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. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. 35 Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” 39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
Jesus had just left the Synagogue in Capernaum where he astonished the people with his teaching, healing, and exorcisms (Mk. 1:27). He went to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John accompanying them. Jesus was told that Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a severe fever (Lk. 4:38). Fever in OT times was considered God’s punishment for sin (Lev. 26:15-16). Jesus took Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand and raised her up (v. 31). According to Jewish beliefs, by healing her Jesus freed her from the power of evil. She immediately began to serve them, which demonstrated the suddenness and completeness of the cure. Peter had a mother-in-law which suggests that he was married when he was called by Jesus. Paul implied that Peter had the right to have a Christian wife as did the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord (1 Cor. 9:5).
In the evening after sunset when the Sabbath had ended, the sick and those possessed by demons were brought to him and he healed them. According to the perspective of some scribes and religious leaders, carrying or transporting items, including the sick, on the Sabbath was considered a violation of the law of Sabbath rest (Ex. 20:8-11). In the Gospel of Mark, the demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God and Jesus forbade them to speak so as not to reveal he was the Messiah (Lk. 4:41). One of the reasons could be that different groups held diverse interpretations of the role and nature of the Messiah. Based on OT prophetic texts, some were anticipating a political deliverer to free them from Roman oppression and restore the Kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6), while others looked for a spiritual leader who would emphasize moral renewal (Is. 11:2-5).
The next morning Jesus went to a secluded place to pray. When Peter and the disciples found him and told him that everyone was searching for him, he explained that his purpose was to go to the villages throughout Galilee and preach the message of salvation and about the kingdom of God. Jesus preached and cast out demons in the Synagogues throughout the region of Galilee.
Almighty God, grant us the desire to turn to you in prayer so that we may learn your will for us. Heal us of all illnesses that distract us from accomplishing your will. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
Comments