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After having taught and experienced the encounter with the demon possessed man that morning, Jesus must have been very tired. Most preachers and Sunday School teachers need some rest or at least some time alone after Sunday morning in order to recover their energy, but Jesus did not get this opportunity. After leaving the synagogue, Jesus and the four disciples walked to Peter’s home. We do not know what type of home Peter had, but it must have been large enough for a group of men and Peter’s family.
Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. (NASB) Mark 1:30 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s home, He discovered that Peter’s mother-in-law was very sick. Have you ever wondered if the disciples had wives and children, since nothing has been said about them in the gospels so far? The answer is found in this passage, because we are told here that Peter had a mother-in-law, and if he had a mother-in-law then he had a wife. 1 Corinthians 9:5 confirms that this was true. So the house was filled with at least seven adults and probably a group of children.
Next, we are told that Jesus was asked by all four disciples to help her, not just by Peter. I wonder if Jesus wanted a break for at least a few minutes? How could He refuse the requests of all four disciples? Or, did He willingly want to help her? How would you have responded? Was Jesus task or people oriented?
The gospel of Luke records the same event and adds an additional detail about the mother-in-law’s health. Since Luke was a medical doctor, he uses precise medical terms on occasions. On this occasion he uses a Greek word that reveals she was suffering from a chronic, high fever. That is, she had had this fever for a long time. Peter’s mother-in-law was very sick and in great need.
The Healing. What did Jesus do? He responded to her need and healed her. For the first time in our series through the Life and Heart of Jesus, Matthew, Mark, and Luke each provide a number of additional details that the others do not include. These authors either obtained their information from someone who was there or the Holy Spirit miraculously provided it. Since God supernaturally wrote scripture through men and since He does not lie, we know that all of the accounts are accurate.
He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. (NASB) Matt. 8:15 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. (NASB) Mark 1:31 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them. (NASB) Luke 4:39 If we take all of these accounts and put them together, this is what happened. Jesus walked over to her and stopped. He reached down, touched her hand, and held it. Then He rebuked the fever and it left her. Immediately, she got up and waited on them. Now that is a miracle healing, just like the demon-possessed man earlier in the synagogue. She was instantly healed. She did not need to claim her healing, wait for her healing, or exercise faith to be healed. Jesus touched her and she was healed. Who had great faith? Not that mother-in-law and not anyone else. Notice that nothing is stated in this passage about the mother-in-law needing faith nor was anything said about the man who was rescued from the demon needing faith. Faith was not an issue in either miracle. Jesus’ power was not limited by her faith and He is not limited today by faith, either. Praise the Lord!
Things To Consider. What happened after that? What did they say to Jesus? Were they thankful? Did they eat a meal? What did they do? It is amazing that the gospels give us just bare facts. There is no embellishment. There is nothing fanciful in the accounts. None of the gospels add anything else. The gospel records move quickly from one significant event to another, leaving out vast quantities of details in Jesus’ life. The gospels are recording only key historical events. |
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| Life & Heart of Jesus | |||||