The Significance of the Tassel of His Tallit...

By Mary Ann Wray with No Formal Title

The Gospel according to Mark Account: 

“And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Mark 5:24-34 ( See also Matthew 9 and Luke 8 of the same account)

I recently read a commentary about the accounts from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. I needed more understanding and historical context because I believed there was more to the story than what met the natural mind and eye. I believed there was something relevant to each one of us today the Holy Spirit wanted to convey. Here is what I discovered contextually:

Since Jesus was a rabbi, he wore a prayer shawl as some call it…a tallit. The tallit has four tassels called tzitzit. The Tallit with its tassels were given by God as a daily reminder of His covenant and commandment (see Numbers 15:37–41 and Deuteronomy 22:12). Here are the scripture references that are important to see for context and spiritual insight…

“Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments… that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD.” Numbers 15: 38 & 39

Deuteronomy 22:12 (KJV) 12 “Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.”

They were to wear the Tallit with cords of blue and tassels, throughout their generations. It was a reminder to do all His commandments and be Holy to the One True God who brought them out of Egypt to worship Him. He was and is their Lord our God. Jesus came to fulfill all the Law and the Prophets, so His wearing of the Tallit had a real prophetic significance that this Jewess understood where others probably didn’t. What then is the significance of her saying in her heart the following and more accurate translation of her thought process, “If I just touch the tassel of His tallit I shall be healed?” This dear desperate woman was reaching out in faith to Jesus not only as a rabbi who spoke God’s word, but I believe in my heart, she realized through a spirit of revelation, that Jesus was God’s word come in the flesh. Therefore, I believe her faith was genuinely exhibited in the following ways:

 1. She believed Jesus was the Christ the Messiah foretold by the prophets of old 2. She believed the commandments and covenant of God was made flesh in Christ Himself - incarnate (See Isaiah 7: 14 & Matthew 1: 23). 3. She honored God’s covenant and commandment as a Jewess but she was not bound by it. She saw freedom and healing that could only come by way of the Messiah. 4. She had a divine supernatural revelation many Jews and Gentiles alike in her day didn’t. It was the same spirit of revelation Peter and the other disciples experienced when they declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”

For a bit more historical context, it is important to note that in ancient Israel, a woman with a prolonged bloody flow (the condition described in Leviticus 15:25–30) would often experience serious social, religious, and personal consequences. Scripture doesn’t spell out every detail, but when we place the law alongside ancient Near Eastern culture and the Gospel accounts, a clear picture emerges. She was considered ceremonially unclean: anything she touched became unclean and anyone who touched her became unclean until evening and had to wash. This no doubt affected such a woman at many different levels. She wouldn’t have been able to work because anything she touched would have been considered unclean and unusable. She could not enter the temple to participate in communal worship. People likely limited any type of contact with her to avoid ritual impurity. She no doubt experienced ongoing isolation and a deep sense of rejection. This ostracization was not looked upon by the religious and social community as punishment but containment. Nevertheless, as a human being and daughter of Israel it had to have had a severe impact on her self-esteem, sense of personal value, spiritual worth, social life and her overall well-being because of her physical condition. No one was able to help or cure her until her encounter with Jesus Christ.

She understood the Law of Moses and what this labeled her to be. But Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost, not the “righteous.” There is a righteousness that came through observing the Law, but there was a shift taking place. Jesus proclaimed a new type of righteousness: one that comes through faith in HIM. Through the measure of faith God gives every man, her faith shifted from doctors, rabbis and possibly faith healers, to Christ Himself! At that point, she was willing to take the risk of being exposed and even ridiculed because she knew that Jesus was different from all the other Rabbi’s and Doctors, she no doubt visited countless times. The Bible says she spent all she had for the no better!

The Bible doesn’t say it these gospel accounts, but the Jews also believed in exorcism, (expelling demons from people), so it is entirely possible she invoked the help of exorcists and other faith healers to rid her of any possible demonic oppression in her body in the hopes of being healed. That is just my thought, but again, the Bible doesn’t tell us directly this happened or not. It is entirely probable though. See Matthew 9: 32-34, Matthew 12: 27, Luke 4: 33-36, Acts 19: 13-16. We also see in 1 Samuel 16: 14-23 where the evil spirit that tormented King Saul was quelled when David played his harp. This spirit gained entrance through Saul’s rebellion. I don’t mean to digress but I think it’s worth mentioning here.

