Bible Study series: Luke 4:38-39. God gives us authority to rebuke diseases.
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In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
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Scripture: Luke 4:38-39
38 Leaving the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. 39 He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them. (Luke 4:38-39)
Comments:
38:
So he was in Capernaum, and he simply left the synagogue and walked in to Simon’s house. This was Simon’s hometown, and Jesus adopted it for his home base of ministry (Mark 2:1).
“high fever”: it literally reads “great fever,” but in English it is best to go with “high fever.” Whatever the case, Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering from this fever.
“they asked him about her”: We have to supply the idea, “They asked him to help her.” Who were they? Either Peter and his wife, or the disciples? The Gospel of Mark says Peter, James, John and Andrew (Peter’s brother) were there. All of the above asked him. Luke shows Jesus calling Peter in the next chapter, so this is a prolepsis or foreshadowing of Peter’s calling. Luke is an inspired author, and he is allowed, by the Spirit, to reshape and sequence his story as he sees fit.
39:
It is unclear why he stood over her, so it may not have a method behind it. It’s just the way the house was constructed and where she was lying. But I can’t escape the feeling that it may indicate his authority over diseases, but let’s not overwork simple words. And sure enough, the parallel passages in Matthew and Mark say that Jesus touched her hand (Matthew) or took her by the hand and lifted her up (Mark) (Matt. 8:14-15 // Mark 1:29-31). So Jesus had to be near her and stand over her to touch her. “The Jesus touch” transfers power and shows his identity with and love for the sick.
“rebuked”: see v. 35 for more comments. Sometimes you simply have to rebuke a disease. Was it a spirit? No, and not even the parallel passages say it was a spirit (Mark 1:29-31; Matt. 8:14-15). The whole point of the verb is authority has to be used even for diseases. This is another example of releasing a captive announced in 4:18.
“began to serve”: the phrase comes from the one verb diakoneō (pronounced dee-ah-koh-neh-oh); some translations have “waited on.” She probably served them food and drinks. We should not see the verb here indicating a formal office, even though we get the word deacon from the related Greek noun. “began” is added from the form of the verb, but the word itself does not appear in this verse.
GrowApp for Luke 4:38-39
1. Have you ever rebuked a disease in Jesus’s name? If so, tell your story.
2. How did you serve the Lord after he raised you up from your sickbed?
RELATED
11. Eyewitness Testimony in Luke’s Gospel
3. Church Fathers and Luke’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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