In contrast to the lyrics of the 1962 song “Mother-in-Law” Peter treated his mother-in-law with love and care, immediately getting Jesus when he and the other disciples find out she is sick with a burning fever.


According to bible scholar William Hendriksen, it wasn’t that the disciples were indifferent and demanding saying “Hey, great, you aren’t sick with a fever anymore — get busy and make us lunch.” Instead, it is that she was fully healed and bursting with energy and volunteers to make a meal for Jesus and the disciples out of gratitude.

3 Quick Observations:

  1. Mark tells us that Jesus took her hand and raises her up. She had to take Jesus’ hand first and then be helped up. It would have taken a step of faith for the woman to respond to Jesus’ invitation.
    Agree? Disagree?
  2. Jesus takes her by the hand — he is very compassionate, gentle and respectful here. Jesus didn’t have to do this — at another point in the Gospels he heals someone by long distance. What are the implications for how we think about Jesus in this kind, personal touch from Jesus through which the healing flows.

  3. Jesus raises the woman up from her bed on the floor, she isn’t just healed of the fever and left in a state of exhaustion, rather she is healed and filled up with 110% energy. This miracle seems like foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus and eventually all of us. Agree?  Disagree?


This scene is an amazing display of Jesus’ power and authority.  By casting out demons and silencing them, Jesus proved he was the more powerful one with authority and dominion over both physical disease and injury but also demonic spirits.

 

Reason for Jesus’ silencing the demonic spirits.  Darin builds the case that it is because Jesus didn’t want his mission to redeem the entire world (every people group, race and language) hi-jacked by a national agenda only for one nation.   Agree?  Disagree?

 

Jesus’ legacy does the opposite of the 2 examples of Alexander the Great & the Band U2. For Darin, this is one more reason why Jesus is above, superior and stands alone in all of history.  

 

What do you think about this closing challenge from pastor & author John Ortberg? 

 

List the things that you will be thinking about and marveling about when it comes to Jesus.

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