Not to digress, the Bible clearly tells us that Jesus cast demons out of many deaf, blind, mute and sick people and they were healed! See Mark 9: 17-21, Luke 13: 11-16, Matthew 4: 23-24, Matthew 8: 16-17, Mark 1: 32-34, Luke 6: 17-19. It is important to note, however, that there is no indication every sickness is caused by a demon, demons or sin. You may recall there was one account when the disciples asked Jesus who sinned, the blind man or his parents to cause his blindness from birth. Jesus replied, “Neither. But to display the glory of God.” See John 9: 1-3. Next, He created mud from the ground mixed with His spittle and did a creative miracle of healing this man’s form of blindness. Yet there still exists the reality that demons can cause sickness and so can sin. Regardless, Jesus can take care of either one without any problem at all. Didn’t he say, “What is easier, to say your sins are forgiven or rise up and walk?” The issue really isn’t the cause of either affliction. The issue is who and what is the real cure? Jesus is the cure! He came to seek and to save the lost and heal the sick. He hasn’t changed so why does man’s version of religion dumb Him down so much?

In this glorious gospel account the Bible says this woman “pressed through the crowd.” Can’t you picture her stooping down towards the ground not only to avoid being recognized as the “unclean woman” with the issue of blood and being publicly shamed, but to be “low” enough to the dusty path Christ traversed so her eyes could see through the scurrying feet of the crowd?  She was on a personal mission: to reach out and touch one of the tassels on Messiah’s Tallit. The Bible says she thought in her heart. “If I but touch the hem of His garment I shall be made whole.”

Out of respect for Jesus and regard for the Law, I believe she did not want to touch His body and cause Him to be considered unclean. She knew the religious and public communities considered her to be “untouchable and unclean.” Therefore, by touching Jesus’ tassel on His Tallit, which represented the glorious commandments of God, as we’ve already explained, she was touching the Messiah Himself, who was the Word of God Made Flesh. See John 1: 1-4. Jesus of Nazareth was much more than an ordinary Rabbi. Evidently, this woman believed this with all her heart. He was the One who could and WOULD make her whole!

I wondered…How did Mark know she thought this in her heart “if I but touch the hem of his garment I shall be made whole?”  It may not be that important but again, inquiring minds want to know for more understanding. Perhaps she told an apostle standing by and they relayed this message to the others? Perhaps Jesus told His disciples since He reads all the thoughts and intents of our hearts and used it as a teaching lesson about the heart versus outer appearances? Maybe the Holy Spirit showed another writer of a Gospel account through a word of knowledge and then passed it on orally to the others? What’s really important is that she “believed in her heart.” That we MUST understand for ourselves.

Faith in Christ is a matter of the heart. No one may know about it but you and Jesus. You don’t have to make a show, give a seed offering, sound a trumpet, or stand in a prayer line to be anointed with oil. Yes, James 5: 14-15 talks about calling for the elders of the church to anoint with oil and pray for the sick. But what if the elders of your church don’t believe in divine healing?  What if you don’t attend a local church for whatever reason? What if your church does, but demands an offering before or after? Do they teach you WHO the source of healing really is: not a formula, not an offering, not an elder, but the Chief Bishop and Shepherd of your soul? Perhaps you have misplaced faith as I did, until the Holy Spirit recalibrated my faith through me returning to my First Love and the works I did at first…. pure devotion to Jesus and devouring His Word while Holy Spirit taught me according to 1 John 2.

 The Bible says the moment the precious but scorned woman “touched” Jesus’ Tallit, virtue left His Body and she was made whole! He turned around and asked, “Who touched me?”  The disciples blamed the pressing of the crowd, God bless them. But the woman trembling in fear haven been “called out” knelt down before Jesus and told Him the whole truth.  He then declared, “Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

The same thing stands for each one of us today. What do we believe in our heart about Jesus Christ? Is He just an ordinary Rabbi or Teacher? Is He just a historical figure? Do we believe about Him just what the preacher or our denomination has told us about Him and that’s it? Did He suffer and die on the cross only to forgive us of our sins and give us the wonderful gift of eternal life by grace through faith? Or is He still the same yesterday, today and forever? Does He still care about our human conditions that can include disease, emotional pain, demonic oppression, lack and suffering in various degrees?

