Reflecting on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:29-34

Jesus leaves the synagogues and goes with the first four disciples, the two pairs of fishermen brothers, to the house of one of these, Simon. Simon is clearly married as we now encounter his sick mother-in-law, whom Jesus heals, thus continuing the practice of healing even on the sabbath. This is the first recorded physical healing and, significantly, within the context of the times, it is a woman who is healed. This becomes an indicator of good discipleship modelling by women.

Lamar Williamson Jr. (Mark) points to the significance of this – “The mother-in-law’s response to the healing of Jesus is the discipleship of lowly service, a model to which Jesus will repeatedly call his followers throughout this Gospel and which he supremely models in his own service.” On the other hand, as Williamson also says – “the insensitivity and misunderstanding of the male disciples will become increasingly evident.”

It would seem that all this woman wanted to do was to offer hospitality, but she is not well enough until she receives the healing touch of Jesus. Perhaps we might wish that she had not then immediately conformed to the stereotype. However, I imagine that she was so pleased to be healed that she wanted to fulfil every expectation.

Healing comes in a multitude of forms. I wonder how we react if we experience it.

Returning to the story, word clearly got around as many who needed healing were brought to Jesus. It is after sunset, so we have moved beyond the sabbath problem, but we can imagine the strain of the demands placed on Jesus by this constant stream of visitors. We can imagine them overflowing from the house, and into the street. It says that the whole city came. That is surely an exaggeration, but an indication that there were lots of needy people who came to see Jesus and, doubtless, many onlookers – because onlookers always gather when something unexpected is taking place.