We know nothing else about Peter’s mother in law other than Jesus went with His disciples from the synagogue in Capernaum to Peter’s house and Peter’s mother in law was there very sick with a fever. Jesus was asked to help her and He stood very close to her, ordered the sickness to leave, took her by the hand and straightaway she was healed and got up and waited on them (Luke 4:38-40). Life simply returned to normal.
Her belief in Jesus healed her and that’s why her story has been preserved in the Bible. What was so remarkable was that she believed in Jesus whilst living in a city with a deep distrust of Jesus.
The city had seen so many miracles but so resolutely refused to believe in Jesus that Jesus called a curse on it for its disbelief:
“And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day“(Matt 11:23).
Sodom, the depraved, arrogant and sinful city (Gen. 19) that became “overrun with weeds and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation” (Zeph. 2:9), was like Capernaum? Capernaum, through its heritage from Abraham, thought itself moral and upright, and was it to share the same fate as evil Babylon and be thrust down to hell (Isa. 14:15)?
Against the miracles and these harsh words from Jesus, Capernaum remained resistant to the Gospel, yet this humble, faithful woman, who loved to serve others, was blessed with healing and salvation.
Punishments are coming on this world because of its pride and arrogance against the Saviour and against God’s people. The godless people of this age have chosen to worship the gods of this earth and therefore God is going to reduce them and their gods to nothing (Zeph. 2:10).
The lesson of Peter’s mother in law is to identify with Jesus in the midst of a condemned world before it is too late. Choosing to worship Jesus and live with Him forever is promised to all who love Him:
“People shall worship Him. Each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations” (Zeph. 2:11).
* NKJV used throughout