Like this dear Jewess, most of us have suffered various maladies: spiritual, physical, moral, betrayals, ostracization by peers, emotional pain and trauma, just to name just a few of life’s troubles. These things happen in one degree or another and the Father doesn’t trivialize any of them.  But I want to propose to you that Jesus is STILL in the saving, healing and delivering business. He accomplishes it through the Holy Spirit that He promised His disciples He would send on the Day of Pentecost. It happens when we truly CONNECT our hearts with His. Unlike our cessasionist brothers teach, the Holy Spirit is still active and working in and through His people (the church). He no longer dwells in temples made with hands. He lives on the inside of each of His children.

Oh yes, Jesus may choose to use a human vessel to lay hands on you and pray the prayer of faith, and you receive a miracle through a gift of healing (See 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14), but He doesn’t need people to accomplish this. I believe, just like this woman with the issue of blood, if you seek the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, you will find Him alive and well through the pages of Scripture, which in turn will give you enough faith in the REAL JESUS. True faith IN GOD will arise in your heart to receive what you need from His presence in order to be made whole. Yes, God can use medicine and still does. We see that in the Bible too. But what if you’ve tried everything and you’re the none better? Why not give it to Jesus and really put your trust HIM?

Jesus offers us a complete salvation package. The gift of eternal life in the great “by and by” is absolutely glorious and miraculous in and of itself. If you and I never receive a physical healing or deliverance from oppression brought on by living in a fallen world full of demons and evil men, that’s a wonderful promise. But we must ask ourselves, “Does God delight in seeing His children suffer on and on with no help or remedy while sojourning on this earth?” My friends, Jesus offers us LIFE and that more abundantly. He never promised us earthly wealth and trouble-free living like some prosperity preachers teach in order to obtain earthly gain from you. However, He did promise us abundant life. So what does this mean? Please allow me to share this with you free of charge…

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” John 10: 10

The Greek word for life used here is ‘zoe’ meaning the following with various important nuances:

1. the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate 2. every living soul 3. the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic "logos" and to Christ in whom the "logos" put on human nature 4. life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever.

The word “abundantly” gr ‘perissos’ means exceeding some number or measure or rank or need 2. over and above, more than is necessary, superadded 3. exceeding abundantly, supremely 4. something further, more, much more than all, more plainly 5. superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon 6. pre-eminence, superiority, advantage, more eminent, more remarkable, more excellent.

Jesus is making it very clear to us here and now as well as way back then, within this one simple passage of scripture, why He left the portals of glory and came to earth in the form of a human being. He was fully God yet fully man. He wanted then and wants us now to be able to identify with Him in our humanity yet calls us to be partakers of His Divinity. He desires that we be made complete through Him and in Him while we sojourn on this sin cursed planet. He wants us to experience HIS abundant life that He came to earth, demonstrated and suffered, died and risen to give us. How can we serve and worship Him fully while suffering endlessly in pain, affliction, torment or lack? When did Jesus stop being enough?

Your life is precious to Christ and He offers you the kind of life that only comes by way of faith in HIM-not in a power or a ‘force’, not a method or a man, not in a creed or a denomination, not in a religious affiliation or following rules, but complete faith in JESUS Himself. Honestly, a lot of the former ideologies must be stripped away from our minds and hearts, before we can see the REAL JESUS. We may have to forgive some well-meaning and not so well-meaning folk who lied to us or even scammed us.

In those cases, and in a watered-down version of the Gospel, He has been obscured by centuries of mixture from man-made doctrines and doctrines of demons. Won’t you seek Him, the real Jesus while He can yet be found? Won’t you seek Him with all your heart? Won’t you decide like the woman with the issue of blood to press through the crowd of religious rhetoric and regulations set by man in order to touch Him at your heart level? There is nothing you have to DO, nothing you have to give, nothing you have to prove in order to receive Jesus’ zoe kind of life albeit eternal, physical, spiritual and emotional. Just believe He is who He said He is in His word!!! He who the Son sets free is free indeed. That is more than enough🙌🏼🙏🏼❤️

Shalom,

Your sister in Christ,

Mary Ann Wray