Matthew 14:36

Matthew 14:36

And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

 a. NLT: They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And they besought him that they might only touch the border of his garment: and as many as touched were made whole. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And were calling on him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment, and as many as did touch were saved. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment…”

a. And [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. besought [Strong: 3870. parakaleo par-ak-al-eh'-o from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):--beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.

c. him [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. that [Strong: 2443. hina hin'-ah probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):--albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.]

e. [they might] only [Strong: 3440. monon mon'-on neuter of 3441 as adverb; merely:--alone, but, only.]

f. touch [Strong: 680. haptomai hap'-tom-ahee reflexive of 681; properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. to touch (in many implied relations):--touch.]

g. the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

h. hem [Strong: 2899. kraspedon kras'-ped-on of uncertain derivation; a margin, i.e. (specially), a fringe or tassel:--border, hem.]

i. [of] his [Strong: 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

j. [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

k. garment [Strong: 2440. himation him-at'-ee-on neuter of a presumed derivative of ennumi (to put on); a dress (inner or outer):--apparel, cloke, clothes, garment, raiment, robe, vesture.]

1). This garment was the prayer shawl that was instructed for Jewish men to wear at all times.

a). Numbers 15:37-40 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

b). The fringes on the borders There are 613 commandments in Jewish law.The number of tzitzit or knotted fringes on the prayer shawl worn Jews is a reminder to them of the 613 commandments. When the sick and diseased in this account desired to touch the hem of his garment this is what they meant.

2). The incident earlier in Jesus ministry concerning the woman who was hemorrhaging blood and was healed by touching his garment probably became widely known and fueled this desire.

a). Matthew 9:19-22 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

2. “...and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”

a. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. s many as [Strong: 3745. hosos hos'-os by reduplication from 3739; as (much, great, long, etc.) as:--all (that), as (long, many, much) (as), how great (many, much), (in-)asmuch as, so many as, that (ever), the more, those things, what (great, -soever), wheresoever, wherewithsoever, which, X while, who(-soever).]

c. touched [Strong: 680. haptomai hap'-tom-ahee reflexive of 681; properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. to touch (in many implied relations):--touch.]

d. [were made] perfectly whole [Strong: 1295. diasozo dee-as-odze'-o from 1223 and 4982; to save thoroughly, i.e. (by implication or analogy) to cure, preserve, rescue, etc.:--bring safe, escape (safe), heal, make perfectly whole, save.] [Zodhiates: from dia (1223), through and sozo (4982), to save. To save through, to bring savely through danger, sickness, to preserve.]

1). saved [4982 * sozo] [Zodhiates: to save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss, destruction…Sozo occurs fifty-four times in the Gospels [fifty-six in the KJV]. Of the instances where sozo is used, fourteen relate to deliverance from disease or demon possession; in twenty instances, the inference is to the rescue of physical life from some impending peril or instant death; the remaining twenty times, the reference is to spiritual salvation.]

2). C. I. Scofield Notes under Romans 1:16 Salvation: “The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.”

a). salvation [Strong: 4991 soteria so-tay-ree'-ah: feminine of a derivative of 4990 as (properly, abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally):--deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.] [Thayer: deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation, deliverance from the molestation of enemies, in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the soul's safety or salvation, of Messianic salvation, salvation as the present possession of all true Christians, future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.]