Sign in
MARK 1:31 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Mark 1:30Mark 1:32
“And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.”
So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them — the physical contact (took her hand) and the action of lifting communicate personal engagement rather than remote command. The healing is instantaneous: the fever left her is a completed action. The immediate consequence — she began to wait on them (diakonei, to serve) — is both practical and theological. The verb diakoneō is used for the angels who attended Jesus after the testing (Mark 1:13) and for the community standard of leadership (Mark 10:43–45). The healed woman's immediate service is the Gospel's first picture of what healing produces: not passive recovery but active ministry in the community.

Church Fathers on Mark 1:31

First, it was right that the serpent’s tongue should be shut up, that it might not spread any more venom; then that the woman, who was first seduced, should be healed from the fever of carnal concupiscence.

Bede · 8th century · in Marc., 1, 7

He retired then as the custom was on the sabbath-day about evening to eat in His disciples' house. But she who ought to have ministered was prevented by a fever.

Theophylact · 11th century

For the fever means intemperance, from which, we the sons of the synagogue [ed. note: See St. Augustine on Ps 72, no. 4, 5, 'Ecclesia Socrus Synagogue.' The Church is called the daughter of the Synagogue in the spurious 'Altercatio Eccles. et Synagog.' (Aug. Opp t. viii, p. 19.) They word 'synagogue' is applied to the Church by Justin M. Dial, see Tryph, p. 160 (Ben.) Clem. Alex. Str. vi, 633.], by the hand of discipline, and by the lifting up of our desires, are healed, and…

Pseudo-Jerome · 5th century
Read all 8 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!
Mark 1:31 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy