Introduction
On this Mother’s Day of 2022, as a
people of God, we remember the mothers of the Bible, women, like Esther, Ruth,
Naomi, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Mary, Martha, Lydia, and the much-heralded
Proverbs 31 women. We even recall our own mothers and the gifts they shared
with us and other people, gifts like love, compassion, forgiveness, wisdom, a
cool hand on a fevered brow, a meal out of little food, an effervescent joy in
the face of difficulty, and an unparalleled love of God. We also can remember
the women in our lives who loved us, encouraged us, gave us food, sent cards to
us, and helped us in our hour of need. We might not remember their names, but
we remember their actions. I know for me, as I recall actions of kindness,
goodness, and love, several women served God by caring for me. I do not
remember their names, but when I think about each one, I say, “You know, Ms.
Whatshername.”
Today, I will use a much forgotten
and possibly unknown woman of the New Testament. Six verses in three Gospels -
Matthew, Mark, and Luke - tell us about her. This woman is the unnamed
mother-in-law of Simon, later called Peter. Mark’s recounting to his readers about
this incident wants them to understand the woman’s name is not as important as
Jesus. He is the object of this brief retelling in the Gospels. We will call
Simon’s mother-in-law Ms. Whatshername.
What if you heard about a young lady
who finally had finished her formal studies and began her career? She was a
diligent worker. One Mother’s Day, she surprised her mother. She told her mom
to dress sharply. This young lady had something she wanted her mom to see. She drove
to where her mother lived, a house without running water or electricity. A house
she herself remembered as home, a home filled with unending love by a mother
who raised her and her four siblings. That day, she drove to her mother’s home
and took her to an unknown destination. She and her mother walked into a
building and met a young man. This man dressed sharply, too. He handed the
mother a royal blue box with a red bow on it. The mother looked at her daughter,
then back at the box. The young lady nodded at her mother. The mother took the
box and looked at her daughter again. The daughter smiled and nodded. The
mother, trembling, gently lifted the hinged lid. She saw a shining key in the
box. The mother looked at her daughter with a question in her eyes. The
daughter told her to hold on to it. Next, mother and daughter returned to the
daughter’s car and rode several kilometers from the office. The daughter
stopped in front of a yellow house. It had a front porch and clean windows,
surrounded by blue shutters. The daughter got out of the car, opened her
mother’s door, and helped her out of the car. She took her mother’s arm and
walked her to the front door. The mother stood trembling. “Could it be?” she wondered
as her daughter opened the box for her, then placed the key in her mother’s
hand. The daughter pointed toward the keyhole and watched her mother insert the
key with trembling hands. As the lock turned and the door opened, the mother,
with tears in her eyes, turned to her daughter and hugged her. This loved
daughter had given her mother a house for Mother’s Day. More than that, she had
shown to her the love she had sown in her. The person to focus on in this story
is the mother. Her daughter’s life revealed even more who the mother was.
Background
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He
saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, casting a net into the lake, for they were
fishermen. 17“Come follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out
to fish for people.” 18At once, they left their nets and followed
Him.
19When He had gone a little farther, He saw James,
son of Zebedee, and his brother, John, in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without
delay, He called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with
the hired me and followed Him.
21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath
came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people
were amazed at His teaching because He taught them as one who had authority,
not as the teachers of the law. 23Just then, a man in their
synagogue, who was possessed by an impure spirit, cried out, 24“What
do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who
You are–the Holy One of God!”
25“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of
him!” 26The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of
him with a shriek.
27The people were all so amazed that they asked
each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives
orders to impure spirits, and they obey Him.” 28News about Him
spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:16-28 [NIV])
In the day or two before the time at
Simon’s house, Jesus had traveled around the Sea of Galilee and called four
fishermen to come with Him. As they walked into Capernaum, He and the men entered
the synagogue because it was the Sabbath. While there, Jesus taught the scriptures
with power and authority and cast out evil spirits from a man (Mark 1:21-24). The
evil spirits recognized who Jesus was. They said He is the “Holy One of God.”
