Jesus called the woman his daughter
to encourage her to Take heart
and to show his recognition of her genuine faith—faith that made her, like all believers, a child of the Lord (see also Mark 5:21–43), and that gave her, in Jesus, what she had lost: access to the temple, marital intercourse, and participation in the holy feasts. She is a daughter of the Bridegroom, so her time of fasting is over.
Jesus did not condemn this woman on account of the fact that she as someone who is unclean dared to approach him in the midst of a public gathering. In fact, upon seeing her, he immediately encourages her with the words Take heart, daughter.
By addressing her as daughter,
Jesus immediately conveys that he recognizes her actions as proceeding from genuine faith.1
Jesus addressing the woman as daughter
is therefore particularly striking in light of the fact that believers are called the Lord’s sons and daughters (see also Mark 5:21–43). In the faith there is neither male nor female before God (Galatians 3:28). Faith in Jesus brings joy. From that moment on Jesus gave the woman back what she had lost as a result of her illness: access to the temple, marital intercourse, and participation in the holy feasts. Her time of fasting has passed now that the Bridegroom has arrived in Israel.2
22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.