The Hem of His Garment
When you visit a museum, large art gallery, or stately home, you’re likely to see portraits of people spanning various centuries. These portraits don’t just capture faces; they tell the story of social history through clothing. The garments reveal much about the wearers’ status and wealth.
The Significance of Colour
The colour of clothing has always held significant meaning. For example, Julius Caesar introduced purple cloth to the Roman Empire, but only he was permitted to wear it. In later centuries, purple became the royal colour in the UK. Black is commonly associated with mourning in many parts of the world, but in some Asian cultures, white is the mourning colour. Bridal colours also vary; white is traditional in many countries, while red is favoured in others. Blue, especially the pigment ultramarine, was revered by Ancient Egyptians and Byzantines, who associated it with the sea and sky, believing it held healing powers.
In the Bible, colour holds spiritual significance. God instructed Moses on the use of specific colours for the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 26-27). Blue was to remind the Israelites of heaven. The priestly garments for Aaron also featured specific colours:
“Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, with an opening for the head in its centre. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening so that it will not tear. Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out so that he will not die” (Exodus 28:31-35).
David and Saul: The Hem’s Symbolism
In ancient Mesopotamia, the hem of a garment represented the individual. Cutting off the hem signified an insult or denial of that person’s worth. During the Old Babylonian period (ca. 2000-1600 BC), a bride’s dowry was often sewn into the hem of her garment. If a divorce occurred, the husband might cut off the hem of his wife’s robe.
This cultural significance is evident when David cuts off the hem of Saul’s garment after Saul enters a cave to relieve himself (1 Samuel 24:4-5). Urged to kill Saul, David instead cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe. Despite his restraint, David feels immediate shame. His action, meant to show he meant Saul no harm, also symbolically diminished Saul’s status as God’s anointed king.
The Woman with the Issue of Blood
In Matthew 9:20-22, we read about a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. According to Leviticus 15:28, she was considered unclean during this time, isolating her from others. Desperate and having exhausted all other options, she saw Jesus as her last hope. Braving the crowd, she reached out in faith, believing that touching the hem of his garment would heal her.
Fringes and Tassels: A Biblical Mandate
In the Bible, the hem can also refer to fringes or tassels. Numbers 15:38-39 instructs:
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.”
At that time, robes were rectangular cloths draped over the body with four corners at the bottom. Israelites were to attach tassels to these corners, with a blue cord as a daily visual reminder of God’s commands. As robe styles changed, becoming more rounded, the Israelites developed the Tallit, a rectangular prayer shawl with tassels at each corner. Orthodox Jews of Jesus’ time wore the Tallit, and it is likely that when the woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, she touched one of these tassels.
Reaching Out in Faith
Whether she touched a tassel or the edge of his garment, the woman’s faith in Jesus’ power to heal her is the crux of the story. Her belief led to her healing, showing us that faith is powerful and transformative. Similarly, we too can reach out in faith to Jesus.
In the next post, we will explore the spiritual garments the Bible says we are clothed in.
