The rest of the story…

Most likely you have heard of the story of the women who touched the hem of the garment or touched the fringe of the robe of Jesus as recorded in Mark 5:25-34 (see the text below). As you come to the end of that section of Scripture notice Jesus said to her ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction’ but notice he didn’t tell her not to tell others about this healing that occurred.

• Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

• Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

• But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

• And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Most of the time we stop there and fail to go on into the next chapter. So let’s see then the rest of the story which picks up in Mark 6:53-56 that says:

• When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

This is amazing! We see the people begged Jesus that they might just touch the hem of His garment. This is just like the women who had been healed and no doubt she told many others about her healing. And as a result we see as many as touched Jesus were made well, and they glorified God.

What a great reminder to us to read the Bible in context and not miss out on the blessing of the larger story, and the reminder for us to go and share what God has done for us with others.