Abstract
The Gospel of Mark describes the plight of the unnamed woman with the “flow of blood” in this way: she “had suffered a lot from many physicians and had spent everything she had and did not get better, but instead she became far worse” (5:26). This story, often celebrated for its miraculous healing of her body, overshadows the social-structural forces contributing to her suffering. I situate Mark 5:26 in the broader context of gendered medicine in the Greco-Roman world, highlighting the increased health risks and financial burdens faced by female patients seeking medical treatment. I argue that Mark 5:26 reveals not only the healthcare system of antiquity but also gendered health barriers that exacerbated women’s suffering. This interpretation is supported by scholarly theories of structural violence, which highlight the embodiment of suffering at the intersection of gender and poverty and emphasize how the poor are byproducts of the actions of those in higher positions of power. In the Markan narrative, these gendered health inequalities become embodied in the unnamed woman’s worsened condition, both physically and financially.
