Although we live in a largely secular society, many people who have no formal religious affiliation will admit to asking for God’s help in times of need. A survey carried out in December 2017 revealed that just over half of British adults pray; family members and healing are amongst the subjects most frequently prayed for.* In my work as a hospital chaplain, patients sometimes tell me that they take comfort from the knowledge that others are praying for them. Sometimes patients who are keen to say ‘I am not religious’ will then ask for prayer! 

In today’s passage, after teaching with authority and demonstrating his power over evil, Jesus confronts sickness and disease. It was natural that, when Jesus came to his house, Simon should tell him about his mother-in-law who was ill (v 30). Jesus loses no time in healing her, in what seems to be a very gentle way (v 31).

Word of this healing, and that of the demon-possessed man in the synagogue, spread around Capernaum and soon crowds were gathering to ask Jesus for healing. The local people waited until after dark to bring the sick to Jesus because the Sabbath ended at sunset. We will see more of the implications of this over the next few days.

*https://www.comresglobal.com/polls/tearfund-prayer-survey/

Come to Christ with awe and wonder. ‘This is God the Saviour; / this is Christ the Lord, / ever to be worshipped, / trusted and adored.’¹

Archaeologists have uncovered numerous houses surrounding the synagogue at Capernaum. The houses consisted of several rooms around a central courtyard, with windows facing inwards for security. Over one of them was a small octagonal building, suggesting that the original house had been converted into a simple church. We don’t know for sure, but this is probably Simon Peter’s house. It looks as though an extended family lived here and it seems to have been the place that Jesus made his home during his time in Capernaum. 

In a simple, domestic scene, Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law and she responded as every Christian should, male or female, by serving him. At sunset, the Sabbath was over and, with it, the prohibition to walk about and to carry people. It’s hard to imagine how, in an ancient town, with its narrow streets, ‘the whole town’ gathered at the door (v 33), but that’s how it seemed. Jesus had the power to heal them all. 

It’s difficult for us in the Western world today to understand the demon possession of the Gospels. This is more than sickness, or mental illness. The demons were independent of the people they possessed. They could speak, they had knowledge. Why did the demons know who Jesus was when just about everybody else didn’t? Jesus cast them out simply by his word and, unlike other exorcists, he used no incantation, no ritual. It’s possible that Satan poured out his worst at the time of Jesus’ ministry. We also know the power of evil, not just in the world around us and what we see on the nightly news but also, if we are honest, in our own hearts. We also know that Jesus has power over this evil and we do know what it is to be indwelt by his spirit, the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I worship you for your power over evil and for casting the evil out of our lives. 

¹ Adapted from Caroline Noel, 1817–77, ‘At the name of Jesus’