This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time. 29 On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 

The connection with the preceding incident is explicit, indicating that the healing occurred upon the Sabbath. Tradition holds that the house shared by Simon and Andrew was not far from the synagogue at Capernaum. The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law is brief and to the point. The few details contained are told from Peter’s point of view, and not once is the name of Jesus introduced into the account. It is not possible to know what disease had caused the illness of Peter’s mother-in-law, for in the ancient world fever was regarded as an independent disease and not as a distress accompanying a variety of illnesses. In response to the disciples’ request (v.30), Jesus stood beside the bed, seized the woman’s hand and lifted her up. The fever was removed and there was no trace of the weakness which could be expected under normal circumstances. As so often in the gospel narrative, the touch of Jesus brought instant healing: and she waited on them.

Restoring Position. I think modern minds are a bit surprised that the woman seems to immediately rise and begin to serve the guests of her son-in-law. But we have a different sense of hospitality. In 1st century Palestine, serving/hosting such a notable person as Jesus would have been something the matron of the house would have insisted upon as a matter of rightful place and honor. Perkins (Mark, 546) writes: Continue reading →