In this verse we read that a woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years touched Jesus' garment and was instantly healed. Jesus then said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46). At first glance, it might seem that Jesus was unaware of the identity of the woman. It might also appear that healing energy, without Jesus even intending or purposing it, sapped out of His body and healed the woman. This is not the case, however.
Scripture portrays Jesus as ALWAYS being in complete control of His divine miraculous power. People cannot just walk up to Jesus, touch Him, and activate His miracle-working power without His consent. The reason the woman was healed when she touched Jesus' garment was that He WILLED her to be healed as a result of her faith.
The context indicates that Jesus wanted this woman to "go public" with her faith that had led to her healing. Her desire to approach Jesus in stealth is understandable since her hemorrhage rendered her ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 15:25-30). And anyone who came into contact with her was also rendered unclean, according to the Jews. But Jesus forced her to "go public," as it were, and acknowledge that it was she who touched Him.
Jesus wanted the woman to understand that it was actually her faith that healed her (Luke 8:48). Jesus' cloak had no mysterious properties, but her touching of that cloak was an expression of her faith, which subsequently moved Jesus to heal her with His divine power. Jesus wanted her to know that it was not the mere act of superstitiously touching a garment (like magic), but rather it was the faith behind her act that led to her healing. The woman's faith indeed did "go public" when she fell at Jesus' feet (verse 47).
It would also seem that a key reason for Jesus wanting the woman to "go public" was that she was probably known in the community for her infirmity and was thus widely known as being unclean. By Jesus drawing attention to her healing, He was publicly revealing to all present that she was no longer unclean and was fully healed. She would thus be accepted back into society without hindrance.
