Matthew 14:36

παρεκάλουν ἵνα ἅψωνται. For ἵνα in petitio obliqua for the classical ὅπως see note ch. Matthew 1:22, and Goodwin’s Greek Moods and Tenses, p. 78.

The sequence of the subjunctive on a historical tense gives vividness to the narrative by retaining the mood originally used by the speaker. The usage is frequent in the classical period: ἐχέρουν ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν ὅπως μὴ κατὰ φῶς προσφέρωνται, Thuc. II. 3. καὶ περὶ τούτων ἐμνήσθην ἵνα μὴ ταὐτὰ πάθητε. Dem. Olynth. III. 30. 10. See note, ch. Matthew 12:14.

τοῦ κρασπέδου. The hem of the garment had a certain sanctity attached to it. It was the distinguishing mark of the Jew: cp. Numbers 15:38-39, ‘that they add to the fringes of the borders (or corners) a thread of blue.’ At each corner of the robe there was a tassel; each tassel had a conspicuous blue thread symbolical of the heavenly origin of the Commandments. The other threads were white.

ὅσοι ἥψαντο διεσώθησαν. Cp. the case of the woman with an issue of blood, ch. Matthew 9:20-22.