The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 244

her faith, confirms her cure, ratifies her desire, and gladdens her heart by these most gracious words, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace." II. THE PECULUBITY OF THIS WOMAN'S TOUCII. 1. There must he contact. The first thing we are taught by it is that, in coming to Christ and in seeking cure frcm him, there must be not merely contiguity but actual contact, and that of a peculiar kind. All the persons in the great crowd that followed our Lord on this occasion were neai- him comparatively, some were quite close to him; yet only one derived benefit from him. There were, moreover, several, we can scarcely doubt, in that multitude who needed some temporal boon or spiritual blessing; yet only one obtained such a blessing. There were numbers of persons all around and on every side of him ; yet virtue proceeded from him only in one direction. Not only so ; •raere contact itself is not sufficient. Intelligent connection-special e.nd spiritual contact-is needed. There were many crowding on a.nd crushing our Saviour, yet only one touched him in the true and proper sense. The motives that moved that multitude were various. Some ,vere borne thoughtlessly along with the mass of persons that formed the procession• they went with the crowd. Others, and perhaps the major part, were attracted by curiosity-they were desirous of seeing some miracle; or they had itching ears, and hoped to hear some startling statement. Others, again, were, no doubt, drawn into the crowd by feelings of admiration for the Saviour. While various motives thus actuated the individuals that composed that crowd-the units that made up that mnltitude ; only one, it would seem, was influenced by the right motive; only one approached the Saviour in the right way; only one at that time was healed. 2. Bei· Je,elings and her faith. That one individual felt the misery of her condition, the iron had entered deeply into her soul; that one felt intensely her need of health. 'l'hat one, besides, had resolved to overcome every obstacle in order to obtain relief. 'l'hat one, also, was fully persuaded that Christ could confer health and cure. Nay, she felt assured that, as he frequently touched the persons cured by him, a touch of his person, or even of his clothes, or if it were but of the border of his garment or of the fringe of his robe, would make her whole. Now, here was faith-true faith, strong faith; and this faith it was that made the difference between her touch and that of the crowd that pressed upon him-between the multitude that thronged him and the woman that touched him. Others touched him, but their touch was incidental; hers was intentional. Others touched him, but it was owing to the pressure around ; hers was from a deliberate purpose within. Others touched him, not feeling any need of help at his band, or, if they felt any need, yet not expecting any relief in that way; she touched him, conscious of her malady and convinced of his power to effect her cure. Others touched him, but then it was curiosity, chance as the world calls it, the crowd, the multitude, the pressure that bronght them into such close proximity to Christ; she touched him, but it was the result of deliberation on her part, design, earnest purpose, strong desire, anxious hope of cure, and confident expectation of deliverance. There was thus all the ditlerence in the world between the thronging of that multitude and the touching of that invalid. Faith is thus seen to be the means of union with Christ, and union not mechanical and physical, but union rational and spiritual We may approach him by ceremonies, by profession, by lifeless prayers, by dead works; but in none of these cases do we really touch him: and not coming into living contact with him, we cannot expect to be recognized by him. 3. .An example worth imitation. We may profit by the example of this poor invalided woman as contrasted with that great crowd. We cannot agree with those who disapprove of thronging the Saviour, while they approve of touching him. We approve of both. It is good to be in the throng that crowds round Christ, if only one should be healed at a time, for you yourself may be that one, while all that are far from him shall perish. It is good to be near the pool of Bethesda, for some one is sure to be cured every time the angel troubles the waters, and you yourself may be the happy individual. It is good to wait at the posts of wisdom's door, for that is the way of duty, and the way of duty is the way of safety, But while it is good to be in the crowd that throngs Christ, it is better-far better to touch Christ. '!'here must be real union-complete connection with Christ. The electric telegraph, one of the greatest wonders of a marvellous al(e-those wonderful wires that pass Ol'er lands and under seas, connecting Ireland with Britain, and Britain OIL T, 1-43,] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 241