Monday 11 March 2013

Background

In chapter 4 of Luke's Gospel we learn about the early days ofJesus' ministry in Galilee, and in particular the contrastingreception he receives in Nazareth (verses16-30) and Capernaum (verses31-37). In the former, the place where he grew up, he isinitially listened to in amazement (verse 22) but this quicklyturns to questioning doubt. And then things turn very ugly as thosethat knew him best try to kill him by throwing him off a cliff(verse 29).

This is contrasted with the much more positive welcome hereceives in nearby Capernaum. Again Jesus starts by teaching in thesynagogue and again he is listened to in astonishment (verse 32).However unlike in his home town, Jesus finds the people receptiveto what he is saying and perhaps as a result he is able to bringhealing to those he comes in to contact with.

First Jesus is described as healing a man with an evil spirit(verse 33-35) and this is then followed on the same day by thehealing of Simon's mother-in-law outlined in today's passage. It isnot as detailed as the parallel account in Mark1:29-34, but it is striking in its simplicity. Jesus rebukesthe fever as if it were an evil spirit with the instant result thatthe fever leaves her (verse 39). The most startling demonstrationof how she has been restored to full health is the way sheimmediately gets up to serve her guests.

The suggestion that a sick woman was not given any time to restor recuperate after recovering from an illness seems insensitive tous now. However the fact that her immediate response toencountering Jesus is to serve him is set in contrast with theearlier response of Jesus' previous friends and neighbours whowanted to lynch him. This gives us a foretaste of the opposingreactions that different groups of people will have as they respondto Jesus' ministry as we read more of gospel story.

To Ponder

• How spontaneous are we in our response to encounteringJesus?

• In what ways can we serve God?

• Pray for those who are ill, that they may know God's presenceas a visitor at their bedside.