Divine Healing - Luke 4:38-44

Jesus heals the fever of Simon's mother-in-law

“Then He got up and {left} the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

While this may seem like an abrupt place to begin our study at this time, we are following Jesus as He traveled from place to place doing the will of God. After Jesus had spent time preaching in synagogues of both Nazareth and Capernaum, we now find Him entering the home of Simon to help his mother-in-law, who is sick with a fever. Just because we are not in the assembly of Christians does not mean that our service to God is completed. Jesus understood that fact without question. Jesus was faithful to the work that God had called Him to, not only in the synagogue, but also in His daily walk. Think about that!

As many people today make jokes about “in-laws” being “outlaws”, some wonder why Simon would want to help in this situation. The text of this passage implies that a group was pleading with Jesus to help Simon’s mother-in-law, in saying, “…they asked Him to help her.” Families were much closer to one another in Bible times, and it is even likely that Simon and his wife had taken their sick relative into their home; but this is not certain.

Hospitality and care are lacking in so many aspects of our society today. People dishonor their parents and, in many cases, have no care for them once they leave the home. Others have no love for their children and would rather better their own life before helping a son or daughter once they reach adult age. From sibling rivalries to family feuds, it is obvious that our world has changed its views on how we ought to function as a family unit. This problem has also crept into the family of God. Nevertheless, Simon and his wife were dealing correctly with their loved one.

Remembering that Luke is a doctor, he continues to include the many healings of Jesus. On this occasion, Jesus is healing a high fever that was causing Simon’s mother-in-law to suffer. As you know, when a fever is running high, many health problems can occur inside the human body. The fever that Simon’s mother-in-law had was an ailment that needed to be treated, or she could have died. In Bible times it was not as easy to remedy various ailments like it is today. They could not reach for the Extra Strength Tylenol and stand back and wait for the fever to come down. Many times, a high fever would be the end of someone’s life. The plea for help in this passage is very urgent, and Jesus responded to give Divine help to this family. The text says, while Jesus was, “standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her”. 

You may remember from our last lesson, the discussion about evil spirits coming into the body in the form of a fever. The text suggests that such was the case here. Notice that the fever “left her” body and she became well.

While there is not a message from the evil spirit on this occasion, in the way that we saw earlier, we need to see how the authority of Jesus demands obedience. The high fever, did not come down gradually, but “it left her” (See Matt 12:43-45)

There is no doubt that the family was rejoicing together over the healing that took place on this occasion. An application point that we must make has to do with the service of the mother-in-law after she was made whole again. Notice the text says, “she immediately got up and waited on them”. Not only is this a commendable motherly trait to be of service in the home to others (Titus 2:5), but the main point here is the idea of serving the Lord after He has made you free from the sickness of sin. Once you understand what Jesus has done to make you whole, how do you respond to Him? Are you immediate in your service to Him? Do you wait on the Lord and heed His every desire? We need to be always abounding in His work (I Cor. 15:58), zealously desiring to do His will always (Read Titus 2:11-15). Let us all learn how to better serve the Lord and others daily.

While the sun was setting, all those who had any {who were} sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

Earlier, we made mention of the fact that Jesus not only served God on the Sabbath day, but that He was also found diligent in service to God daily. Notice here, that the text tells us that He was still working for His Father, “While the sun was setting…” This tells us that Jesus worked every day in service to God, but that He also made sacrifices to work late into the night to do His Father’s will.

Another point that can be brought out of this text, is that when you hear that there is a remedy available for your illnesses, and that all you must do is come to Jesus, you will do whatever you can to get to Him before it is too late. So many people miss salvation because they never come to grips with the fact that they are lost in sin. Until we see that we have a problem with sin, we will do nothing to respond to the invitation of the Lord (Rom. 3:23; Matt. 11:28).

People were brought on this occasion with various diseases through demon possessions. Jesus did not overlook one of those who came to Him, as the text says, “and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them.”. The people were made whole again and the demons were coming out of them.

Unfortunately, the demons were coming out of many crying, “You are the Son of God!” Jesus had to rebuke them in a comparable way that He did in our last lesson. The work of Jesus was certainly proving that He was the Son of God (John 20:30-31). The problem here is that Jesus did not need the demons to profess that they knew Him. First, because a demon is not holy and righteous to give solid testimony and, a demon has no place claiming to be in full knowledge of who Jesus is.

Whatever the demons had done on both occasions caused Jesus to be angry with them and rebuke their actions. It may be that Jesus was not ready to reveal to everyone His identity, knowing that it may lead to difficulties as He intends to finish the rest of the work that God had sent Him to accomplish (John 4:34; See also Mark 1:44; John 7:6-8).

When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Not to exhaust the point but notice that Jesus is actively serving the Father again, as soon as day had dawned. It may even be that Jesus had spent the entire night in helping others to be healed from their sicknesses according to the will of God.

We are informed that Jesus had left the next day to find some seclusion and the crowds continued to follow Him and were trying to talk Him out of leaving them. The Bible shows Jesus spending much time in meditation and prayer as well as rest and rejuvenation. As you can guess, Jesus would be weary from being around so many people and He would have to get away from time to time to talk to His Father in heaven and prepare Himself for what He had planned to do in the days ahead. Part of our service to the Lord God, has to do with praying and seeking His wisdom in all that we do for Him. It would be foolish to say that you serve God, but you never spend any time meditating on His will and or speaking with Him about how He wants you to live.

If we look at this section of the text, we will see that Jesus is preparing to continue in the purpose for which He was sent to the earth. He said to the crowds, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." It is commendable for the people to want Jesus to stay and preach for them, while healing their sick, but the truth of the matter is, there are people everywhere who are sick and in need of the gospel of the kingdom of the Lord. It was not an option for Jesus to preach to “other cities” but a “must”, so that He was able to fulfill His Divine “purpose”. 

A point of application that we can make now is that we have a purpose that God has called us to. Our purpose is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus (I Peter 2:21). Jesus realized the importance of spreading the gospel and helping others, and we should too. We are even commanded to preach the gospel to every creature in every nation that we might help individuals to be delivered from the sickness of sin (Matt. 28:19-20). We do this because we want to fulfill our Divine purpose given by the Lord Himself. May it be said of us that we served the purpose of God in our own generation (See Acts 13:36). Think about that!

This text ends in such a predictable way. Jesus, after He understood and explained what His purpose was, is said to have, "kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” Today we preach the gospel to reach those who would like to be delivered from the darkness of sin and made a part of the Lord’s kingdom. If I can help you with your spiritual needs, please reach out and I will do what I can to lead you to Jesus for salvation.