The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 232

good influence at home. The Church benefits, but the children are neglected. And often the opposite is true ; for to many the home is everything, and the Church is nothing. Others, again, are so absorbed in one special work (that of the Sunday school, or tem- perance reform, for example), that they have little sympathy for their brethren who are enga~ed in other spheres of the manifold life of the Church. And there are others more guilty by far than these, who are absorbed in future work. They are always "going to do" this or that; but meanwhile their neighbours are uninfluenced and their own children are neglected. As they are not faithful with the few things, it would be contrary to God's law if they became rulers over many things. If our Lord had been animated by the spirit displayed by any of these, he would have said to the woman, "My errand is one of life and death; there must be no touching even the skirts of my garment now. All else must wait till I have discharged this mission." But, by the course he took, he taught us this lesson. There is nothing within the range of our power that is beyond the range of our responsibility. In all these respects Christ has left us an example, that we should follow his steps.-A. R. Ver. 31.-'.l?ul touch of faith. We may see in this poor woman what our Lord ..xpects to see in all who would receive his blessing. L THE TREMBLING SUPPLIANT. There are many legends respecting her: that her name was Veronica ; that she maintained the innocency of our Lord before Pilate; that she wiped his face on the road to Calvary with a napkin, which received the sacred impress of bis fe.atures; that she erected a memorial to him at Paneas, her native town; etc. Improbable as much of this may be, it indicates that her faith was highly esteemed by the early Christians. The evangelists describe her as a certain woman who was worn by suffering, haggard from poverty (ver. 26), and ceremonially unclean, so as to be excluded from the consolations of public worship. She stole into the crowd, and by her touch of faith won the blessing she sought. 1. Illness brought her to Juus. Most of those who came to him were afflicted-the blind, the leprous, the :'bereaved, the hnngry, etc. Every sorrow is a summons to us to go to him. 2. Faith 'P"epared her for a blessing. Even material gifts are received by the hand of faith. We all act in daily faith that the laws of God will continue-the farmer, the tradesman, etc. When Christ wrought a miracle (which was an epitome of one of God's works) he demanded faith. "He could not do many mighty works" where there was unbelief. He demanded trust in himself, both of Jairu.s (ver. 36), of this woman (ver. 34), and of us (A.cts xvi. 31). If faith was truly exercised, erroneous views, such as this woman had, did not prevent a blessing. II. TnE EFFECTUAL TOUCH. "The border of the garment," to which Luke with more definiteness refers, was a sign of belonging to the chosen people (Numb. xv. 38), and Christ blamed the Pharisees for making it specially broad, as if they would assert their peculiar sanctity. The woman touched it, not only as the most convenient, but as the most sacred, part of the robe, and her superstition required to be cleansed away. 1. There may be dose ootwa,rd rontact with Christ without the effectual touch (ver. 31). The crowd represents many who are in Christian lands and congregations. 2. There cannot be living ccntact between us and him without his knowledge (ver. 30). Though there was only one in the crowd who so touched him as to win salvation, that one was not unrecognized. So, if in the large congregation one earnest prayer, one praiseful song, is offered, it is accepted of him. The garment may represent to us o,ir Lord's humanity, which is most within the reach of our understanding and love. St. Paul speaks of his " flesh " as a "veil," through which we pass into God's presence. Our Lord him- self says, in another figure which sets forth the same truth, "Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." He was the true ladder between heaven and earth, between God and man, of which Jacob once dreamed. Ill. 'l'HE REQUIRED CONFESSION, To acknowledge the change wrought in us by Divine grace is for God's glory, for the development of our own faith, and for the encouragement of others. We have responsibilities to the Church as well as to the Lord, which even shame and modesty mwt not lead us to ignore. Our Lord called for acknowlcdgment on this occasion, and it led to fuller instruction and to a deeper peace. He did not ask his question because he was ignorant, any more than Elisha OH, V. 1-43,] THE GOSPEL AUUORDING TO ST. MARK. 229