Jesus commanded them to be silent (vs. 25). The time for His identity to be
known had not come. The people in the synagogue were amazed at what and how Jesus
said taught. They wondered aloud at the power and authority by which He did and
spoke these things (vs. 27-28).
Mark’s Gospel emphasizes the
unfolding ministry of Jesus. His purpose was to tell people who Jesus was by
telling of His ministry. For this reason, Mark did not begin with Jesus’
genealogy, like Matthew. With the first two chapters of Mark, Jesus’ ministry
rapidly unfolds, showing readers and listeners Jesus’ power and authority. He
did this so they would come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
The Encounter
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went
with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon’s
mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about
her. 31So He went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The
fever left her, and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31 [NIV])
Matthew’s account of this is found
in Matthew 8:14-15. He said, “When Jesus came into Peter’s house, He saw
Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her and the fever
left her, and she got up and waited on Him.” (NIV) Luke’s retelling of this
same encounter is in Luke 3:38-39. He said,
38Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of
Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they
asked Jesus to help her. 39So, He bent over her and rebuked the
fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them (NIV).
Each of these men tells of this
encounter Jesus had with Simon’s mother-in-law, whom we will call Ms.
Whatshername, and the men who were with Him. Though each man wrote about it
from his own perspective, each included three key details. Jesus looked at the
woman with the fever. The fever left her. Ms. Whatshername was healed. The passive
verb tense in Mark shows Ms. Whatshername is the recipient of the healing;
Jesus did the action; He healed her.
In each of the Gospel accounts, the joint
story moves from the woman, who is sick, to the fever having left her. In two
of them, Jesus touched her. In one, He rebuked the fever and commanded it to
leave her. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus raised the Ms. Whatshername from her lying
down to sitting. Next, He helped her to stand. The fever would have dehydrated
her and made her weak. Jesus shared His strength with her. At this point, Mark
makes the statement that the fever left the Ms. Whatshername. He does not state
Jesus’ touch healed her. Neither Matthew nor Luke said this either. Mark made
this emphasis on Jesus easier to understand when, later in chapter one, he
wrote about Jesus healing the leper. In that encounter, Mark told his readers
and listeners, “A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, ‘If
You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out
His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be
clean!’” (Mark 1:40-42 [NIV]) The healing Jesus did for Ms. Whatshername
occurred because Jesus willed it. Jesus desired,
willed, to heal her like He did the leper.
Jesus wants everyone to be free from
their bondage, be it sin, illness, demons, false teaching, or anything else
that keeps people from believing in Him for salvation. Jesus desired to
heal Ms. Whatshername, and she was. Jesus is most important to remember and
focus on as one reads the Gospel accounts. The person He “touched” is
secondary. Jesus was the One who changed people’s lives back then and now. His
intention for all people to come to know Him as their Savior is why He came to
earth, died on the cross, and rose to life again. Jesus, by using His power to
heal Ms. Whatshername, opened a door for her to be receptive to the gospel.
The Purpose
Since each encounter with Jesus has
a purpose, what were the purposes of this mother-in-law’s encounter with Jesus?
What are the purposes for us and each person who listened to and/or read about this
story? Jesus met people. He did things for them. Why? The obvious Sunday School
reason is so they would believe in Him and be saved. Think deeper than that.
Jesus did these things so that His disciples would see and model them and teach
about them. Why was it so important they and Jesus did these things?
Power and Authority
It was important to show Jesus’
power and authority over sickness. Just as Jesus showed He has power and
authority to cast out demons and preach the scriptures authoritatively, He
could heal people. Remember, Mark’s Gospel shows people Jesus really is the
Messiah. That would hopefully lead them to trust in Him for salvation. The
mother-in-law’s life revealed Jesus as the Messiah to the people who watched, listened
to stories and read about her encounter with Jesus. Consider it another way. Jesus
met Ms. Whatshername because she was sick. His meeting with her could reveal even
more who He is.
Think about the story of Lazarus.
