publicly confessed the blessing received? Why is it nowadays that many who have received Christ do not get the light? By what title does He call her? Did He ever address any other woman so? Why did He address her? (Matt. 12:20.) What did He say had saved her? Just what was her faith? How did it save (v. 30)? What is the literal translation of "Go in peace"? What does it mean? How may we too "go into peace" and be whole of our plagues? (Phil. 4:6, 7.) CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS

1. Our Lord

(1). What He shows:

His deity, 25-34; humanity, 30; omnipotence, 26-34; attractiveness to the multitude, 24; to the needy, 25, 27; compassion on the needy, 24-26; on the ignorant, 28; on the fearful, 33, 34; tenderness ("Daughter"), 34; self-sacrifice, 30; unwearying activity--never so busy with one man's distress but that He had time to help another by the way, 24, 25.

(2). What He does:

Draws the multitudes to Himself, responds to every sincere cry for help, 24; heals those whom no human skill can reach, 25, 26, 29; heals others at the sacrifice of His own strength, demands confession, 30; searches out those whom He has blessed that they may confess, 33; and receive larger blessing, 34; comforts the broken hearted, gives peace to those who are trembling and afraid, 33, 34.

2. The Woman

(1). Her condition:

A great sufferer, 26; defiled, outcast, friendless, her trouble of many years' standing, 25; penniless, had sought help in many places in vain, no help from man, getting worse, despairing, no one to go to but our Lord, 26.

(2). What she did:

Heard of our Lord, believed what she heard, had an ignorant and imperfect, but genuine faith, came to Him, 27; trusted in His power to help, 28; touched Him with the touch of faith, 30; trembled and feared even after she had received the blessing, confessed her condition, confessed her Saviour, fell at His feet, "told Him all the truth," 33; had more faith in His power than in His pity, 27, 28, 33; found Him as divinely compassionate as He was divinely powerful, 34.

(3). What she got:

Healing, complete, immediate, 29; comfort, assurance, peace, commendation, 29, 34.

(4). Contrasts:

Tried to steal the blessing and felt guilty, confessed the blessing and found peace, 33, 34; came an outcast of men, Christ called her "Daughter," 25, 34.

3. Faith

(1). What it is:

Confidence that our Lord can and will save, 28.

(2). How it is begotten:

A sense of dire need of Jesus prepares the way, 25, 26; hearing of Him begets it, 27; contact with Him confirms it, 33, 34.

(3). What it does:

Comes to Him, 27; touches Him with another touch than that of mere outward contact, 30; confesses Him, 33.

(4). What it gets:

Healing, 29; comfort, assurance, peace, commendation, 34.

4. Confession

Demanded by Christ, 30, 32; gladly given by those who appreciate Him, 33; brings larger blessing, 34.