29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
The House
On the same day he taught in the synagogue and delivered the man with the unclean spirit (see Mark 1:21-28), Jesus went to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John (29). Our modern equivalent would be going out to lunch or dinner after church services. And I imagine the disciples' minds were racing as they took Jesus to the house. Did that just happen? Did you guys see what I saw? What have we gotten ourselves into?
Simon's Mother-In-Law
There, in the house, was Simon's mother-in-law (30). People get all excited about this because Catholics allege Peter was the first pope, a claim I think he'd get a kick out of, and here we learn he was a married man, and Roman Catholic clergy are not allowed to be married. Though we don't know much about her, she eventually became a believer and joined him in ministry (see 1 Corinthians 9:5).
But the event that stood out to them was when Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. She was sick, lying there with a fever, and they told Jesus about her (30). Jesus then went to her, took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her (31).
As evidence of her complete healing, we read that she began to serve them (31). This is not meant as a gendered comment, because Mark presents Jesus serving and, already in his gospel, we've seen the angels serving Jesus after his temptations (1:13). In other words, whole people serve. They help others. And, on that day, she served Jesus and his disciples.
After Sabbath
That evening at sundown, the whole region seems to have descended upon Jesus at Peter's house. They were only allowed to travel a certain distance on the Sabbath, so once it ended with the sun's setting, the people came out in droves.
What followed was a major time of healing and deliverance. Mark presents it this way, using words and phrases like they brought to him all, the whole city was gathered, he healed many, and cast out many demons (32-34). The idea is that nothing Jesus encountered was too hard for him. He could heal it all. He could deliver them all.
Over All Brokenness
For this section, it would be good to remember how unnatural sickness and disease, including everything Jesus confronted that day, is to our Lord. He did not create it. But when death entered into our species, so did the illnesses which lead to death. None of this was of his doing. There was even a moment when Jesus wept over the despair felt by those who'd watched a loved one become sick and die (John 11:35). He hated all this. It was unnatural to him.
But Jesus is presented as having power over all this unnatural brokenness. He fixed it all. Again, everything brought to him was fixed. He healed it all.
And a question modern readers bring up is, ”Does Jesus heal today? And if he does, why does it seem so rare?” For these questions, it is good for us to remember the beginning of Mark's gospel. What was Jesus' message?
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15, ESV)
So Jesus came declaring the kingdom of God is at hand. First, we saw him collide with the demonic forces in the synagogue. Now we see him healing the sick at the house.
Both of these events are meant to show us what his kingdom is like. He has come to confront the cosmic powers of darkness led by Satan, and to set aright the brokenness in humanity caused by the fall. In other words, when we see the healing ministry of Jesus throughout the gospel of Mark, our first move should be to see those healings as a foreshadowing of the ultimate healing and resurrection of God's people. When his kingdom is eternally present, there will be no sickness. And when Jesus healed sickness while on earth for a few people, he broadcast the ultimate healing all his people would receive.
Now, I do believe God can and does heal people today. I don't think the Bible teaches healing is for everyone who wants it, or has enough faith, while here on earth. But I do believe every believer will be healed of all the vestiges of death -- things like disease and disabilities -- when they receive their new resurrected bodies from the Lord. But, again, I know the Lord can heal and have witnessed that he sometimes does.
But my point for today is that Jesus saw all these diseases and sicknesses as unnatural brokenness. He came to fix all that. He came to restore. And, for those who believe in his name, his kingdom will provide that total healing.
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For the entire Mark series, go here. Thank you.
