This woman had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years. It was a condition not only physically debilitating, but one that rendered her ceremonially unclean. Cut off from the worshiping community, she was barred from the temple courts, excluded from the visible presence of God. Yet she was not cut off from Christ. Her affliction was compounded by poverty. She had spent all she had on physicians, yet found no relief. But where human help failed, divine mercy prevailed. This is the Gospel: that the unclean may approach the Holy One, not by merit, but by faith. Christ does not recoil from her defilement. He heals it.

“And now she was well content to be gone, for she had what she came for, but Christ was not willing to let her go; he will not only have his power magnified in her cure, but his grace magnified in her comfort and commendation... He turned about to see for her, and soon discovered her... [And] he puts gladness into her heart, by that word, Daughter, be of good comfort. She feared being chidden for coming clandestinely, but she is encouraged... The saints' consolation is founded in their adoption.” -Matthew Henry