Jesus’ Healing Wings

Jonathon Gainey suggests we “touch the hem”

As a first-century Jew, Jesus wore two articles of clothing, a halluq (ha-luke) and a tallit (ta-leet). The talit is an undergarment. It is usually made of linen and covers the body all the way to the middle of the shin. The tallit is a prayer shawl, also known as a prayer closet. The tallit is worn over the halluq, and is pulled up over the head during prayer. On the corners of the talit are 4 tassels called tzitziyot (tzitzit - singular). The Jews continue to wear these tassels because of the command to wear them in Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12.

The English word that is translated “hem” is a translation of the Greek word “krespedon” which means “a tassel of twisted wool.”

The Jews of Jesus’ day believed that the tzitziyot (tassels) that were tied to the corners of the prayer shawl of the Messiah had healing powers. They believed this because of Malachi 4:2, which says, “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” The “sun of righteousness” is a Hebrew figure-of-speech or idiom, which means ”the Messiah,” and the word “wings” is the Hebrew word kanaph (kanaphim - plural), which is the same word that is used to when referring to the edge of a prayer shawl.

The woman with the issue of blood was considered to be unclean (see Mark 5). She had spent years alone, because she was not aloud to touch anyone. She was lonely, she was desperate, she was knowledgeable about the Scriptures, and she recognized the Messiah when he came. This woman would not have touched just any rabbi, because touching a rabbi as a ceremonially unclean person would have gotten her into trouble with the Temple authorities. But she believed that this Jesus was not just any rabbi. She truly believed that he was the one of which Malachi spoke. She believed it so much that she was willing to walk out into the middle of a Jewish crowd and touch the tassels on Jesus’ tallit.

No matter how sinful we are, we can rush through the most religious, righteous crowd, touch the Messiah, and be healed.

Forever learning,
Johnny

Writer: Capt. Jonathan Gainey was born in Jacksonville, FL in June, 1969. He has been married to Staci, the daughter of retired Salvation Army officers, for twenty years and they have four children ages 18, 16, 12, and 4. Jonathan was commissioned as an officer in June of 2002, and is currently serving in his third appointment in New Bern, NC, USA. He is working on a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is the creator and manager of the Flocks Diner website, where his passion for learning and teaching is expressed and shared through writing and a weekly podcast.

3 Comments to Jesus’ Healing Wings

1. “No matter how sinful we are, we can rush through the most religious, righteous crowd, touch the Messiah, and be healed” Jonathon this is a wonderful reminder, thank you!

   I note also that Jesus was out there in the crowd and available to the woman. His very presence in her community must have been great comfort, hope and support to people suffering or struggling in that day. I guess that’s why we are called to be the presence of His light, salt and hope today.

   A Territorial Bulletin Board tells me that “during September, Social Justice is a key area for the church to be praying about”. Oh that we might have the courage to act on our prayers, to challenge the issues, be make ourselves available to “others”.

   As a chaplain I see people isolated from family and community, people swamped by immense boredom, enduring a lonely hollow existence because they are not able to access family, friends, culture, therapy, education, work opportunities, even appropriate health care.

   “They” may be the people detained in our nursing homes, mental health units, correctional centres or immigration detention centres. “They” sit day and night slumped on a bench head hung in shame - aware and at times very conscious of what others - on the outside think of them. Their daily struggle is punctuated by moments of deep shame, as they become targets of power, violence, aggression and blame.

   With the directive that Social Justice be a key area for to be pray - I pray that God will break our hearts with a real awareness and concern for His hurting people in our own community and that we might have the courage to become involved in real and tangible ways to befriend the friendless, to be available as Christ is, to salt and light in the world. And to act locally as well as take up “global” campaigns.
Ke.enn on September 7th, 2009

2. This information is fascinating.

   What were your sources? I would love to read more about it.
Valine on September 30th, 2009

3. Hi Valine,

   I am not at home with my library at the moment, so I’ll give you my best guesses as to which resources I used.

   Yeshua by Ron Moseley
   New Insights on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin
   Commentary of the Jewish New Testament by David Stern
   Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

   Blessings,
   Johnny
Johnny on October 1st, 2009

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