We don't know either way about her before she touched the garment, but if we assume that her disease represents sin, then she was burdened heavily by sin and was not saved in the spiritual sense.
That's a bit of a stretch for me. I see her as someone who really did have a physical malady. She was really hurting, and looking for someone to help her. To me, the beauty in this story is in the demonstration of her faith, not with the baggage of being "super" undeserving with heavy sin upon her, but with the true faith of a regular person, a good person. We can all relate to being sick for no reason, and this woman was sick for many many years. She teaches us exactly what to do when we are physically sick and hurting. If ever faced with a long sickness like that, then would that I have her faith.
This is the meaning of St. Paul's epistles to Romans and Galatians, as well as the parable of the workers at the vineyard, that works by themselves do not save. But they form the faith.
I am not sure how you are using the word "form". If you mean what I would call sanctification, then I am with you. But in the context of the woman, you appear to be saying that she did not have "true" (formed) faith until she did the "work" of touching Jesus' garment. If so, then works are necessary before initial salvational status? In infant Baptism, my understanding is that the benefits of the work by the parents are accorded to the child and he is initially saved. But is the actual credit for doing the "work" also accorded to the child? I could see someone (parent) giving away the benefits of his own work, but I don't see how one (baby) could take credit for the work of another.
The distinction between declarative faith and formed faith is very important in the dispute about sola fide. This is a good article about it: ...
Thanks, that was a great article. From what I could understand, what you would call "unformed faith", I would call no faith at all. Also, what I would call "faith" you would call faith, hope, and charity (except for me the timing of the works would be different, i.e. works come after salvation). And so, what you would call "formed faith" I would just call faith. (I hope that's right :) Anyway, this was a very interesting read. If you haven't already posted it, I'll bet folks on the other thread would also be interested in reading this. Heck, it could even be its own thread. :)
I agree that all the episodes of Christ healing reflect medical realities, but I am certain that they also reflect the spiritual realities, because Christ came to heal souls, and healing of bodies came as an accessory to that. To the ancient mind the distinction was non-existent: body was soul and disease was sin. So, Christ here does not merely teach us "what to do when we are hurting", He is teaching us what to do to be saved.
If you mean what I would call sanctification, then I am with you. But in the context of the woman, you appear to be saying that she did not have "true" (formed) faith until she did the "work" of touching Jesus' garment. If so, then works are necessary before initial salvational status?
In this episode obviously she had faith (v28) before touching the garment. But healing did not happen till she actually touched it. This shows that faith and works are like the two legs of a walker, one forwards the other.
In infant Baptism, my understanding is that the benefits of the work by the parents are accorded to the child and he is initially saved. But is the actual credit for doing the "work" also accorded to the child? I could see someone (parent) giving away the benefits of his own work, but I don't see how one (baby) could take credit for the work of another.
We certainly can do work that spiritually benefits the other, that is the Catholic belief. For example, St. Paul, while considering himself spiritually secure ("I have finished the race") ocnsidered his suffering beneficial for the Church, and he did mean fellow believers by that:
all the creation that is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister. 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given me towards you (Col. 23-25)
The paradigm of that is, of course, Jesus himself, Who did not need any of the benefit His work on the Cross provided us.
It actually was posted, I remember participating in it.