he child of the Shunammite
woman,[681] in these earlier miracles the restoration was to mortal
existence, not to immortality. It is instructive to observe the
difference in the procedure of each of the Old Testament prophets
mentioned as compared with that of Christ in analogous miracles. By both
Elijah and Elisha the wonderful change was brought about only after long
and labored ministrations, and earnest invocation of the power and
intervention of Jehovah; but Jehovah, embodied in flesh as Jesus Christ,
did nothing outwardly but command, and the bonds of death were
immediately broken. He spoke in His own name and by inherent authority,
for by the power with which He was invested He held control of both life
and death.

A REMARKABLE HEALING BY THE WAY.[682]

While Jesus was walking to the house of Jairus with a great crowd of
people thronging about Him, the progress of the company was arrested by
another case of suffering. In the throng was a woman who for twelve
years had been afflicted with a serious ailment involving frequent
hemorrhage. She had spent in medical treatment all she had owned, and
"had suffered many things of many physicians," but had steadily grown
worse. She worked her way through the crowd, and, approaching Jesus from
behind, touched His robe; "For she said, If I may touch but his clothes
I shall be whole." The effect was more than magical; immediately she
felt the thrill of health throughout her body, and knew that she had
been healed of her affliction. Her object attained, the blessing she
sought being now secured, she tried to escape notice, by hastily
dropping back into the crowd. But her touch was not unheeded by the
Lord. He turned to look over the throng and asked, "Who touched my
clothes?" or as Luke puts it, "Who touched me?" As the people denied,
the impetuous Peter speaking for himself and the others said: "Master,
the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched
me?" But Jesus answered: "Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that
virtue is gone out of me."

The woman, finding that she could not escape identification, came
tremblingly forward, and, kneeling before the Lord, confessed what she
had done, her reason for so doing, and the beneficent result. If she had
expected censure her fears were promptly set at rest, for Jesus,
addressing her by a term of respect and kindness, said: "Daughter, be of
good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace,"