The mystery of Jesus’ tassels
“And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” (Luke 6:19)
This sermon was given by the Rev. David Libbon at Good Shepherd Anglican Church in Cornelius, North Carolina, on Feb. 16, 2025.
You can view the sermon here, starting 27:15 into the service.
The text for today was Luke 6:17-26.
I often find myself captivated by small details in a story because they have a way of unlocking deeper truths.
The Bible is full of these details, many tied to ancient Jewish or Roman customs that can seem obscure to us today. Yet, understanding them can transform the way we read Scripture and understand God.
Take Mary presenting baby Jesus at the temple. Without knowing Jewish law, we miss the full significance of that moment. I wrote about that here.
This week, my focus is on tassels.
These simple fringes on Jewish garments might seem insignificant, yet they played a powerful role in one of Jesus’ most unforgettable miracles.
Tassels in the Bible
Let’s start with some background on biblical tassels.
In Numbers 15:37-41, God commanded Moses to instruct the Israelites to “make tassels on the corners of their garments … and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.”
Why?
“And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes.”
These tassels weren’t just decorative — they were a visual and physical reminder to remain faithful to God’s commands. And since Jesus followed the law perfectly, He would have worn them on the hem of His garments.
The woman with the bleeding condition
Now, let’s turn to a memorable moment in the Gospels.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount the story of a woman who had suffered from a bleeding condition for 12 years. Desperate for healing, she believed that simply touching the fringe of Jesus’ garment would be enough to restore her.
Amid a pressing crowd, she reached out. Jesus immediately knew something had happened — not because He saw her, but because He perceived that power had gone out from Him.
What did she touch? Most likely, not just the hem of His garment, but also His tassels — those very symbols of God’s commandments and faithfulness.
Malachi and wings
Here’s one more piece to the puzzle.
In Malachi 4:2, we find this prophecy: “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.”
The Hebrew word “kanaph,” translated as “wings,” can also mean the edge, hem or corner of a garment.
Many believe the woman with the issue of blood wasn’t just reaching for the hem of Jesus’ garment; she was reaching for His tassels, recognizing Him as the “sun of righteousness” from Malachi 4:2.
She believed healing was in His wings — and she was right.
Her faith was undeniable. She believed that simply touching His garment would heal her. And Jesus confirmed it, saying, “Daughter, your faith has made you well” (Luke 8:48).
This moment isn’t just about a miracle — it’s about who Jesus is. He is the fulfillment of Malachi 4:2, the One who brings healing and restoration to all who seek Him.
Pastor David unpacked all of this for us, helping us see how it connects to one key verse in Sunday’s Gospel reading.
That reading included Luke 6:17-19, the scene that sets the stage for the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes — one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture.
First, we see that “a great multitude of people” came from Judea and Jerusalem (Jews) and from Tyre and Sidon (Gentiles). That’s a detail that reminds us that Jesus came for ALL people — a theme woven throughout the Bible.
The text tells us the people came to hear His teaching, to be healed of diseases, and to be freed from unclean spirits.
And then, we zoom in on Luke 6:19:
“And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.”
They sought to touch Him. ALL of them. Just like the woman with the bleeding condition.
This wasn’t just one isolated miracle — this was who Jesus is. The One who heals. The One who restores. The One whose power is always there for those who seek Him.
Pastor David said:
“The people are not touching Jesus because it’s fashionable or popular, but because they believe by faith that the sun of righteousness has dawned — that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah.
“It’s why Jesus would turn to the woman with the bleeding problem who held his cloak in her hand and was healed and said, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Your belief that I am who I claim to be has restored you.’
“We are saved by grace through faith.”
Verse 19 paints a stunning picture: ALL of the thousands who came — Jews and Gentiles alike — not only wanted to hear Jesus but also sought to touch Him. Why? Because they believed. They had faith that He was the Messiah.
And the text tells us that ALL who touched Him were healed — perhaps even by touching nothing more than the tassels on His garment.
Jesus Himself gives us this invitation in Matthew 7:7:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
This verse, part of the Sermon on the Mount, calls believers to actively seek God, His wisdom, and His will, with the promise that He will respond.
Maybe we could say there’s a corollary to this idea:
“Touch my tassel and you’ll be healed.”
Does that mean Jesus will automatically heal your cancer? Fix your finances? Not necessarily. But it does mean He will heal the one thing that matters most — your sin problem. And that is the greatest healing any of us can receive.