And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
36. the hem of his garment ] The hem of the garment had a certain sanctity attached to it. It was the distinguishing mark of the Jew: cp. Num 15:38-39, “that they add to the fringes of the borders (or corners) a thread of blue.” At each corner of the robe there was a tassel; each tassel had a conspicuous blue thread symbolical of the heavenly origin of the Commandments. The other threads were white.
as many as touched were made perfectly whole ] Cp. the case of the woman with an issue of blood, ch. Mat 9:20-22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mat 14:36
As many as touched were made perfectly whole.
Christ healing the diseased
I. Some of the antecedents of the healing. They felt they were diseased. They were anxious to be healed. They were in the right place to be healed.
II. The condition of healing. Contact with Christ. Illustrates the conditions upon which we become partakers of the life which is in Christ Jesus. This condition is simple, not only as regards its operation, but also as it springs out of a principle which all men possess.
III. The extent of the healing. This is seen in the numbers healed and in the completeness of the cures. (R. Henry.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 36. That they might only touch the hem of his garment] What mighty influence must the grace and Spirit of Christ have in the soul, when even the border or hem of his garment produced such wonders in the bodies of those who touched it! Here is a man who has turned from sin to God through Christ, and the healing hand of Jesus is laid upon him. Then, no wonder that he knows and feels his sins forgiven, his soul purified, and his heart filled with the fulness of his Maker. Lord, increase our faith! and we shall see greater manifestations of thy power and glory! Amen.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And besought him that they might touch the hem of his garment,…. As the woman with the bloody issue did; Mt 9:20. This they desired, partly to show the strength of their faith in him, that they doubted not of a cure, could they be admitted so near his person; and partly, to signify the sense of their unworthiness, to be in another way taken notice of by him, either by speaking to them, or putting his hands on them:
and as many as touched, were made perfectly whole. Christ condescended to this their request, and perfectly cured all such of their diseases, of whatever kind they were, who, in the exercise of faith, touched the hem of his garment, the fringe he wore, in compliance with the ceremonial law, Nu 15:38.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Were made perfectly whole [] . The preposition dia, through or thorough, indicates complete restoration.
The Rev. omits perfectly, because whole, in itself, implies completeness.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And besought him,” (kai parekaloun auton) “And they appealed to him,” in an emotional manner, directly appealing; And He turned none away unhelped, Joh 21:25; Psa 145:18-19. The massive crowds of men at least had faith in the curative powers of Jesus.
2) “That they might only, touch the hem of his garment” (hina monon apsontai tou kraspedou tou himatiou autou) “in order that they might touch the fringe of his garment,” His mantle or outer garment, as the woman with an issue of blood had formerly done, Mr 5:27,28; Luk 8:43-44.
3) “And so many as touched,” (kai osoi epsanto) “And as many (of them) as touched,” even His outer garment, Mr 5:30,31; Luk 8:4-47.
4) “Were made perfectly whole.” (diesothesan) “Were completely healed,” of whatever diseases or illnesses that they had, Mr 5:34; Luk 7:50; Luk 8:48. They were completely cured. There was none sent away disappointed, such as occurs today when men go to fake healers.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(36) That they might only touch the hem of his garment.The wide-spread belief may be noted as the natural result of the miracle already recorded in Mat. 9:20-22, and as the touch implied the faith which was the condition of receptivity, it was now also, as before, effective.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
36. Hem of his garment The fringe directed by Moses to be worn as the distinguishing badge of an Israelite. Nor is it wonderful that these people, learning the miracle of feeding the thousands, hearing, perhaps, from the apostles his walking the sea, and beholding his manifold miracles of mercy, should reverence him as a Divine Being incarnate.
When from the plain of Gennesaret Jesus went to Capernaum, many of the multitude, as John informs us, from the other side, arriving, found him there to their astonishment. A conversation at length ensuing, is detailed by that evangelist. In it Jesus exposes to their own view their material and selfish motives. See note on Mat 14:20. He endeavours in vain to awaken a purer faith and a more elevated view. Their stubborn unsusceptibility so manifests itself that Jesus wraps his truths in figure and parable, and leaves their hearts in their chosen hardness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they asked him that they might only touch the border of his robe, and as many as touched were made whole.’
And just to touch the hem or tassel on His robe now proved sufficient. It was not that the robe had power, it was that to touch it brought them in touch with the wearer. Such was His power that He reached out through their act of faith and in all cases they were healed. Power went out of Him (Mar 5:30). It should be noted that permission was sought from Jesus. It was not impersonal. The Pharisees would have shrunk from the touch of common people lest they be rendered unclean. But such things mattered not to Jesus. Anyone who touched Him in faith was made clean. The message is that all who come to Him and believe in Him, however faint their touch, will find healing and restoration. This caps off the threefold picture of Him, He feeds, He protects, He makes whole.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 14:36 . Summary statement, as in Mat 4:24 .
.] descriptive imperfect.
] See note on Mat 9:20 . They wanted merely to touch Him , as in Mat 9:21 .
] were completely saved (Xen. Mem . ii. 10. 2; Luk 7:3 ), so that they quite recovered from their ailments, and that, according to the analogy of the other miracles of healing, just at once . Hilgenfeld is wrong in supposing that this took place “without the medium of faith;” as a matter of course, faith was implied in their very .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
Ver. 36. And as many as touched, &c. ] Oh the matchless might and mercy of Christ our Saviour! He condescends to their infirmity, and heals them promiscuously, not once questioning their deserts. He giveth to all men liberally, and hitteth no man in the teeth with his former failings or present infirmities, Jas 1:5 . Be we also, by his example, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. This was the philosophical friendship of the Pythagoreans, the legal of the Essenes (a sect among the Jews, that had their names of healing), a and should be most of all the evangelical friendship of us Christians. “Thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer,” &c.,Isa 58:12Isa 58:12 : a gallant title, better than a thousand escutcheons. b
a
b The shield or shield-shaped surface on which a coat of arms is depicted D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
36. . ] For a discussion of the construction of verbs of entreaty, &c. with and , see note, 1Co 14:13 .
On . see note on ch. Mat 9:20 .
. as E. V., were made perfectly whole.
Mat 14:36 . , etc.: they have now unbounded confidence in Christ’s curative powers; think it enough to touch ( ) the hem of His mantle. : they are not disappointed; the touch brings a complete cure ( in composition). The expression, , implies that all who were cured touched: that was the uniform means. Mk.’s expression, ., leaves that open.
hem = border, or fringes. Compare Mat 9:20.
made perfectly whole = completely saved or healed. Greek. diasozo = to save throughout. Occurs eight times (Luk 7:3. Act 23:24; Act 27:43, Act 27:44; Act 28:1, Act 28:4; 1Pe 3:20). All are interesting and used of bodily saving.
36. . ] For a discussion of the construction of verbs of entreaty, &c. with and , see note, 1Co 14:13.
On . see note on ch. Mat 9:20.
. as E. V., were made perfectly whole.
Mat 14:36. , …, only, etc.) Such was their pious humility.[674]
[674] , as many as touched Him) Out of so great crowds of miserable men, not even one is found who met with a repulse in seeking help from Jesus. However, those who were ungrateful were subsequently reproved, and those who needed it were warned to avoid new acts of sin.-Harm., p. 337.
only: Mat 9:20, Mat 9:21, Mar 3:10, Luk 6:19, Act 19:11, Act 19:12
hem: Mat 23:5, Exo 28:33-43, Num 15:38, Num 15:39
perfectly: Joh 6:37, Joh 7:23, Act 3:16, Act 4:9, Act 4:10, Act 4:14-16
Reciprocal: Lev 6:27 – touch Mat 8:15 – touched Mat 15:30 – great Mat 19:2 – General Mar 5:27 – touched Act 5:15 – they brought
4:36
Touching the garment of Jesus had no curative effect in itself, but the act showed their faith and they were healed as a reward for it, on the same principle as that of the woman in chapter 9:20-22.
Mat 14:36. Only touch the border of his garment. A woman had been thus healed in the presence of a crowd (chap. Mat 9:20-22), so that these people were not superstitious, but had strong faith. As our Lord was only passing through, a greater number could be healed in this way. Christs miracles were always performed so as to show a connection between Himself and the person cured, even though it were so slight a one as this touch.This is the fourth general description of our Lords ministry; in each case (Mat 4:24; Mat 9:35; Mat 11:1, and here) after a series of events grouped together without reference to accurate chronological order.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament