There are some people who spend a great deal of time trying to disprove the miracles described in the Bible. For example in this case, they may try to minimize the fever that this woman had. I have had a fever off and on for the last couple of weeks; was I miraculously healed? On the opposite side there are Christian ministers who try their very best to prove the Biblical accounts of miracles. There isn’t anything wrong with this, but I don’t really want to be known as one of those preachers. Do you remember that line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet? – “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” The word “protest” in Shakespeare’s day didn’t mean to deny or object. At that time it mean to affirm or avow. Shakespeare’s quote means that someone can insist so passionately about something that people suspect that it might be a lie. As strange as it sounds, I would rather be known for declaring and teaching the miracles of the Word of God than trying to defend or prove them to be true.
I am not going to keep you long this evening, because this is such a short scripture, and you may think that you know all about it already. Let’s see if you really do.
This miracle of the healing of Peter’s wife’s mother, is described in all three synoptic gospels. The word “synoptic” refers to a synopsis – a summary – this time a summary of the life of Christ. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the “synoptic gospels” summarizing the life of Christ. The Gospel of John was written for another purpose – to give evidence that He is the Son of God and that “believing ye might have life through His name.” Each of the synoptics have a slightly different perspective, so they need to be considered together and in the larger context. For example, two of the gospel’s tell us that Christ had just spent some memorable moments in the Capernaum synagogue. One of the things that took place there was that the demon which possessed one of the worshipers began to protest the presence of the Son of God. Christ publically, and with authority, cast the demons out, proving His sovereignty over the spirit world. I don’t know if this tired the Saviour, but from there He and the disciples went to Peter’s house for some rest and perhaps some refreshments. This was the house of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were born and raised in Bethsaida, not Capernaum, so how did this become their house? It is thought by some that this had been the house of Peter’s wife’s family – that it had been the mother-in-law’s house. Now that they were married, it became Peter’s house which he was sharing with his brother. Perhaps.
If your spouse was home sick today, or even if one of your children was really sick, would you invite the preacher and his family to come for dessert after the church service? Taking Matthew by itself, it might be thought that Peter didn’t realize that his mother-in-law was sick. Our text seems to suggest that Jesus diagnosed the problem before anyone else did. But the other gospels tell us that the disciples besought the Lord to heal her. Perhaps the group came to Peter’s house for this purpose – perhaps Peter knew of his mother’s sickness and was hoping that Christ would restore her health.
Jesus went to the woman and stood over her before stooping down. Remember that she was probably not in a bed, but on a mat upon the floor. He touched her hand, and then held it, rebuking the fever. Then Jesus lifted her hand, and she followed it by sitting up and then standing. Two of the scriptures use the word “immediately” – “immediately” the fever left her and “immediately” she arose. In addition to the other things we are told, that word reminds us that this was a miracle. Rarely is there an immediate restoration after getting over any kind of sickness. All three gospels then tell us that she began to serve the Lord as if she had never been sick at all.
I don’t know how much more I should try to add to this simple history. There are only two verses in each of the three gospels. And as far as I am concerned, there doesn’t need to be a great deal of exposition or proof. But let’s try to make an application or two.
Why was this lady sick?
Not knowing the mind of God, it is impossible to answer that question with any assurance. But there are some things which we might consider. For example, if she had not been sick, we might never have known of her existence. Is that important knowledge? Well, it all depends on your point of view. Peter is claimed by the Roman Catholics to be their first pope. It is not true of course, but that is their claim nevertheless. And they also claim that their priests and popes can not be married men – they should be celibate in order to serve the Lord better. Without getting into the problems that such a stupid doctrine creates, the facts are – there is no such prohibition in the Word of God. And some of the apostles of Christ were married. Peter was a married man, but we might never have known that if his mother-in-law had not been sick. Did the Lord permit her to have a fever in order to give us that information? Possibly, but probably not. It certainly does give us something to share with our Catholic neighbors.
Why was she sick? Because sickness is a part of curse which sin has brought upon us. Common disease tells us that there is not a righteous man or woman upon the face of this earth. Without implying that this woman’s fever was directly caused by some specific sin, it was caused by the universal presence of sin in humanity. The ultimate effect of sin is death, and most of the people who die do so through the process of disease. As I said, I have had a fever off an on over the last few weeks, and one of the things which that fever should whisper to both you and me is that Oldfield is a sinner. And when you catch your next cold; when you have that next migraine; when your arthritis flairs up again, remember that each of them are a result of the curse of sin. Something else to keep in mind is that Luke was a physician by trade – he knew disease. And unlike the statements of Matthew or Mark, he said that this woman was “holden with a great fever.” As far as Luke was concerned this was an extremely dangerous malady.
