The Woman with the Haemorrhage (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note
Exam code: 8062
24 So he [Jairus] went with him.
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all round to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:24b–34)
The faith of the woman
Jesus was on his way to Jairus’s house to help his daughter
In the crowd was a woman who had been suffering from severe bleeding for twelve years
According to Jewish Law, her condition made her unclean, so she would not have been permitted to join in Jewish festivals and ceremonies
The woman would have been very ashamed of her condition, so she tried to secretly touch Jesus’s cloak in the hope that she would be cured
She was instantly cured
Jesus knew what had happened as he immediately “felt power had gone forth from him”
The woman came forward, and Mark reports that she was “in fear and trembling”
She would have been worried that Jesus would be angry with her because by touching Jesus, she had made him unclean
Jesus was not angry with the woman at all: he praised her for her faith, saying:
"My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering" (Mark 5:34)
This would have given the woman great comfort, knowing that:
She was free from her physical suffering
She had Jesus’s blessing. When he told her to “go in peace”, Jesus used the word “Shalom”, which means inner peace as well as wellbeing. This meant that she could have inner peace as well as physical healing
Jesus had called her “daughter”, a familiar term showing that he was treating her well as a person
Jesus speaking to the woman with this level of respect was also an unusual reaction because, in society at this time, women were often treated as inferior to men
Faith is the key to understanding this miracle: the woman would have suffered greatly and lived an isolated life
Yet even though she was not a disciple, she showed extraordinary faith in Jesus as a healer:
“‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” (Mark 5:28)
Jesus made it very clear that it was the woman’s great faith that she could be healed with just a simple touch of his cloak that was being rewarded
Christianity today and faith
Modern Christians can learn from this event that faith is important and is a powerful force that can overcome even desperate situations
Times have significantly changed from the time in which this healing occurred, and today the woman would have sought medical help from a doctor
However, there is still an important lesson for today. Having “faith” that help is available and reaching out when help is required is important for both religious and non-religious people
Christians today can learn that faith, even in times of struggle, can bring the most transformative changes to people
Faith can result in emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and some people even have hope that it can bring about physical healing as well
Worked Example
Why was the woman afraid when she came forward after being healed?
A. She thought Jesus would be angry because touching him made him ritually unclean
B. She was worried that the crowd would mock her for wasting money on doctors
C. She believed her condition would return if she spoke to Jesus
D. She feared Jairus would not allow her to speak to Jesus before his daughter
[1 mark]
Answer:
A. She thought Jesus would be angry because touching him made him ritually unclean
Jewish law said the woman’s bleeding made her “unclean”.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The woman with the haemorrhage can be used in more than one theme. She was disregarded by society because Jewish law saw her as unclean, yet Jesus showed her dignity by calling her “daughter”. At the same time, the story highlights her faith because she believed touching his cloak would heal her.
Therefore, you can also use this example when answering questions on the theme of Jesus’s relationships with people disregarded by society. Reusing examples in this way shows the examiner that you have an excellent depth of understanding of your material.
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