Day 57 : Leviticus 15:19-27
Read Leviticus 15:19-27
Helpful Background Information:
First, reread Mark 5:25-34
In the Old Testament, "uncleanness" did not necessarily mean sinfulness but symbolized a state of impurity that prevented a person from participating in worship and social life. The laws in Leviticus taught Israel about the holiness of God and the brokenness of the human condition. Many of these laws, including those about bodily discharges, reinforced the idea that life and death were fundamentally opposed. Since blood represented life (Leviticus 17:11), its unnatural loss symbolized disorder and separation from God’s presence. These laws pointed to humanity’s need for cleansing and restoration, ultimately foreshadowing how Jesus would bring true purity and healing.
Leviticus 15:19-27 lays out the laws concerning a woman’s ritual impurity due to menstruation and abnormal bleeding. According to the law, a woman experiencing a discharge of blood was considered ceremonially unclean. Anyone who came into contact with her or her belongings had to wash and remain unclean until evening. If a woman’s bleeding continued beyond her normal cycle, her impurity extended until the bleeding stopped, and she had to complete a purification process before being restored to full participation in the community. These laws were not about punishing women (men had similar laws regarding their discharge, see v1-18) but about giving the people of God a vivid picture of the distinction between holiness and impurity in daily life.
This background is crucial for understanding the woman in Mark 5:25-34. Her condition had lasted twelve years, meaning she lived in a perpetual state of impurity, which would have meant she was isolated from all other people. By touching Jesus’ garment, she risked making Him unclean according to the law. However, instead of being defiled, Jesus’ power made her clean. This moment reverses the Old Testament pattern (where impurity spreads upon contact), now Jesus' holiness overcomes impurity and spreads to her. Her healing not only restored her physically but also reinstated her ability to participate in worship and community life.
Reflection Questions:
How does Leviticus 15 help us understand Mark 5:19-27?
The purification laws required time, washing, and sacrifices before someone could be declared clean again. How does this contrast with how Jesus healed the woman instantly?
Jesus could have healed the woman without drawing attention to her. Why do you think He stopped and asked, “Who touched me?”
Who are people today—due to sickness, shame, or social status—who feel isolated like this woman? How can the church follow Jesus’ example in reconciling them?