God prohibits physical contact in certain circumstances and warns of serious consequences of violating the ritual law in this respect. Great sigificance is attached to the touch of God, Jesus Christ and angels and the disciples' touching of the risen Christ.
God's prohibits touch in certain circumstances
At Mount Sinai
Exodus 19:12–13 See also Hebrews 12:18–24
And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows — whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
With the furnishings and articles of the tabernacle
Numbers 4:15 See also 2 Samuel 6:6–7
When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.
The law concerning touching certain articles
Anyone or anything touching what is ritually unclean also becomes unclean
Numbers 19:21–22 See also Leviticus 5:2–3, Leviticus 7:19–21, Leviticus 11:8, Leviticus 11:24–40, Leviticus 12:4, Leviticus 15:5–12, Leviticus 15:19–27, Leviticus 22:4–6; Numbers 19:11–16 the law concerning dead bodies; Deuteronomy 14:8 Pigs are unclean; Isaiah 52:11; Haggai 2:10–14
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening. Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”
Touching what is purified confers consecration
Exodus 29:37, Exodus 30:29; Leviticus 6:18, Leviticus 6:27
Man-made rules against touching certain things are condemned by Paul
If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”? These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
The touch of God
Upon Jacob, to humble him
When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled.
Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was struck near that tendon.
Upon those he calls to be prophets
Jeremiah 1:9 See also Isaiah 6:7; Ezekiel 2:8–3:4; Daniel 10:16
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
Upon the world he has made, to display his glory
Psalm 104:32 See also Psalm 144:5; Amos 9:5
He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
The touch of Jesus Christ
To heal
Matthew 8:3 parallels Mark 1:41–42, Luke 5:13 See also Matthew 9:29–30, Matthew 20:34; Mark 7:33, Mark 8:22–25; Luke 22:51
Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
To raise the dead
Matthew 9:18–25 parallels Mark 5:22–42, Luke 8:41–55 In touching the dead, Jesus Christ shows his willingness to become unclean so that others can be healed. See also Luke 7:14
While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.” So Jesus got up and went with him, along with His disciples. Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak. She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that very hour. When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd. “Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him. After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
To bring reassurance and show acceptance
Matthew 17:6–7; Mark 10:13 parallels Matthew 19:13, Luke 18:15
The touch of angels
1 Kings 19:5, 1 Kings 19:7; Daniel 8:18, Daniel 10:10, Daniel 10:18
The reality of Jesus Christ's incarnation and resurrection is confirmed by touch
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands — this is the Word of life.
Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
The figurative use of touch
To mean harming people
Ezekiel 9:6 See also Genesis 20:6; Joshua 9:19; 1 Chronicles 16:22 parallel Psalm 105:15; Proverbs 6:29; Zechariah 2:8–9; Hebrews 11:28
Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
To mean separation from sin
2 Corinthians 6:17 See also Isaiah 52:11
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.