14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. (Matthew 8:14-15 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The next miracle which our Saviour wrought, was in curing Peter’s wife’s mother of a fever: the miracle was not in curing an incurable distemper, but in the way and manner of curing: for,
1. It was by a touch of our Saviour;s hand.
2. It was instantaneous and sudden: immediately the fever left her.
3. The visible effects of her recovery presently appeared: She instantly arose and ministered unto them, That she could arise, argued her cure miraculous; that she could and did arise and administer unto Christ, argued her thankfulness, and a great sense of his goodness upon her mind.
Note here, 1. That marriage is the mistress of the gospel, yea, even in the apostles themselves and in Peter, the chiefest of them, was neither censured nor condemned by our Saviour. St. Peter had a wife and family, which Christ condescends to visit.
Observe, 2. That the first thing which Christ takes notice of in the house which he condescends to visit, is what aileth any in it; what need they stand in of his help and healing; and accordingly, together with his presence, he affords them relief.
Learn, 3. That when Christ has graciously visited and healed any of his servants, it ought to be their first work and next care to administer unto Christ; that is, to employ their recovered health, and improve their renewed strength in his service; She arose and ministered.