Jesus Heals Peter's Mother in Law

Mark 1:29-31 tells a short, but intriguing story of the healing of Peter’s mother in law. The story is only two verses long but tells a story that any married man can understand. In order to understand fully what was happening with Peter’s mother in law you have to read verse 16. Peter, along with all the other apostles left everything they had and followed Jesus (Matthew 19:27) so one had to wonder how the family was faring during Peter’s unemployment. Then, of course, one has to wonder how Peter’s mother in law commented on his absence when the subject came up with Peter’s wife. I will tell the story in my own words.

One day Jesus went over to Peter’s house to see how the other half lived. As soon as Jesus got into the house He was told of Peter’s mother in law’s sickness. She had a high fever and could not get out of bed. She was lying there on the bed frothing at the mouth. Peter had seen this before, but that was when they were arguing about something. Jesus walked over to the sick woman and told her to get up. She immediately felt better and began waiting on them.

She said, “Thank you so much Jesus for healing me. “I was so sick I thought I was going to die. “You are a wonderful man.” Then Peter’s wife said to her mother, “That’s not what you said yesterday. “Yesterday, you said you didn’t understand how Peter could leave his family and follow after this religious kook.” Then Peter’s mother in law said, “Oh that’s not what I meant dearie I was just wondering who the gentlemen was that peter was associating with.” “Gentlemen,” Peter’s wife blurts out, “You didn’t call Him a gentlemen you called Him a vagabond.”

“Now, Now dearie we don’t need to go into all that.” I think this Jesus fellow is just misunderstood.” Then Peter’s wife really let loose with all cannons. “Misunderstood. “Yesterday you said he was a low life who stole Peter’s mind. “The you said, “You were surprised that He would be interested in something that small.” With that Peter gave his mother in law a dirty look. Then Jesus began commenting on the stuffed flounder and successfully changed the subject.

It is interesting to consider the sacrifices made by the apostles in the early days of Jesus ministry. Before He became well known, Jesus ministry would have puzzled the relatives of the apostles. For anyone to leave their homes and loved ones merely to follow someone who told them they were going to be “fishers of men” seems crazy. The apostles must have seen something in Jesus to take the chance they were taking. Otherwise leaving their livelihood and their families only to follow a vagabond makes no sense at all.

Too bad many of us don’t see what they saw. What an impact we would have on those around us.