Matthew 8:15

And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) She arose, and ministered unto them.—The fact is stated as showing the completeness of the work of healing. The “great fever” had not left behind it its usual sequel of weakness and exhaustion.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:14-17 Peter had a wife, yet was an apostle of Christ, who showed that he approved of the married state, by being thus kind to Peter's wife's relations. The church of Rome, which forbids ministers to marry, goes contrary to that apostle upon whom they rest so much. He had his wife's mother with him in his family, which is an example to be kind to our relations. In spiritual healing, the Scripture speaks the word, the Spirit gives the touch, touches the heart, touches the hand. Those who recover from fevers, commonly are weak and feeble some time after; but to show that this cure was above the power of nature, the woman was at once so well as to go about the business of the house. The miracles which Jesus did being noised abroad, many thronged to him. He healed all that were sick, though the patient was ever so mean, and the case ever so bad. Many are the diseases and calamities to which we are liable in the body; and there is more, in those words of the gospel, that Jesus Christ bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, to support and comfort us under them, than in all the writings of the philosophers. Let us not grudge labour, trouble, or expense in doing good to others.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This account is contained also in Mark 1:29-31, and Luke 4:38-41. Mark says that Simon and Andrew lived together, and that James and John went with them to the house. He adds, also, that before the miracle they spake to him about the sick person. The miracle was direct and complete. She that had been sick was so completely restored as to attend to them and minister to them. The mention of "Peter's wife's mother" proves that Peter either then was or had been married. The fair and obvious interpretation is, that his wife was then living. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:5, and see the note at that place. Peter is claimed by the Roman Catholics to be the head of the church and the vicegerent of Christ. The Pope, according to their view, is the successor of this apostle. On what pretence do they maintain that it is wrong for "priests" to marry? Why did not Christ at once reject Peter from being an apostle for having a wife? How remarkable that he should be set up as the head of the church, and an example and a model to all who were to succeed him! But all this is human law, and is contrary to the New Testament. Compare 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:4-5. That Peter had a wife was no objection to his being an apostle, and marriage has been expressly declared to be "honorable in all," Hebrews 13:4.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mt 8:14-17. Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law and Many Others. ( = Mr 1:29-34; Lu 4:38-41).

For the exposition, see on [1235]Mr 1:29-34.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 14,15. This story is related, with some further circumstances, Mark 1:29-31 Luke 4:38,39. Mark tells us it was the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John; ( it seems they lived there together); that they told him of her sickness, after he had been there some time; that he

took her by the hand, and lifted her up. Luke saith it was a great fever; that they besought him for her; that

he stood over her, and rebuked the fever. Here is no contradiction, only some amplifications of the story. It is plain from this text, that Peter was a married man, and continued so though called to be an apostle, and that he had a family. Fevers are ordinary distempers, and often cured by ordinary means, but this was a great fever. The miracle here was not in the cure of an incurable disease, but in the way of the cure, by a touch of his hand, or a lifting her up; and the suddenness of the cure, it immediately left her; and her sudden recovery of strength, that she could presently arise and minister to them: that she could do it, argued her cure miraculous; that she did do it, argues her sense of Christ’s goodness, and thankfulness, and teacheth us the use we should make of all God’s gracious providences to us, to make us fitter for the service of God, and to employ ourselves in it; so taking the cup of salvation, and praising the name of the Lord, Psalm 116:13.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he touched her hand,.... Sometimes he healed by a word, as the centurion's servant; and sometimes by a touch, as here; and sometimes by both, as the leper. Luke says, that he "stood over her", reached over her to take her by the hand, and lift her up, "and rebuked the fever". Just as he did the winds and sea, having all diseases, as well as the elements, at his beck and control;

and the fever left her immediately, as the other evangelists say.

And she arose and ministered unto them: the former of these actions is a proof of her being restored to health and strength, in so much that she could rise and walk about of herself; whereas generally, persons after fevers continue very weak a considerable time; which shows what a miracle was wrought upon her by Christ: and the latter of them expresses her gratitude, for the mercy she had received; she rises and serves him and his friends, preparing proper and suitable provisions for them.

Geneva Study Bible

And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 8:15-16. Διηκόνει] at table, John 12:2; Luke 10:40. There is a difference, though an unimportant one, in Luke’s account (Luke 4:39) of the mode in which the miracle was performed.

ὀψίας δὲ γεν.] with more precision in Mark and Luke, at sunset. Besides, in the present instance there is nothing of the special reference to the Sabbath which we find in Mark and Luke, but we are merely given to understand that Jesus remains in Peter’s house till the evening (comp. on Matthew 14:15). By this time the report of the miraculous cure had spread throughout the whole place; hence the crowds that now throng Him with their sick,—a fact which accords but ill with the attempt to destroy or weaken the supernatural character of the act (“mitigating of the fever,” and that by gentle soothing words or a sympathetic touch of the hand, Keim, comp. Schenkel).

λόγῳ] without the use of any other means.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 8:15. ἥψατο. He touched her hand; here to cure, in Mark to raise her up.—ἠγέρθη, διηκόνει: she rose up at once and continued to serve at the meal; all present but Jesus only referred to here (αὐτῳ, plural in Mark, but inappropriate here). Not only the fever but the weakness it causes left her. “Ordinarily a long time is required for recovery, but then all things happened at once” (Chryst., Hom. xxvii.). Not a great miracle or interesting for anything said; but it happened at an early time and in the disciple circle; Peter the informant; and it showed Christ’s sympathy (Matthew 8:17), the main point for Mt.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. the fever left her] The completeness and suddenness of the cure prove the miraculous nature of it.

ministered unto them] Eager, as good housewives are to return to their work.

unto them] There is high MS. authority for “unto Him.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 8:15. Διηκόνει Αὐτῶ, waited upon Him) She performed the duty of the house-mother (mater-familias), as a joyful sign of her entire restoration to health. St Mark and St Luke mention the disciples as preferring the request in favour of Peter’s mother-in-law, and therefore add—διηκόνει αὐτοῖς, she waited upon THEM, sc. the Lord and His disciples. St Matthew mentions only the Lord, and therefore wrote Αὐτῳ. The erroneous reading, αὐτοῖς, has been introduced from the other Evangelists.[373]

[373] Those who are anxious to avoid Transpositions, maintain the opinion, that the mother-in-law of Peter was delivered from a fever more than once. But in the case of sick persons healed by the Saviour, the danger that impended over them was not from the return of their disease, but from some greater evil. Nor did the Lord warn the mother-in-law of Peter, as He did others, on that head: and if she had been attacked by fever anew, it would have happened at a most brief interval after the former cure, and therefore in that case the disciples, who were as yet but novices, might have doubted, along with others, whether the fever (a disease liable to alternations and intermissions more than all other diseases) had been really and completely removed.—Harm. p. 257.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - And he touched her hand. Perhaps with her, as with the leper (ver. 3), the word alone would not have been enough. In both cases the faith seems to have been below that of the centurion. And the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them; Revised Version. him, with manuscripts. Serving them all (parallel passages), and him in particular. If it were her own house this would be doubly natural (cf Luke 10:40). The change of tense (aorist to imperfect) contrasts the single act of arising from her bed and her continued ministry at the meal (cf. Matthew 4:11). Matthew 8:15