Mark 1:29-31 – Restored to serve the Master

When Jesus and His disciples, James, John, Andrew and Peter left the synagogue, they headed for the house of Simon Peter and Andrew. They were probably expecting a warm Sabbath meal when they arrived. But they were disappointed, arriving only to find the cook, Peter’s mother-in-law, lying in bed. It’s not difficult to guess that Peter probably didn’t know that his wife’s mother was sick. Or else he would not have made the invitation for them to come to his house. But there was the mother-in-law, sick in bed and running a high fever. This was not a critical condition but it was bad enough to weaken her to the point that she needed to be confined in bed feeling helpless.

Verse 31 tells us that Jesus went to her, took her by the hand and raised her up and the fever left her. In this account, Jesus just gently raised her up. But in Luke 4:39, Jesus actually rebuked the fever and in Matthew 8:15, Jesus touched her hand and the fever left her. These accounts did not contradict each other. All three things probably happened. Using our imagination, we can see that Jesus must have come to her bedroom and stood by her. Then took her by the hand, rebuked the fever and then tenderly raised her up. All these took place before the gaping eyes and jaws of Peter and his fellow disciples.    

In the Gospels, we discovered that Jesus used various methods to heal different ones. He had healed with a touch, He also had healed using mud mixed with saliva and He had also healed with just a word. Some He would even declare their sins forgiven before He went on to heal them. What method He used was very likely dependent on the mental or moral condition of the victim. It would also be very dependent on what He wanted to say to the audience. Here for Peter’s mother-in- law, He was moved by His love and care for her.  

Notice how Peter’s mother-in-law had responded. The way she immediately got up to serve Jesus and the disciples leave us with a model on how we should respond to the Lord and His love for us. Like her, we must be on our feet and serve Him and His people. Be sure that Peter’s mum-in-law could have found one hundred and one reasons why she should just remain in bed to recuperate, but she didn’t. She just got up, went to the kitchen and cooked a sumptuous meal (sanctified imagination) for them.

These three verses teach us how we must also respond to the loving and tender touch of the Lord. All of us are recipients of His love and care. Shouldn’t we be like Peter’s mother-in-law, get on our feet, and serve Him in whatever capacity and gifts He has placed in our lives? The choice is clear!