The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

For she said If I shall touch but His garment, I shall be whole . Matthew (ix. 20), instead of garment , has the hem of His garment. This hem was a fringe of threads attached to the bottom of the robe, of a hyacinth or violet colour, which God commanded the Jews to wear, that it might put them continually in mind of God’s precepts and of heaven itself. This Christ wore, according to the law, as a mark that He belonged to the Jewish race and religion. There is here an example and proof of the use and efficacy of holy relics. For of such a nature was the hem or fringe of Christ which healed her that had the issue of blood. Calvin • Zuinglius fell in battle. Does k Lapide refer to his body being burnt after his death ? — {Trans.) VALUE OF RELICS. 393 replies that the woman was superstitious, and that a certain amount of superstition was mingled with what she did. But Christ and Mark refute this; for they ascribe her healing not to superstition, but to her faith, and commend her for it For in the 30th verse it is said, And Jesus , immediately knowing in Himself that virtue was gone out from Him (de illo), i.e., from (de) His fringe. And 34, Daughter , thy faith hath saved thee , go in peace. Rightly says S. Hilary, “Like as the Author of nature has given to a magnet the power of attracting iron, so did Christ give to His garment the power of healing her who touched in faith.” And if it were so with a garment, how much more with the Eucharist? Hence S. Gorgonia was healed of a severe disease by touching the Eucharist (See Nazianzen, Oral. 11.) So, too, was S. Catherine of Sienna, and many others. (See Salmeron, tom. 6, tract. 15.) Tropologically : The issue of blood, says Bede, is fleshly delight, as gluttony, luxury. The most pure flesh of Christ heals these when piously received in the Eucharist

And Jesus . . . had gone out of Him , and had healed her ; not as if any quality had gone out from Christ’s hem, or as if this virtue had gone from place to place, from the hem into the woman who had the issue of blood, but by reason of the effect which it produced in the woman. For the virtue abiding in Christ wrought the effect of healing in the woman. Like as, saith Theophylact, the learning of doctors is said to be communicated to their disciples, when, nevertheless, the learning itself remains in the doctors, and produces its effect only, that is, a like knowledge in the disciples. Observe, this virtue of healing and working miracles conferred by the Word upon the humanity of Christ, was not a physical quality. For that would have been infinite, as having divine and infinite efficacy, of which the humanity of Christ was not capable, being created. But it was a moral quality, that is to say, an instrumental virtue. For the humanity of Christ did these things as an instrument of the divinity. 394 S. MARK, C. V. Who hath touched My garments f Christ asks this question, says Bede, that the healing which He had given to the woman, being declared and made known, might advance in many the virtue of faith, and draw them to believe in Christ

But the woman fearing and tremblings knowing what was done in her , came and fell down before Hints and told Him all the truth . Fearing and tremblings not because she had been guilty of an act of superstition, as Calvin would have it, but because she had approached secretly, and, unclean, had touched Christ the clean, and had, as it were, stolen a gift of healing from Christ without His knowledge. Therefore she was afraid lest Christ should rebuke her, or lest He should recall the benefit, or afflict her with a worse evil. Hence it is plain that she had not perfect faith and hope in Christ, or she would not have thought that she could be hid from Him, nor would she have been afraid of Him. Wherefore Christ said, to reassure her, Daughters be of good courages as Matthew says

The damsel is not dead , but sleepeth. For although she is really dead, yet she shall be forthwith awakened by Me from death as from sleep. Or, as the Scholiast in S. Jerome says, “To you she is dead, to Me she sleepeth.” Talitha cumi. In Hebrew a boy is called ieled, for which the Syrians and Chaldeans say tali, from whence comes the feminine talithas that is, girl Cumi means arises that she being dead should arise from the bed. Moreover, that Mark might give greater TALtTHA CUMI. 395 emphasis, and express the sense of one who called and commanded, he added, I say unto thee, as S. Jerome says

And immediately the damsel rose up and walked, that she might show she was alive. Mystically , as Bede says, “The soul, when raised from sin, ought not only to arise from the filth of its wickedness, but should advance in good works.”

And commanded that something should be given her to eat, that He might show that she not only had arisen, but was in good health and hungry. For boys and girls are wont, when they awake out of sleep, if they are well and strong, to ask for food. And death was to her in the place of sleep, as Christ says in the 39th verse. S. Mark, c VL 396 CHAPTER VI I Christ is contemned of his countrymen, 7 He giveth the twelve power over unclean spirits. 14 Divers opinions of Christ. 27 John Baptist is beheaded 29 and buried. 30 The apostles return from preaching. 34 The miracle of five loaves and two fishes. 48 Christ walketh on the sea : 53 and healeth all that touch him