And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
It’s easy to imagine Jesus – in his holiness and the gravity of his mission – as a distant and enigmatic individual. Here, though, Mark narrates an eminently domestic scene, where the gentle healing of Peter’s mother-in-law is contrasted with the very public, violent exorcism of the previous verses.
The level of detail in this episode points to an eye-witness account. It seems that Jesus’ disciples, probably out of discretion, merely describe to Jesus the sick woman’s condition rather than actively seek his healing. Jesus, knowing their hearts, understands what they want and proceeds to heal Peter’s mother-in-law. The healing itself is an intimate moment. Jesus approaches (he does not instantly heal her), takes her by the hand and lifts her from her bed. He speaks no words, but in lifting her by the hand we are given to understand that Jesus desires her faith: it is a gesture that allows a degree of cooperation on her part.
It’s noteworthy that Peter’s mother-in-law ‘served them’ immediately after being healed. This is more than just a note on the domestic arrangements in Peter’s household. The fact that Mark mentions her service tells us i) that she is probably head of the household, and therefore that the concerns of women will be important in Jesus’ ministry (he will not only minister in the male-dominated synagogue environment); and ii) that service is the proper response to the healing touch of Jesus. In terms of the latter, Mark wishes us to associate ourselves, who have also been ‘raised’ by Jesus, with the woman who is subsequently so inclined to serve her saviour.
Author Nick Raven
29/04/2020