Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ. Luke 4:38-41 [NKJV]
Today might be a little shorter of a post but the takeaways have caused me some deeper thinking.
- Jesus’ inexhaustive compassion on hurting people. First, we have Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who is sick with High Fever. Interestingly the words used here for being sick with fever are also interpreted as “hemmed in” or “held captive” by the fever. Then when Jesus heals her, He uses the same verbiage He used when casting the demon out of the man at the synagogue that I talked about yesterday (He “rebuked” it). Am I ready to leap to something like concluding that all diseases and fevers are the work of a demon? -> NO. However, I cannot just turn a blind eye to the similarities in Luke’s choice of words between casting out the demon and freeing Simon’s mother-in-law from the fever.
- Because Jesus was coming from the Synagogue, this is likely the Sabbath and so the people who were bringing their sick didn’t start until sundown, the official end of the Sabbath day. What caught me was the complete healing of every person that was brought to Him. It doesn’t say He turned anyone away. I think we are likely led to believe that He did this healing all through the night…He did not tire of His healing work or throwing out demons. I am so glad that Jesus does not tire of expending compassion to those in need and hurting.
Application:
So, the rough position I am currently at in regard to disease, sickness, and demon possession is that some illnesses are the effect of demonic activity…however! I don’t believe this is ever the case for a born-again believer in Jesus Christ. In His death on the cross and resurrection on the 3rd day, Jesus conquered sin and death and satan has no capacity to possess a believer; the believer’s life has been purchased and we have freedom from possession because our entire heart, mind, soul, and strength has been given over to Jesus.