Matthew 8:15

Mat 8:15. Διηκόνει Αὐτῶ, waited upon Him) She performed the duty of the house-mother (mater-familias), as a joyful sign of her entire restoration to health. St Mark and St Luke mention the disciples as preferring the request in favour of Peter’s mother-in-law, and therefore add—διηκόνει αὐτοῖς, she waited upon THEM, sc. the Lord and His disciples. St Matthew mentions only the Lord, and therefore wrote Αὐτῳ. The erroneous reading, αὐτοῖς, has been introduced from the other Evangelists.[373]

[373] Those who are anxious to avoid Transpositions, maintain the opinion, that the mother-in-law of Peter was delivered from a fever more than once. But in the case of sick persons healed by the Saviour, the danger that impended over them was not from the return of their disease, but from some greater evil. Nor did the Lord warn the mother-in-law of Peter, as He did others, on that head: and if she had been attacked by fever anew, it would have happened at a most brief interval after the former cure, and therefore in that case the disciples, who were as yet but novices, might have doubted, along with others, whether the fever (a disease liable to alternations and intermissions more than all other diseases) had been really and completely removed.—Harm. p. 257.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_8:15-16. Διηκόνει] at table, Joh_12:2; Luk_10:40. There is a difference, though an unimportant one, in Lukes account (Luk_4:39) of the mode in which the miracle was performed.

ὀψίας δὲ γεν.] with more precision in Mark and Luke, at sunset. Besides, in the present instance there is nothing of the special reference to the Sabbath which we find in Mark and Luke, but we are merely given to understand that Jesus remains in Peters house till the evening (comp. on Mat_14:15). By this time the report of the miraculous cure had spread throughout the whole place; hence the crowds that now throng Him with their sick,a fact which accords but ill with the attempt to destroy or weaken the supernatural character of the act (mitigating of the fever, and that by gentle soothing words or a sympathetic touch of the hand, Keim, comp. Schenkel).

λόγῳ] without the use of any other means.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 8:15 . ἥψατο . He touched her hand; here to cure, in Mark to raise her up. ἠγέρθη , διηκόνει : she rose up at once and continued to serve at the meal; all present but Jesus only referred to here ( αὐτῳ , plural in Mark, but inappropriate here). Not only the fever but the weakness it causes left her. “Ordinarily a long time is required for recovery, but then all things happened at once” (Chryst., Hom. xxvii.). Not a great miracle or interesting for anything said; but it happened at an early time and in the disciple circle; Peter the informant; and it showed Christ’s sympathy (Mat 8:17 ), the main point for Mt.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 15. He touched her hand] Can any thing on this side the unlimited power of God effect such a cure with only a touch? If the Scriptures had not spoken of the divinity of Christ, these proofs of his power must have demonstrated it to the common sense of every man whose creed had not previously blinded him.

Ministered unto them.] αυτοις, them, is the reading of most of the printed editions, but αυτω, to him, has the utmost evidence in its support from MSS., versions, and fathers. Serving Christ in his ordinances and in his members is the best proof we can give to others of our being soundly restored to spiritual health.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) She arose, and ministered unto them.—The fact is stated as showing the completeness of the work of healing. The “great fever” had not left behind it its usual sequel of weakness and exhaustion.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. the fever left her] The completeness and suddenness of the cure prove the miraculous nature of it.

ministered unto them] Eager, as good housewives are to return to their work.

unto them] There is high MS. authority for “unto Him.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the even was come,.... The other evangelists say, when "the sun was set", or "setting"; which circumstances are observed, not as some think, because the cool of the evening, and when the sun was set, it was more seasonable and convenient, in those hot countries, to bring out their sick, than in the heat of the day: nor are they remarked, as others think, because it was an unseasonable time to bring them to Christ, when he had been fatigued all day long, and yet he healed them; such was his goodness and compassion: but the true reason of the mention of them is, because it had been their sabbath day, as appears from Mar 1:21 and they could not, according to their canons, bring them sooner. Their sabbath began at sun setting; hence they say (s), that on the eve of the sabbath, that is, immediately preceding it, when the sabbath is about to begin, it is lawful to work , "until the sun sets"; and so it ended at sun setting the next day, which they judged of by the appearance of three stars (t).

