Mark 1:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

NIV: So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

NASB: And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

CSB: So he went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

NLT: So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

KJV: And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

NKJV: So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Instead of telling Simon's mother-in-law she was healed, Jesus takes personal action. This was rare: rabbis at that time did not touch women. The manner in which Jesus heals this woman makes it clear that He is responsible for the healing without saying a word. We aren't told if Peter's mother-in-law was near death, but the instant healing shows the power of Jesus' authority and the completeness of His work. Like the wedding at Cana, when Jesus not only turns water into wine but the best wine the master of the feast had ever drunk (John 2:1–11), Jesus' miracles go beyond making the situation tolerable—He showers us with God's blessings.

Before Jesus called Simon Peter to follow Him, Jesus arranged for a catch of fish so large it nearly swamped two boats (Luke 5:4–7). The financial needs of Simon Peter's family would be taken care of for a while. Here, Jesus shows Simon Peter that His care for his family covers more than just finances. The Bible doesn't promise that we will always be healthy or safe, but God will provide us what we need for ministry; in Peter's case apparently it begins with knowing his family is taken care of.

As soon as Simon Peter's mother-in-law is healed, she serves the men. God heals for a purpose, and often that purpose is to equip us to serve Him and others. This is certainly true with spiritual healing. When we are rescued from being a slave to sin, we become a servant of God (Romans 6:18). This is real life (Romans 6:11).

Mark 1:21–45 opens a longer section describing the healing and preaching ministry of Jesus Christ. In this segment, Jesus impresses onlookers with His mastery of the Scriptures. He also amazes people with His authoritative style. During this teaching, Jesus heals a man afflicted with demonic possession. The resulting publicity brings a massive crowd to the home of Simon Peter, where Jesus is staying. Jesus heals Peters' mother-in-law of a fever, and cures a leper, before leaving the region to continue His ministry.

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.