Jesus did not go to Mary and Martha until four days after Lazarus died. Why?
Jesus explained it to His disciples in John 11:14-15 when He said, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may
believe. But let us go to him.” Consider
the Jewish point of view. For Jews at the time, a person’s death was
verified if they had not awakened within three days after a dying. Jesus going to
Bethany, where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, on the fourth day proved something
for the Jews. It proved to the Jews Lazarus was undeniably dead. When Jesus called
Lazarus to come out of the tomb, they would know without a doubt Jesus raised him
from the dead. Jesus used Lazarus to reveal who He is. He used Ms. Whatshername
of Mark 1:29-32 to reveal who He is. He proved He is all-powerful and has all
authority.
Love and Compassion
We Christians believe Jesus has
power and authority. We have had two-thousand years to read about Him and see
God work in amazing ways during this time. Let us consider another reason Jesus
used Ms. Whatshername to reveal Himself. What purpose did Jesus have? Jesus
showed His love for her and had compassion for her because she suffered from a
high fever. Back then, no antibiotics existed for infections. Fevers came in many
ways, including malaria, typhoid, cholera, or flu. What Jesus noted was this
woman was sick. She was special to Simon and Andrew. How do we know this? They
mentioned her to Jesus, hoping He would do a miracle and cure her. Jesus recognized
their love for the woman. Jesus loved her, too. He wanted to help her. Jesus
revealed His love and compassion for Simon’s mother-in-law by healing her.
Equal Importance
Though different statuses existed in
the ancient world of Jesus’ time and people’s value depended on who they were
or what they did (Does this sound familiar?), Jesus showed to the people in
Simon’s house and to Ms. Whatshername that all people are equal in importance.
God made each person in His image. When He finished creating them, He said, “It
is good.” God did not choose one person or people group to be less important or
inferior to others. Similarly, Jesus considered women as important as men. “Whether
slave or free, man or woman, Jew or Gentile, all people are one in Christ
(Galatians 3:28).” In that vein, all people in the world are made in God’s
image. Jesus came to save each person. He does not care if you come from a
Christian, other religious, or atheist background. Jesus includes all people to
receive the salvation He offers for sins. When any person believes in Jesus for
salvation, he or she gains identification as a child of God. That means God
begins making the person into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit that lives
in him or her. Paul said in Romans 8:15b-16, “The Spirit you received brought
about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit
Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” People who trust
in Jesus for salvation are no more what they were. The Holy Spirit transforms
him or her into the image of Jesus. Read these verses to understand more.
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed
to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among man brothers and
sisters. (See Romans 8:29 [NIV])
Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:2
[NIV])
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s
glory, are being transformed into His image with an ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 [NIV])
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are
wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16
[NIV])
Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6
[NIV])
Jesus met Simon’s mother-in-law to
reveal He loves everyone without prejudice.
Gratitude
Ms. Whatshername’s life revealed
gratitude. Because of Jesus’ care for her, His love and compassion because He
healed her, she cared for Him. This healed woman wanted to thank Jesus. She thanked
and loved Jesus by serving Him. Ms. Whatshername may have served Jesus by washing
His feet, giving Him the best pillow to sit on, taking His outer garment to
clean, and feeding Him her best food. The Gospel writers did not say in what
way she served them. Ms. Whatshername knew how to serve. This loved woman
wanted to give her best to the man who healed her. She said, “Thank you,” with
her actions. Ms. Whatshername recognized who healed her, thanked Him with what
she had, and thanked Him openly so other people saw. This story of Jesus’
encounter with her shows people how they can express gratitude and that saying
thank you is a good thing. Jesus' encounter with Ms. Whatshername came to be
written and shared. The writers told the story to point to Jesus and tell who
He is. It shows what He does. Ms. Whatshername’s life became an example of how
to respond to meeting Jesus. Her life spread the news about Jesus. Does your
life spread the news about Jesus and the salvation He gave you?
