During His ministry, Jesus performed more than 40 miracles including healing the sick, changing the natural elements of nature and even raising people from the dead. A miracle is considered an event that occurs outside the bounds of natural law. Each month, we will take a closer look at one of His miracles to understand the depth of His love for us. Understanding the miracles of Jesus can change your life, and it all begins with believing through faith.
The fifth documented miracle of Jesus was the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law and was recorded in several of the Gospels including Luke 4:38-41. This is a simple story about an ordinary woman who was never explicitly named because the focus of the story is on Jesus’ miracle, yet her story demonstrates the power and love of Jesus.
As described in the Gospel of Luke, “Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon Peter. Now Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.”
The event took place on the Sabbath day, which is a holy day where people are not allowed to work to include performing miracles. After leaving the synagogue, many of the men that were worshipping came with Jesus to Simon Peter’s house and were planning to eat together.
In those days, the woman of the house typically prepared the meal for the men, but the woman of this house, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, was extremely ill. When she tried to greet Jesus, she was too weak and collapsed. Although it is not known exactly what her illness was, the Scripture says that she had a very high fever, making the woman weak.
What did Jesus do? He took the woman’s hand and lifted her up. Immediately, the fever was gone, and there was no sign of the weakness that might be expected in a person who had been running a temperature. After Jesus rebuked the woman’s fever, it left her, and she began to wait on the guests.
What also is notable about this miracle was Jesus ‘rebuked’ the fever. We see the word ‘rebuke’ on several other occasions, including the miracle to end the storm on the Sea of Galilee when He ‘rebuked’ the wind and rain, as well when Jesus ‘rebuked’ the demon during the exorcism in the synagogue. The word means, “to censure or admonish.” There are times when the solutions to our problems may require rebuke or strong admonition.
No one enjoys being on the receiving end of a rebuke, yet if healing is to occur, sometimes it takes a strong word or a strong will.
Anyone can play a vital part in God’s plan. The Lord’s miracles in our lives are often quiet and ordinary. It’s the small miracles that are performed behind closed doors that allow ordinary people to lead lives pleasing to the Lord, to serve Him and show others His love.
