Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:33

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

33. fearing and trembling ] She may have dreaded His anger, for according to the Law (Lev 15:19) the touch of one, afflicted as she was, caused ceremonial defilement until the evening.

told him ] i. e. probably all the particulars we find in Mar 5:25-26, and this before all the people (Luk 8:47).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 33. Fearing and trembling] See Mt 9:22.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

33. But the woman, fearing andtrembling, knowing what was done in heralarmed, as a humble,shrinking female would naturally be, at the necessity of so public anexposure of herself, yet conscious that she had a tale to tell whichwould speak for her.

came and fell down beforehim, and told him all the truthIn Luke (Lu8:47) it is, “When the woman saw that she was not hid, shecame trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Himbefore all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how shewas healed immediately.” This, though it tried the modesty ofthe believing woman, was just what Christ wanted in dragging herforth, her public testimony to the facts of her casethe disease,with her abortive efforts at a cure, and the instantaneous andperfect relief which her touching the Great Healer had brought her.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But the woman fearing and trembling,…. Lest she should be reproved, and suffer the penalties of the law, for appearing in public during the time of her uncleanness, Le 15:25, or that Christ was displeased with her, for her taking an improper method to obtain her cure; or lest he should recall it, or was angry with her for concealing it, and attempting to go away undiscovered, and without so much as thanking him for it. After conversion, after souls have laid hold on Christ for righteousness and life; after they have had the pardon of their sins, and are cured of their diseases, they are not without their fears and tremblings, though there is no just reason for them: they fear where no fear is; that is, where there is no true cause of fear; which was this woman’s ease: they are sometimes afraid they have no interest in Christ, and in his love; that they are hypocrites; that the truth of grace is not in them; that they shall never hold out to the end; that they shall perish, and come short of eternal glory, notwithstanding they know, as this woman did, what has been done in them, and done for them.

Knowing what was done in her, and by her; being conscious to herself that she was the person that had touched him, and that upon it the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she was thoroughly healed of her disease:

Came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. Christ did not point her out, though he knew her; or call her by her name, though he could have done it, and have ordered her to come to him, and account for her conduct: he had said enough to work upon her, and engage her to come; who came of herself, and with the greatest reverence to his person, and sense of her own unworthiness, threw herself at his feet, and gave him a relation of the whole matter, with the utmost truth and, exactness; what had been her case, what was her faith, and what she had done, and what a cure she had received; and which she acknowledged with the greatest thankfulness. In some copies it is added, “before all”; before Christ and his disciples, and the throng of people that were along with him: she that came behind Christ, and privately took hold of the hem of his garment, her faith secretly going out unto him; now appears openly before him, not being able to hide herself any longer. Nor is she ashamed to tell what she had done, and had been done in her: truth is to be spoken, even all the truth; no one has reason to be ashamed of that, and especially of the truth of grace, truth in the inward parts; this is what God requires, and gives, and delights in. The secret experiences of grace in our souls we should not be ashamed to relate to others; this makes for the glory of divine grace, and the good of others. In some copies it is read, “and told him all her cause before all”: her whole affair, how it had been with her, and now was, and what was the cause of her taking such a method she did.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Fearing and trembling, knowing ( , ). These participles vividly portray this woman who had tried to hide in the crowd. She had heard Christ’s question and felt his gaze. She had to come and confess, for something “has happened” (, second perfect active indicative, still true) to her.

Fell down before him ( ). That was the only proper attitude now.

All the truth ( ). Secrecy was no longer possible. She told “the pitiful tale of chronic misery” (Bruce).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Comments

1) “But the woman fearing and trembling,” (he de gune phobetheisa kai tremousa) “Then the woman fearing and trembling,” with visible emotions, of fear and trembling in His presence, knowing she had drawn a blessing from Him; These two emotions are closely associated, 2Co 7:12; Eph 6:5; Php_2:12.

2) “Knowing what was done in her,” (eiduia ho gegonen aute) “Knowing what had happened to her,” that she had been instantly cured of the twelve year blood-flowing body plague, Mar 5:29. Not only did Jesus know that healing virtue had gone out of Him but also the woman knew she had been healed, Mar 5:30. Let it be observed that every sin-plagued soul knows when he is saved, as well as the Lord, 1Jn 3:14; Joh 10:27-29.

3) “Came and fell down before Him,” (elthen kai prosepesen auto) “Came of her own will and accord and fell down before Him,” to confess what-had happened to her, to acknowledge the miraculous cure by which men might believe, that He was the Christ, Joh 20:30-31.

4) “And told Him all the truth.” (kai eipen auto pasan ten aletheian) “And discovered or related to Him (Io Jesus) all the truth,” so that Mark, overhearing the history of her medical problem, might relate it, as here recorded, Luk 6:19. She may have known some sin in her own life that brought on the physical and moral plague and here confessed it to Jesus, as she told Him “all the truth,” though He knew it, as the Son of God, Joh 2:25; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 10:9-10. Saved men need to confess, from what moral state, to what spiritual state, they have been saved, morally and spiritually, Luk 17:14-21. When the unclean, the condemned, is made clean, he should say so to the world, and to the redeemed, Psa 107:2.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(33) The woman fearing and trembling.The whole description is fuller than that in St. Matthew.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

33. Told him all the truth For the Saviour held that she would not be truly blessed unless she should with her mouth before the world confess her salvation. Then could he wisely speak her peace.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments