Mark 5:26
and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This woman's suffering wasn't just physical pain from her illness; the text emphasizes she "had suffered many things of many physicians." This highlights the grueling, painful, and often futile treatments she endured, a far more intense picture than just simply being sick. It underscores the desperation that drove her to explore every possible, often harsh, remedy available, only to be left worse off and impoverished.
This passage occurs while Jesus is on his way to heal Jairus's dying daughter, amidst a pressing crowd. The woman's desperate condition—having endured years of suffering, exhausted all her resources on ineffective treatments, and only worsened—highlights the severity of her illness and her complete lack of hope from conventional means.
Imagine suffering from an incurable illness for 12 years. What would you do to find relief? This woman spared no expense, yet her situation only worsened.
This woman's plight is vividly detailed to highlight the severity and desperation of her condition.
This woman's story isn't just about physical illness; it's a powerful illustration of how human effort, even when desperate and costly, can fall short.
The detailed description of her suffering under 'many physicians' serves a theological purpose. It reveals the limits of human capability when faced with profound need.
Understand the original words
iatros · Greek Noun
A medical practitioner or healer. In the biblical context, it often refers to those who utilize various natural or traditional remedies, frequently contrasted with the healing power of God.
paschō · Greek Verb
A term used for a person who is suffering from a long-term or recurring condition, often implying physical, spiritual, or ceremonial distress. In the Gospels, it denotes someone in need of divine intervention.
Early 1st century AD
Roman province of Judea under Roman rule
Jesus' ministry takes place in Judea, a province of the Roman Empire. This era is marked by Roman governance, taxation, and a complex social and religious landscape.
Early 1st century AD
Jewish religious and cultural context
Judea is governed by Jewish religious authorities, such as the Sanhedrin, alongside Roman oversight. Religious laws, purity codes, and traditions significantly impact daily life.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jewish physicians and medical practices
Medical knowledge is developing, with physicians in Judea drawing from various traditions. Treatments for ailments, like the woman's hemorrhage, could be varied, lengthy, and costly, often with limited success.
Early 1st century AD
Jairus seeks Jesus' help
Jairus, a synagogue ruler, desperately seeks Jesus to heal his dying daughter, highlighting the desperation of the situation and his belief in Jesus' power.
This passage describes the Suffering Servant who was despised and rejected, much like this woman was failed by human means, highlighting the inadequacy of worldly remedies for deep suffering.
Jeremiah 2:13This verse speaks of forsaking the 'spring of living water' (God) for 'broken cisterns' that hold no water, mirroring the woman's fruitless search for healing from physicians instead of the Divine Healer.
Luke 8:43-44This passage parallels the account of the same woman's healing, emphasizing the physical suffering and desperation that drove her to seek Jesus, even with a touch.
Matthew 9:12Jesus' response to the Pharisees questioning why he eats with sinners ('It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick') directly addresses the idea of seeking help when one is at their worst, like this woman.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10Paul's experience of God's grace being sufficient in weakness, and his boasting in his infirmities, resonates with the woman's situation where her extreme weakness and suffering paradoxically led her to Christ's power.
vincentMark 5:26: "And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,"
Mark is much fuller and more vivid than Matthew or Luke.Had suffered (παθοῦσα)To be taken, as everywhere in the New Testament, in the sense of suffering pain, not merely subjected to treatment. What she may have suffered will appear from the prescription for the medical treatment of such a complaint given in the Talmud. "Take of the gum of Alexandria th…
barnesMark 5:26: "And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,"
Had suffered many things - Had resorted to many things painful, by the direction of the physicians, in order to be healed.
This woman's suffering wasn't just physical pain from her illness; the text emphasizes she "had suffered many things of many physicians." This highlights the grueling, painful, and often futile treatments she endured, a far more intense picture than just simply being sick. It underscores the desperation that drove her to explore every possible, often harsh, remedy available, only to be left worse off and impoverished.
This passage occurs while Jesus is on his way to heal Jairus's dying daughter, amidst a pressing crowd. The woman's desperate condition—having endured years of suffering, exhausted all her resources on ineffective treatments, and only worsened—highlights the severity of her illness and her complete lack of hope from conventional means.
This passage occurs while Jesus is on his way to heal Jairus's dying daughter, amidst a pressing crowd. The woman's desperate condition—having endured years of suffering, exhausted all her resources on ineffective treatments, and only worsened—highlights the severity of her illness and her complete lack of hope from conventional means.
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"and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse." — This woman's suffering wasn't just physical pain from her illness; the text emphasizes she "had suffered many things of many physicians." This highlights the grueling, painful, and often futile *…
