EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XV. issue-that of ordinary menstruation (cf. RUNNING ISSUES FROM THE Hlll1AN BODY. cha. xii. 2 ; xx. 18). These are the fourth canse of ceremonial Vers. 25-30.-The fifth case of au issue -that of excessive menstruation, or men- uncleanness. We are not to look for a moral struation occurring at the wrong time. be.sis for the regulation on account of e.ny This was probably the disease c,f the wom11n vicious habit connected with such issues. "who had an issue of blood" (Matt. ix. 20; They are foul and repulsive, and simply for Mark v. 25 ; Luke viii 43). that :reason they are canses of ceremonial Ver. 28.-If ehe be olea.nsed of her issue, In the first and the fifth cases, the presen- uncleanness to those who sufi'er from them, tation of two turtle-doves or two young e.nd to those who come in contact with pigeons as e. sin offering and a. burnt offer- persons sufi'ering from them. ing is enjoined as the ceremonial cle11nsing Vera. 2-15.-The first case of an issue. required. In the other cases e. sacrifice ill It appears to be identical with the disease not demanded. called by physicians gonorrhea, or, per- Ver. 31.-That they die not in their un- haps, blenorrhea (cf. eh. :nil. 4: Numb. oleannees, when they defile my te.berne.ole v. 2). that is among them. The main purpose Vera. 16, 17.-The second case of an in the le.we of unclee.nness lis to keep first issue (cf. eh. xxiL 4; Dent. xxiii 10; Gen, God's honse and then God's people free x.uvi.ii. 9, I 0). from the danger of defilement by foul things presenting themselves freely before him Ver. 18.-The third case of an issue (cf. and among them. These foul things, sym- Exod. xiL 15; I Sam. xxi 5: 1 Cor. viL 5). bolizing sinful things, create a ceremoni11l Vera. 19-24.-The fourth case of an defilement symbolizing moral defilement.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 25.-The figure of the" woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years" seems to rise up before us as we read this verse. Jesus was going on an errand of mercy to heal the daughter of Jairus, e.nd as he went the people thronged him. "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many thino-s of many physicians, and bad spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, b~t rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment" (Mark v. 25-27). I. 'l'HE WOMAN'S STATE OF CEREMONIAL UNCLEANNESS. For twelve years she ha.cl not been allowed within the precincts of the temple, and had been unable, therefore, to take part in the public worship of God as appointed in the books of Moses. And during the whole of the same Jc,ng period she had been in a state of separation from all about her: whoever touched her became unclean ; the bed she lay upon was unclean; the seals that she sat upon were unclean; whoever touched the bed that she lay upon or the seat that she sat upon was unclean. No wonder if for this reason alone" she had spent all her living upon physicians " (Luke viii. 43). mr. xv. 1-33.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 233
II. lIEB STATE OF PHYSICAL BUFFERING. She was afflicted with an exhausting disease, wasting her vital powers, and she suffered not only from that cause, but also from the vain attempts made by many physicians to relieve her, as well as from the anxiety of mind iuseparable from her state of ceremonial impurity. Ill WHAT BHE BOUGHT. Not to be cleansed as by a priest-this could not be until she bad been cured-but to be healed as by a physician. '' For she said, If I may touch but bis clothes, I shall be whole" (Mark v. 28). The Great Physician accepts her, and fulfils her desire; for however imperfect her faith might be, and however uninstructed she might herself be, yet there was faith in her sufficient " to make her whole " (Matt. ix. 22). IV. How THE HEALING WAS WROUGHT. The cure was effected by the power of Christ conveyed through the touch of bis garment, on the condition of the woman's faith. In each of the miracles be uses such means as be thinks fit, and often different means, probably with the purpose in each case of awaking the spirit of the person to be healed so as to become capable of receiving the spiritual gift. As in the case of the lepers on whom he laid bis hand, instead of becoming himself unclean, he becomes the channel of renewed life and health to those whom he touches. V. THE CEREMONIAL CLEANSING STILL TO BE EFFECTED. As the leper, after he had been healed by our Lord, had to "go and show himself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses co=anded" (Matt. viiL 4), so no doubt the woman cured of the issue of blood had to fulfil the legal requirement for her cleansing, by offering her sin offering and her burnt offering on the eighth day after her healing. VI. SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE MIRACLE. Sin can only be healed by the power of God through Christ brought into spiritual contact with the soul of the sinner, and there must be something of faith and love in the heart of the sinner, however imperfect its manifestation may be, in order that that spiritual contact between God's Spirit aml bis spirit may take place.