Mark 1:29-34 - Jesus Heals Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:29-34 (Jesus heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law) - 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.



32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

As they left the synagogue, Jesus, the disciples and the people headed to the house of Simon and Andrew, where Simon Peter's mother-in-law was suffering from a fever. The previous verse of Mark, spoke of the authority of Jesus, and we see in this passage, Mark saying that Jesus 'took her hand and helped her up'. She was healed. Once again, the Messiah, the Son of God, has acted, early on in his ministry, with power and authority to bring restoration and healing. We are reminded of his power and of his authority by Mark.

Do you believe in the authority of Jesus today? That is, does the power and authority that Jesus had to heal the sick and cast out demons still relevant today? I believe it is. I believe that the nature and character of Jesus, and the authority that he exhibits, is no less relevant today nor less powerful. Mark was recording the ministry of Jesus in the first century, and my interpretation of the text, through twenty-first century eyes, is that Jesus has authority to heal the sick today. From this passage, there would be no hesistation for me, to pray for those who have a fever, and who are worn down by illness, and to pray for their healing, in and through Jesus Christ.

If you believe Jesus has authority to heal the sick today, why don't you think of someone right now, who is unwell, and pray the prayer below:

A prayer for the sick: Lord, today, for those who are unwell, sick, oppressed, hurting and broken, I pray for healing in the name of Jesus Christ. By the power and authority demonstrated through the ministry of Christ, let there be healing today! Amen!
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Mark 1:29-34 - Jesus Heals Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law. This is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw. Share

Mark 1:21-28 - The authority of Jesus - Jesus drives out an Evil Spirit - Pete's Bible Commentary

Mark 1:21-28 (Jesus drives out an evil spirit with authority). - ²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³ Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

   ²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

 ²⁷ The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 

Could you imagine listening to a teaching segment from Jesus? You get the picture here, that it was inspiring, moving and powerful. Mark doesn't highlight to us in this passage, what he spoke about, but rather the manner in which he spoke. He spoke with authority (Gk: exousia), and so captured the ears of those in attendance at the synagogue. He didn't speak like the teachers of the law. I wonder what that was like? Maybe dry, lifeless, and hard to follow with the continual offloading of words from the Torah to the listeners. There was something different about Jesus and his message, and people were amazed by it. 

What is interesting, is that no only were the words of Jesus amazing and powerful, but the ministry of Jesus was also worth noting. Maybe they go hand in hand: powerful teaching -> powerful ministry. A man was possessed by an impure spirit/unclean spirit (Gk: pneumati akatharto), and by the authority of Jesus, the unclean spirit came out of the man. So in this passage from Mark 1:21-28 Jesus had authority to speak powerfully, and he had authourity to cast out evil spirits.

The New Bible Dictionary defines authority (Gk: exousia) as, 'rightful, actual and unimpeded power to act, or to possess, control, use or dispose of, something or somebody (1982 :108).

Mark shows the authority of Jesus is various passages in his gospel. We see him mention the authority of Jesus in the following passages:

• Mark 1:22 -'He taught as one who had authourity'
• Mark 1:27 - 'What is this? A new teaching - and with authority!'
• Mark 2:10 - 'But I want you to know that the son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.'
• Mark 3:15 - '...and to have authority, to drive out demons.'
• Mark 6:7 - '...he gave them [the disciples] authority...'
• Mark 11:28-33 - A passage all about what authority Jesus had to do ministry

What can we glean from this for us today? As a preacher, it is easy for me to look at this and say, 'I want to preach with the kind of authority Christ preached with'. Maybe that is relevant for you, but maybe you aren't a preacher. We all have opportunities at time to speak about our faith, or the Bible, or why we believe in the existence of God, and in these circumstances, WE need the authority (the exousia) from God to speak with clarity and boldness, those words that are right for the moment we are in. Not only that, but if we find ourselves close to Christ, and empowered by his Holy Spirit, we might find ourselves in ministry of casting out unclean spirits (exorcisms, if you like). We need not be afraid of such times, because we lean on the authority that Jesus has, and the authority that Mark is so clearly wanting to express to his readers. 

Bibliography:
Douglas, J. D. et al. (1982). New Bible Dictionary. 2nd Edition. England: Inter-Varsity Press.

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Mark 1:21-28 - the authority of Jesus, is part of Pete's Bible Commentary, written by Pete Brookshaw.

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