Fringe Benefits

In Numbers 15:37-41 God provided fringe benefits to the Children of Israel.  He instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to sew fringes, or tassels, onto the hems of their garments.  This accomplished two things: 1) it identified them to the world as God’s chosen people and 2) the fringe was to be used as a visual reminder for them not to follow their own hearts and will, and not to commit sin against God.

In the New Testament, the Pharisees also wore fringes—but they elongated them in order to appear more holy than others. Jesus taught against this practice—but he didn’t teach against wearing fringes in accordance to God’s instructions. And, Jesus wore fringes on the hems of his garments!  In Matthew 14:34 when Jesus came to Gennesaret all the sick were brought to him and they “implored him that they might touch the fringe of his garment, and all who touched it were healed.” 

Likewise, in Matthew 9:20, the woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years also touched the fringes on the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed.

Today, we access those fringes on Jesus garment—his spiritual garment—by faith in his work on the cross.  The Holy Spirit gives us access, by faith to Jesus’ healing power.