Why was she sick? Was it to remind us that not even the service of God can protect us from the general problems of life? There is no magic aspect to preaching the gospel, which keeps the preacher or his family from disease. Yes, there are some diseases which Christians should never contract – AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, etc. The likelihood of the Christian to suffer from cirrhosis of the liver, or lung cancer should be far less than the general population, because we have avoided the sins which directly produce such diseases. But as to the flu, pneumonia, and a multitude of other maladies, we are not immune except through the grace of the Almighty.
Why was she sick? To bring us to our knees and to make us bring our requests unto God. Generally speaking we are more than willing to try to solve our own problems and find our own answers. We need to be reminded once in a while that we are not little gods. We are nothing, and we need the great and mighty God.
With a little more time, thought and imagination we might come up with some other answers to this question, but let’s move on to another.
Why was this lady healed?
Notice that this was something which appeared to be a private family matter. There weren’t a dozen high-level Jews running around on behalf of this woman and her family – as there were for the Centurion and his servant. And this healing didn’t take place in the synagogue in front of three hundred worshipers. Both the sickness, and the healing, were known to only a very small group of people. Furthermore, the people who witnessed this miracle were already children of God. So this healing was not in order to teach some strangers that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. This did not instill in Jesus’ disciples any new and fresh doctrine.
There is never any harm in affirming truth before a group of confirmed believers. In essence that is what I am trying to do this evening. I hope that you’ll go home with something that you’ve never considered before about this miracle. Certain the disciples had the deity and sovereignty of Christ reaffirmed through this miracle – but it was only reaffirmed because they already knew that to be the truth.
Despite the fact that there was nothing new here, Luke uses an interesting word which the others don’t employ. He said that the Lord “stood over her, and REBUKED the fever.” There is nothing particularly special in the Greek word, but at least in English the word suggests authority. In our language there is the hint that Christ is sovereign over disease and fevers as much as he is over demons, storms and wicked sinners. He rebuked the disease as if it was a naughty child. Also, this miracle was another which took place in the forbidden time-zone of the Sabbath. Christ has authority over the Sabbath as well as over the disease. The emancipation of the demon possessed man didn’t immediately evoke charges against Christ. But we notice in the following context that as soon as evening fell, many people came with their sick relatives. Sundown marked the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the next day.
Why was Peter’s wife’s mother healed that Sabbath afternoon? May I suggest the obvious and say that it was because she needed to be healed? Despite our attempt to find a good reason and explanation for her healing, could it be something as simple as need? Aren’t we reminded by this that the Lord is gracious and merciful? Jesus didn’t refuse her service later that evening, but He didn’t need her service either. The Lord didn’t heal her because he wanted something from her. It’s likely that Peter’s wife was in tears over her mother and the danger that she was in. Did the Lord heal this woman for the daughter’s sake? Did He heal her simply because she was sick? I’m not in a position to say that such things were not the case.
Why did Peter’s mother-in-law serve Christ after her health was restored?
It could be because that is the sort of person she was. Some people are servants by nature, and they serve others as naturally as fish swim. Once she felt well, she saw that there was a need, so she began to fill that need. She might have started cooking, or perhaps it was serving up what was already cooked. Did she get a basin of water and begin washing our Saviour’s feet? We aren’t told what it was that she did, but it might have been as natural to her as it is to breathe.
It could be that she served the Lord out of gratitude for her health? That too should have been as natural as breathing. Our unthankful society reminds us just our ungodly our society is. And that raises the question about your service. In what ways do you serve the Lord? How much is your heart engaged in that service? Is it natural to you or do you feel forced and coerced into service? Have you really been spiritually healed?
Why did this woman serve the Lord? Perhaps it was ordained by the Lord to show how thoroughly she was healed. Two weeks ago I had a bad head cold. My throat is still not as good or poor as it was before; and I am still coughing every now and then. And as I said, I had a fever which came and went for about two weeks. Sometimes it takes time to get over the simplest of diseases. But this elderly woman, who was very sick with a great fever, was instantaneously stored to her former strength, and perhaps she was even stronger than before. Praise God for His mighty power.
Why did this woman serve the Lord? It could be in order to give preachers like me an opportunity to preach the gospel? Notice that her service was based upon her healing, and not vise versa as many people try to teach. She didn’t earn her health or her salvation through her service. It was by the grace of God that she was blessed. And if you want to be blessed, cast aside your efforts, your good works, your social service and your religious service. Cast yourself upon the mercy of God. Plead your worthlessness, not your worthiness, because you are unworthy. But if you have been saved by the grace of God, find your place of service and give unto God the praise and service that He deserves.