And the disciples said to Him, “You see that the crowd is pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
The disciples’ answer was a natural human observation. In their eyes many people were pressing around Jesus, and it seemed strange that He would ask who touched Him. Yet they still did not distinguish ordinary physical contact from touching with faith. Many could press against Him bodily, but only one had touched Him with faith. This is a deep lesson. It is possible to be very close to Christ’s outer circle—to hear, to participate, to surround Him—yet not receive what the soul that comes near in faith receives. Here the difference is seen between ordinary religious contact and living faith.