Luke 8:45 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”

NIV: Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.'

NASB: And Jesus said, 'Who is the one who touched Me?' And while they were all denying it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.'

CSB: "Who touched me? " Jesus asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you."

NLT: Who touched me?' Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, 'Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.'

KJV: And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

NKJV: And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

Luke does not give an exact explanation for why Jesus asks this question. As God, Jesus maintained the full nature of His deity, including omniscience. God does ask questions He knows the answer to, often to draw someone to engage with Him or examine the situation or their own hearts (Genesis 3:9, 11; Job 1:7; Exodus 4:2). However, Jesus also limited His divine attributes to live a fully human life. Philippians 2:7 says Jesus "emptied himself." It's unclear if this refers to His social authority as God and Creator or if it means He laid aside some of His characteristics to better experience human life. The latter is possible, as Luke indicates in Jesus' childhood: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52).

Jesus explains He knows someone touched Him, saying, "for I perceive that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46). He certainly did not have less power than before—"gone out" here is in the sense of a conduit, not an emptying. But scholars disagree as to the implications of this statement. Was it His innate power as God? Was it the Holy Spirit's power? The answers depend on the meaning of Philippians 2:7, which is not perfectly clear.

The situation involves many people swarming around Jesus to touch Him and gain a blessing. The Greek terms here imply that Jesus is physically confined, as modern English might describe as "the crush" of a crowd. The crowd is reaching out to touch Jesus, bumping into Him, even being thrown against Him. But only one person received the benefit of His healing power.

Luke 8:40–56 records the third and fourth examples of Jesus providing salvation from worldly hardships—this time, illness, shame, and death. Jairus begs Jesus to come heal his daughter. Along the way, a chronically ill woman touches Jesus' robe. Jesus stops, blesses her faith, and calls her "daughter." He then raises the young girl from the dead. Jairus and the woman both show their faith through their diligence and boldness to procure Jesus' healing power. Next, Jesus will imbue His disciples with His power to continue His work. These stories are also found in Matthew 9:18–26 and Mark 5:21–43.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.