Two Women, Twelve Years, and One Encounter with Jesus

Part One of a Four-Part Bible Study

In honor of Women’s History Month, I thought I’d share a more in-depth study of one of my favorite women mentioned in the Bible. We actually don’t know her name, but her story is told in 3 of the 4 gospels. This series is an adaptation of an independent study I did during my time in seminary. Her story touched me deeply the more I spent time with her encounter with Jesus, and I hope it affects you in the same way.

I’m sharing part one today, and you can look for the other parts each Wednesday for the next few weeks. Whether you’re new to reading the Bible, are just curious, or have been studying the Bible for a long time, I pray this opens the door to a greater knowledge of the One who sees you and offers the same invitation to know Him as Father.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

First, read the account in Luke’s gospel: Luke 8:40-56.

1. What observations can you make?

   1. Who are the people in this narrative? What details do we know about each of them? What is their relationship with one another?

   2. What similarities/differences are there between the dying girl and the bleeding woman?

   3. How much time do the events in this narrative take? Where do these events take place?

2. What do you notice about Jesus in this narrative? What is he doing and saying? How do people respond to Him? What do we see about His character?

Next, read the parallel accounts in Matthew 9:18-26 and Mark 5:21-43.

1. What unique details do these parallel accounts contribute to this story?

2. Any differences?

Then, reflect on all three of these passages and record your responses to the following questions:

1. What do we see about God in this narrative?

2. What do we see about humanity?

3. Is there an aspect of the story that you resonate with?

4. What questions do you have? Is there an aspect of this story that you’re wrestling with?

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An unnamed woman. 

Names in biblical times often provided context for someone’s heritage (which family or region they came from) or prophetic identity (who they were to become).  Instead, notice how this woman is introduced to readers by her suffering: “a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years” (Luke 8:43).

Immediately before this woman is introduced, we also meet a “ruler of the synagogue” (Luke 8:41), a man named Jairus.  This man, given a name and identified by his social position, specifies his own problem and begs Jesus to help him. His twelve-year-old daughter is dying and needs Jesus to come and lay hands on her so that she might live.

As Jesus and Jairus are on the way to Jairus’ home, the unnamed bleeding woman enters the scene.  Mark’s gospel adds that not only had she been bleeding for twelve years, but she “had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse” (Mark 5:26). She is at the end of her resources in many ways, and Mark confirms this woman’s motivation for coming to Jesus: she had heard the reports of Jesus’ ministry (Mark 5:27). Her plan? To touch Jesus’ garment, and she would be made well (Matthew 9:21; Mark 5:28).

As she pushes through the crowds pressing in on Jesus, she touches only the hem of Jesus’ garment, and she is healed.

Immediately.

What follows is a personal encounter with the Savior, a testimony from a woman no longer anonymous, and a public demonstration of Christ erasing her shame and replacing this shame with honor for her genuine and bold faith in its place.

Application

1. How are you often identified, either self-identified or by others? Is it by your suffering/situation (like the woman), your age or family (like the young girl), your social position (like Jairus), or any other factors?

2. Who do you connect with most in this story? Why?

3. What can desperation look like in our lives? What can it lead to?

4. In what area(s) of your life have you “spent all you had” looking for help or a resolution, but instead have been “no better but rather [grown] worse”? How would your life change if you looked to Jesus for this resolution (or how has it changed)?

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See you next Wednesday for part two of this series, focusing on the literary context of this narrative. And these posts are public, so please share them with a friend who might also enjoy them!

I’d love to hear any reflections you had on this study so far. Hit ‘reply’ if you’re receiving this as an email, or comment below!