Lexical Summary puretos: Fever Original Word: πυρετός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fever. From puresso; inflamed, i.e. (by implication) feverish (as noun, fever) -- fever. see GREEK puresso NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pur Definition a fever NASB Translation fever (6). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4446: πυρετόςπυρετός, πυρετου, ὁ (πῦρ); 1. fiery heat (Homer, Iliad 22, 31 (but interpreters now give it the sense of 'fever' in this passage; cf. Ebeling, Lex. Homer under the word; Schmidt, Syn., chapter 60 § 14)). 2. fever: Matthew 8:15; Marki. 31; Luke 4:39; John 4:52; Acts 28:8, (Hippocrates, Aristophanes, Plato, and following; Deuteronomy 28:22); πυρετῷ μεγάλῳ, Luke 4:38 (as Galen de diff. feb. 1, 1 says συνηθες τοῖς ἰατροῖς ὀνομάζειν ... τόν μέγαν τέ καί μικρόν πυρετον; (cf. Wetstein on Luke, the passage cited)). In the ancient Near East a fever was not a trivial ailment. Apart from the limited medical knowledge of the day, prolonged fever could mean imminent death (compare Psalms 38:3). Jewish tradition sometimes regarded severe illness as a covenant curse (Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:22), while popular Greco-Roman superstition personified fever as a malevolent spirit. Against this backdrop the Gospel accounts elevate Jesus’ power by recording no rituals, incantations, or medicines—only the authoritative word and touch of the Son of God. Occurrences in the New Testament (1) Luke 4:38-39; Matthew 8:15; Mark 1:31 – Simon Peter’s mother-in-law healed. (2) John 4:52 – The nobleman’s son in Capernaum. (3) Acts 28:8 – Publius’ father on Malta. The six uses of the term cluster around two pivotal ministries—Jesus in Galilee and Paul in the Mediterranean—underscoring continuity between the Lord and His apostolic witnesses. Revelation of Christ’s Messianic Authority Luke records: “He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her” (Luke 4:39). The same verb “rebuke” is used for silencing demons and calming storms (Luke 4:35; 8:24). Fever, therefore, is treated as one more arena in which the Creator speaks and creation obeys. Matthew links the miracle to Isaiah’s Servant prophecy: “He took our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17), situating a commonplace sickness within the sweeping redemptive work of the cross. Compassionate Restoration and Discipleship In every Gospel instance the healing elicits immediate service: “She arose and began to serve them” (Matthew 8:15). Deliverance from fever becomes a springboard for hospitality, illustrating that physical restoration is meant to free believers for ministry. The nobleman in John 4 moves from crisis-faith (“Come down before my child dies!”) to confident trust (“Your son will live”), modeling growth through answered prayer. Extension of Healing through the Apostles On Malta “Paul… placed his hands on him and healed him” (Acts 28:8). The narrative mirrors the Gospels: prayer, touch, instant cure. It confirms that resurrection power did not cease at the Ascension but accompanies the proclamation of the kingdom (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:4). The result is evangelistic: “The rest of the sick on the island came and were cured” (Acts 28:9), preparing the ground for Gospel witness among Gentiles. Foreshadowing of Redemptive Wholeness Each victory over fever is a signpost to the eschatological hope when “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). The temporary removal of illness anticipates the ultimate eradication of the curse, demonstrating that salvation touches body as well as soul. Practical Implications for the Church Today • Prayer for the sick remains a biblical mandate (James 5:14-16). Connection with Old Testament Context Where the Law threatened fever as judgment, the Gospel announces release through the Messianic Healer. The same God who disciplines in righteousness also restores in grace, harmonizing both Testaments in a single redemptive storyline. Summary Strong’s Greek 4446 highlights more than a medical condition; it showcases Jesus’ sovereign compassion, the apostles’ Spirit-empowered continuity, and the believer’s future wholeness. Fevers lift at His word, demonstrating a kingdom already present and still to come. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 8:15 N-NMSGRK: αὐτὴν ὁ πυρετός καὶ ἠγέρθη NAS: her hand, and the fever left KJV: hand, and the fever left her: INT: her the fever and she arose Mark 1:31 N-NMS Luke 4:38 N-DMS Luke 4:39 N-DMS John 4:52 N-NMS Acts 28:8 N-DMP Strong's Greek 4446 |
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