Matthew 8:14 - Meaning and Application

People who try to line up the Gospel writers in strict order place this story, and all that follows to the end of chapter 9, before the Sermon on the Mount, following Mark and Luke. Dr. Lightfoot places only this story before the Sermon on the Mount, and then Matthew 8:18 and the verses after it. Here we have a clear account of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, who had a fever.

The case itself was ordinary enough. Fevers were common illnesses, but because the patient was Peter’s close relation, Matthew records it as one more sign of Christ’s special care for the families of his disciples. Peter had a wife, yet he was still called to be an apostle of Christ, and Christ honored married life by showing kindness to his wife’s family. The church of Rome, by forbidding ministers to marry, goes against that apostle from whom it claims to receive infallibility.

Peter also had a house, though Christ had none (Matthew 8:20). The disciple was better provided for than his Lord. He had a house in Capernaum, though he had first come from Bethsaida, and it is likely he moved there when Christ did, making it his main home. It is worth changing our place if it helps us stay near Christ and enjoy fellowship with him. When the ark moves, Israel should move after it.

Peter also had his mother-in-law living with him in the same household, which is a good example for married couples. They should be kind to each other’s relations as if they were their own. She was likely an older woman, and yet she was respected and cared for, as older people should be, with great tenderness. She was sick with a fever. Neither youth’s strength nor old age’s weakness protects anyone from such sicknesses. The palsy was a long-term disease, the fever an acute one, but both were brought to Christ.

The cure is described in Matthew 8:15. He touched her hand, not to examine her pulse like a doctor, but to heal her. This showed his kindness and tenderness. He himself feels our weaknesses. It also points to the way spiritual healing comes, by Christ’s power working with his word and by Christ being personally applied to us. Scripture speaks the word, and the Spirit gives the touch. The Spirit touches the heart and changes the hand.

The cure was shown by what followed. The fever left her, she got up, and she served them. This shows that the healing was complete. People who recover naturally from fevers are usually weak for a long time afterward, but she was immediately well enough to care for the household. It also shows that the mercy was sanctified, and mercy that leads to holiness is truly complete. Though she had received a special honor, she did not act proud, but was ready to wait at table if needed, just like a servant. Those whom Christ has honored should stay humble. When he has delivered them, they should think about how to serve him.

Matthew then gives a general summary of the many healings Christ performed. Peter’s mother-in-law’s healing brought many more sick people to him. One person was healed, so others thought, “Why not me? If he healed that person’s friend, why not mine?” We are told what Christ did and how Scripture was fulfilled.

He cast out demons, driving out evil spirits by his word. By God’s permission, Satan may have a real part in some illnesses that also have natural causes, as with Job’s boils, especially in disorders of the mind. Around the time Christ was on earth, it seems the devil was given more freedom than usual to possess and trouble people’s bodies. He came with great anger, knowing his time was short. God wisely ordered it that way so Christ would have more chances to show his power over Satan and to reveal the purpose of his coming, which was to strip Satan of his power, drive him out, and destroy his works. Christ’s success matched his gracious purpose.

He also healed all who were sick, without exception. The person did not have to be important, and the illness did not have to be mild. He helped them all.

This also fulfilled Scripture, which was the great thing Christ kept in view and the main proof that he was the Messiah. It was written of him, “He took up our weaknesses and carried our sicknesses” (Isaiah 53:4). Peter refers to this in (1 Peter 2:24), where it is explained as bearing our sins. Here it is applied to sickness, because our sins make our sicknesses part of our grief. Christ bore away sin through the merit of his death, and he bore away sickness through the miracles of his life. Even now that those miracles have ended, we can still say he bore our sicknesses when he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, because sin is both the cause and the sting of sickness.

There are many diseases and troubles we face in the body, and there is more comfort in this one line of the Gospel than in all the philosophers put together: Jesus Christ bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows. He bore them before us, since he was never sick, though he was hungry, thirsty, weary, troubled in spirit, sorrowful, and deeply distressed. He bore them for us in his suffering, and he still bears them with us in his compassion, because he is touched with the feeling of our weaknesses. In this way he lifts them from us and makes them feel lighter, unless we spoil the benefit ourselves.

Notice how strongly this is stated: “He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” He was both able and willing to step in, and he cared for our weaknesses and illnesses as our Physician. This part of human suffering was under his special care, and he showed it by being so ready to heal diseases. He is no less powerful and no less tender now, for surely none who go to heaven are ever worse for it.