Think about the opening story of the
young lady giving her mother a beautiful house. Is there someone you have not
thanked? Do you take what they gave for granted? Does your life give a
testimony about who helped you? We each have Ms. Whatshernames in our lives. We
remember the kindness they showed us, but we cannot remember her name. Her life
was not her own, just as yours is not. You are made in the image of God, like
her. The young lady did not give her mother a house to display the amount of money
she was earning. She gave her the house because of what her mother had given to
her. A heart of gratitude and generosity. Consider who you have not thanked.
Consider if that may be Jesus. Have you thanked Him and testified about Him
because of His power and authority, love and compassion, and unprejudiced gift for
you?
Recap and Conclusion
Jesus came to save people from their
sins. Simon’s mother-in-law was no exception. None of us are sinless. The Gospel
writers wrote about Jesus and His encounters with people to show He is who He
says He is. His ability to speak with power and authority, to heal and cast our
demons with power and authority, and to die and rise to life again all come
from who He is, the Son of God, Deity. Jesus is part of the Trinity and has all
power, might, love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, grace, etc. needed to do what
He did and continues to do in this world.
On that day, Jesus taught the scripture
with power and authority. He told four men to follow Him. He walked to the home
of two of the fishermen. Simon and Andrew told Him about Simon’s extremely sick
mother-in-law. Jesus knew of this woman’s illness. He realized Simon and Andrew
were concerned for her health. Jesus understood before the day began what would
occur and who He would meet. At the right time, He arrived at the home. One
purpose Jesus followed Simon and Andrew to their home was to heal Ms.
Whatshername. At the right time, Jesus understood her illness would be concerning.
He recognized the time was right for people to see the truth of His deity by
seeing His power to heal Ms. Whatshername’s body.
We do not know if Ms. Whatshername
had heard of Jesus. He had only made Himself known in Capernaum that day. Would
news have traveled to her about Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue even while she
was sick? Whether or not she had heard of Jesus’ power and authority and the
miracle He performed, Jesus walked to her and compassionately raised her up to
sit. His power over life and death healed her. This woman may not have known
yet that Jesus is the Messiah, but she recognized Him as a guest, a man with
power, and the one who healed her. She arose from her bed and served Jesus and
the other people who arrived at their home with Him.
Jesus revealed to people who He is
through Simon’s mother-in-law’s life. Consider another way to say it. Ms.
Whatshername’s life revealed who Jesus is. How so? Her life, because of this
illness, resulted in six things being known.
1.
Her life resulted in her family loving and
respecting her.
2.
Her life resulted in Jesus showing compassion
and love that led to showing His power through healing her.
3.
Her life resulted in praise and thanks to Jesus.
4.
Her life resulted in the spread of Jesus’ name
and fame.
5.
Her life showed Jesus’ modeling for His
disciples how to minister to and heal people.
6.
Her life resulted in the men being well-fed.
(Which man does not want plenty of tasty food?)
Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s writings
about Ms. Whatshername’s high fever allowed each person who read or listened to
the story about her to learn of another area of Jesus’ power. It causes us to
consider if our lives reveal who Jesus is. Three questions you should ask
yourself.
1.
Who is your life story about you or Jesus?
2.
Does your life reveal Jesus to other people?
3.
Do you show your gratitude by trusting Jesus,
and loving and serving Him?
God made you in His image. You
should reflect Him. If not, what is in the way? Do you believe in Jesus as the
Son of God and that He died for your sins? Have you confessed your sins to
Jesus and promised never to do them again? You can avoid sins by relying on Him
for strength. If you have never made this decision to believe in Jesus for
salvation, today is not too soon. Your life can still reveal Jesus. Most importantly,
Jesus is showing you, right now, who He is. Will you trust what He has revealed
to you and become a child of God? Will you accept Jesus as your Savior?
Jesus was unafraid to show He is the
Son of God. He was bold. You never walk in your own power to live your faith
boldly. The Holy Spirit will give you strength and empower you to be bold for
Jesus.
Be
like the daughter who continued to reveal who the mother is.
Be
like Simon’s mother-in-law and reveal who Jesus is through your life.
