Spiritual and Physical Healing

Recall: The Agenda of the Kingdom

The King is Jesus

The message of Jesus is to repent and believe in the gospel (v. 15)

Jesus speaks with authority that no one else has. (v. 22)

Jesus commissions his followers to become fishers of men (v. 17)

What does it look like to fish for people? OR What does it look like for the Kingdom of God to be at hand (v. 15)?

NOTE - Fishing for People and the Coming of the Kingdom are not ideas that compete with one another.

Also:

Jesus’s word is the authority for our lives.

Righteousness and light always leads to warfare with evil and darkness

Jesus leads to victory over evil powers

Verse Commentary

V. 29

“Immediately” - V. 32 offers that a new day has occurred, so the teaching and the healing are meant to be seen together

Luke 4:38 agrees - this is a back-to-back sequence. (Luke tightens this connection by leaning into the word “rebuke” for both the demon and the fever.

“entered the house of Simon and Andrew” - Connect with 2:1

Note that we know that Jesus is connected with Nazareth (v. 24) for His home town and not Capernaum. What becomes evident is that Jesus does a lot of home-based ministry in Peter’s home.

Decent chance that the healing in chapter 2:1-12 happened in Peter’s living room.

V. 30

“Simon’s mother-in-law”

Peter was married when he was called by Jesus

Its easy in some ways to respond to the call of Christ when you are young, but it is a big deal for your family to respond when you are an adult with people who depend on you. One point of the passage here is that Peter’s faithfulness to respond to Jesus’s call was the salvation of His family.

Telling that Jesus leans in to do ministry in the home of Peter as opposed to someone with “less going on.”

Note that the whole city would be coming to Peter’s house soon enough (v. 33)

Note that Simon’s mother-in-law is living with Simon and his wife.

Cultural changes in expectations regarding responsibility of kids to look after their parents.

What is a home? A home is the place where the whole family participates in life together. Our culture works hard to pull families apart. Living in the US with land and cars adds to this effect.

“ill with a fever”

Fevers are not given tons of attention in the Scripture. Some of you might be wondering why we would even need to try to theologize this sentence. The reason is several-fold:

Mark budgets his words. Why include this story?

Possible: Jesus cares for His own. Jesus cares about families. When Jesus reaches into the life of a family member, His work extends into that family.

Textual data indicates that we have not escaped a theological point that Mark is making. Why include this story as a continuation of the story immediately preceding (casting out the demon)?

We’ve noted that Mark indicates that these events are all part of one day. Luke 4:38 tightens this down by strengthening the language, but he also says that Jesus “rebuked” the man with the demon then “rebuked” this fever. Apparently, we are intended to see some things connect in this text.

Returning to the biblical theology of fevers

“Fevers” in the OT are only described in areas where God promises to punish Israel for their disobedience or sins. Lev. 26:16 and Dt. 28:22

The Deuteronomy text is important because it is part of the block of text associated with the fall and restoration of Israel.

There is a likeliness that the disciples were thinking in these categories; this is especially evident in John 9:1-3 | Riff on the glory of God

Tying Together Mark 1:21-28 with 29-31

Q. So what are we supposed to see here between these two things?

Evidence that the Kingdom is at hand (v. 15)

The OT describes demons as being oppressive gods whom people worshiped. I don’t think that we should only look at this text and say: Wow, there are demons here. Instead, we are to look at this text and say, “Wow. Demons are inhabiting even the lives of those who belong to Israel.” —> This is why the phrase “unclean spirit” is so noteworthy. This is the type of spirit that wants to drive you away from God and His people OR do as much violence to God and His people as possible.

A Key OT Text for this is Psalm 106:34-38 - When Israel merged with the nations, learned their practices, and began sacrificing their children to demons

(Ahaz in 2 Kings 16:3, Isaiah 57:3)

A Key NT Text which tightens this down is 1 Co. 10:20 —> Paul argues that food offered to idols by pagans is not offered to God but to demons.

The Point Here

Israel who had joined the nations and had become spiritually infiltrated by the enemy was being redeemed and restored by Jesus. The Kingdom is coming in text 1 because the agents of darkness could not stand in the light of Jesus. He was healing His people in text 1 but also demonstrating his power and authority.

Text 2 continues that by taking a less obvious illness and showing that Jesus is removing the curse described in the Law.

The Kingdom being at hand is Powerful in the Major and Minor details.

New Creation Text

One thing to recognize between these two texts is that we are getting a taste of the New Creation and the New Heavens/New Earth.

1 Corinthians 15 is a good text for seeing these points of overlap.

Note that verses 24-26 describe the idea of the Kingdom of God in terms of subjection of rulers, authorities, powers, etc. under his feet. By verse 40, Paul is talking about the New Creation according to the glorified bodies we are to receive.

The point here is that Jesus is driving out sickness and instituting life in two ways across these passages.

Verse Engagement (Again)

V. 31

“took her by the hand and lifted her up”

This is not a huge note, but there is a strength and gentleness available in this verse that could be valuable to point out. While I don’t want to push this observation too far, there is softness in the taking of the hand, and strength in the lifting up.

Metaphor for the healing that Jesus gives.

“she began to serve them.”

—> What does your life look like after you’ve been touched and healed by the Lord?

—> Service is a mode of affection. (the word here can be rendered “ministered to”)

V. 32-34

Summary section — Who is being brought to Jesus?

People with demons and illnesses

Q. What happens to the ministry when people receive word that Jesus is healing?

The whole city gathered at the door of Peter’s house (v. 33)

Unique Movement in the Kingdom of God

Jesus could have knocked on every door in Capernaum.

What happens when an authentic, powerful, experience of God is occurring? People flock to the Kingdom.

Note: This does not remove our duty to fulfill the Great Commission.

How does this passage shape our prayer?

V. 29 - Lord, use me and my household for your kingdom.

V. 30 - Lord, I pray for healing in my home that needs to happen.

V. 31 - Lord, I pray for a healing that results in worshipful service to you.

V. 32-33 - Lord, would you start something through my home where people would encounter you and your healing?

Q. Is there disjunction between what Jesus is calling people to do and what they are doing?

Provision leads to faces. (Prov. 19:6-7)

What leads a person to repentance? Paul says that it is God’s kindness that is intended to lead a person to Repentance. (Romans 2:4)

Preparation for Christ’s Major Work

(Deliverance from Demons) - Isaiah 49:24-26 see also Ps. 68:18 and Eph. 4:8 | Mark 3:27

(Healing) - Isaiah 53:5