Touched

"Now a woman having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border (hem) of His garment. (For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.") And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press you, and You say, "Who touched Me?" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me."  Lk. 8:43-46, and Mt. 9:21
Jesus was on His way to the house of the leader of the synagogue, whose daughter was very ill. His journey to heal the young girl was interrupted by this event, above.
The woman, who was not only afflicted by a physical condition, she was also considered "unclean" according to the Law of Moses. For twelve years, no one else would have been willing to touch her, because of this. She was not allowed to touch others, even her own family, because of this. Yet she reached for the part of Jesus' garment that represented the Law of Moses, the hem, or "fringes" on a prayer shawl. Why would she reach for that part of His garment for her healing, when that is the very part that condemned her as unclean according to the understanding of those around her? Isn't that interesting? Perhaps it goes to Jesus' identity as the Law, which is part of the Word, and as His identity as the fulfillment of the Law. He fulfilled the Law for her, when she, having spent all of her desire, effort and money on physicians, could not fulfill the Law for herself.
Jesus didn't ask, "Who touched My garment?" He asked, "Who touched Me?"
She needed to "touch" His hem. He felt "touched". The word, "touch/touched" here means "to fasten or attach one's self to, adhere to, cling to". The root of the word means "to fasten fire to a thing, to kindle, to set on fire". He's got the dynamite, and she's got the flame to light the fuse! Awesome!
His disciples couldn't discern the difference between the crowd pressing against Jesus, and the "touch" of a woman appealing to the King for mercy in the face of the Law. Jesus could tell the difference. He was stopped in His tracks, and would not proceed further until He found out who had "touched" Him.
He very easily felt the difference, because at her "touch", Jesus felt "virtue" go out of Him.
"Virtue" used here means "power for performing miracles, power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts". The root meaning is "might, to be capable, strong and powerful...to have power by permission of law or custom".
The woman approached Jesus "from behind" Him. Her reticence to make herself known, probably because of the nature of her affliction, seems to be apparent throughout the event. However, "behind" also has the root meaning "to see, to look at, to behold". She had some sort of revelation, or divine understanding, that she was seeing the source of her healing, which none of the others in the surrounding, "pressing" crowd had perceived. It was this revelation, or spiritual sight, that brought her the healing she had desperately wanted (v. 48).
How do we "see" Jesus? How do we "touch" Jesus? How we do so can make all the difference in the world.

Our Father has provided virtue to us in His Son.

"Break Every Chain"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2y2OPqJJag

"One Touch"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW5PjZzTz-s

Handled

The scripture that caught my attention and thoughts today is from 1 John 1:1:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-..."
The writer of this book, the Apostle John, wants to make sure his readers know that he is not just writing about something he heard second hand from others, but he is writing to them of things he heard, saw, and touched, himself. He makes the point that he handled Jesus, touching Him with his own hands. 
From the moment He was born to His resurrection, Jesus was touched and handled by others. He allowed Himself to be touched in so many different ways, and circumstances.
As a baby, His mother, Mary, wrapped Him, and cared for Him with a mother's tenderness.
The song, "Mary, Did You Know?" beautifully asks if Mary knew when she kissed her baby's face, that she kissed the face of God?
As Jesus travelled and ministered, and taught about His Father's kingdom, many touched Him.  The scriptures relate the story of a woman who was desperate to be healed, who only touched His clothes. Jesus perceived the healing power that had flowed out of Him. He asked "Who touched Me?" His disciples were amazed at the question because many were touching Him: "Master, the multitude throng and press You, and You say, "Who touched Me?" (Lk. 8:43-45). Not only did this woman touch Him, but He was pressed and thronged by many in that same moment, pressing against Him, grabbing at Him. Out of the many that touched Him in demand, He perceived the one who touched Him in faith, and hope.
In a much different manner, on a different occasion, Jesus' family and friends tried to seize Him, to take hold of Him, because they said He was out of His mind. (Mk. 3:21). What a terrible thing to think of now, when we know who Jesus is! And yet He had to endure this type of handling from friends and family.
Similarly, those who were angered by His words, took Him into their hands and thrust Him out of the town, taking Him to a cliff where they intended to throw Him off. (Lk. 4:29).
There is a precious story of a woman who touched Jesus in thanks and worship. She came into a dinner being held at a Pharisee's house, and began to wash Jesus' feet with her tears, and dry them with her hair. She kissed His feet, and anointed them with perfumed oil. He received her touch. However, because He allowed her touching and handling, the Pharisee who was His host, judged that Jesus could not be a prophet, or He "would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." (Lk. 7:36-39). Her touching of Jesus greatly offended the Pharisee, but it didn't offend Jesus. The religious are offended, but the humble who handle Jesus this way are raised up.
Jesus allowed His disciples to physically lean against Him for support, and affection. (Jn. 13:23).
He was betrayed with a kiss from a friend. (Lk. 22:47-48).
Jesus was handled with violence upon His arrest, and crucifixion. He was punched, spat upon, hands grabbed His beard and pulled it out. He was beaten with reeds, scourged, stripped in humiliation, and punctured. This is also how men handled Jesus.
Other men's hands gently removed Him from the cross, wrapped a sheet of linen cloth over and under Him, and laid Him in the tomb.
After Jesus was raised from the dead, He encouraged one of His fearful and doubtful disciples, Thomas, to handle Him, to touch His wounds, to see that He was not a ghost, but the same Jesus the disciple knew and loved:
"Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"  Jn. 20:27-28
When Thomas handled Jesus at that moment, he received a life-changing revelation, even though he had witnessed Jesus in ministry and teaching many times before. At that touch, he declared to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"
Men were allowed to "handle" Jesus. How they handled Him either condemned them, or saved them. The same is true today. He still places Himself into men's hands. How will we touch and handle Him?

Our Father gives us His Son to handle.

* Painting at the top of the page:
"Doubting Thomas" by Caravaggio


"He Touched Me"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW3BRX0B8f0

"If I Can Touch the Hem of Your Garment"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exs9KdAckD0