"R. Phinehas, in the name of R. Aba Bar Papa, says, if but one star appears, it is certainly day; if two, it is a doubt whether it is night or not; if three, it is certainly night. On the eve of the sabbath, if he sees one star and does any work, he is free; if two, he brings a trespass offering for a doubt; if three, he brings a sin offering; at the going out of the sabbath, if he sees one star, and does any work, he brings a sin offering; if two, he brings a trespass offering for a doubt; if three, he is free.''

So that till the sun was set, and three stars appeared as a proof of it, it was not lawful to do any sort of business; but as soon as it was out of doubt, that the sun was set, they might do anything: and this being the case,

they brought to him (Christ) many that were possessed with devils; whose bodies Satan had been suffered to enter into, and were acted, and governed, and thrown into strange disorders by him. Such possessions, through divine permission, were frequent; that Christ, who was come in the flesh, might have an opportunity of showing his power over Satan, and giving proof of his deity and Messiahship.

And he cast out the spirits with his word; only by speaking to them; who were obliged, at his command, and by his orders, to quit their tenements, though unwillingly enough.

And healed all that were sick; whoever they were, without any respect of persons, of whatsoever disease attended them: the most stubborn, inveterate, and otherwise incurable disorder, was not too hard for him, which he cured without the help of medicine, and where that could be of no use, and either by speaking, or touching, or some such like means.

(s) T. Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 33. 1. (t) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 2. 2. Maimon. Sabbat, c. 5. sect. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Ver. 15. And he touched her hand] A speedy and easy cure of the fever, such as Hippocrates or Galen had never the skill of. They do it not but by many evacuations, long diet, &c.; besides that, much gold must be lavished out of the bag as it is, Isa 46:6, the poor patient crying often out, αι, αι, whence Aeger, as some think (Becman). Christ, by his word and touch only, doth the deed in an instant. As he can blow us to destruction, Job 4:9, nod us to destruction, Psa 80:16; so, when Heman thinks himself "free among the dead," free of that company, and the "mourners begin to go about the streets," he can speak life unto us, and keep us that we go not down to the pit, Psa 88:5; Ecc 12:5; Psa 30:3.

She arose, and ministered unto them] Thereby to evince the truth of the miracle, and to evidence the truth of her thankfulness.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. He touched her hand — Mark says that he also raised her and grasped her hand. Luke says that he rebuked the disorder, so that perhaps he also spoke. In these different points the evangelist who adds something more, does not contradict him who says the less.

Ministered unto them — A token both of her real and sudden cure of what Luke calls “a great fever,” and of her gratitude for its performance.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he touched her hand. Perhaps with her, as with the leper (ver. 3), the word alone would not have been enough. In both cases the faith seems to have been below that of the centurion. And the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them; Revised Version. him, with manuscripts. Serving them all (parallel passages), and him in particular. If it were her own house this would be doubly natural. (cf. Luk_10:40) The change of tense (aorist to imperfect) contrasts the single act of arising from her bed and her continued ministry at the meal. (cf. Mat_4:11)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Touched her hand. He could heal by a word, or by his touch. At his touch the fever left her. Ministered. Was well, and able to prepare a meal for the Lord.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

15. ἥψατο. The touch of Jesus is not mentioned in Luke.

ἀφῆκεν αὐτήν. The addition of εὐθέως in Mark is probably a gloss. St Luke however has παραχρῆμα ἀναστᾶσα. To the physician the completeness and suddenness of the cure proves the miraculous nature of it.

διηκόνει. In the proper sense of serving at table; see note ch. Mat 4:11.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered to Him.] Mk. has: “And He came and raised her, having taken hold of (her) hand; and the fever left her, and she ministered to them.” The editor slightly paraphrases Mk. ἥψατο for Mk.’s κρατήσας is an assimilation to v. 3. Mk. has the plural throughout, “they came—ministered to them,” because since 1:16-20 he has represented Christ as accompanied by the four disciples; cf. v. 21 “they come.” But Mt. has left the incident of the call so far behind that he has ceased to be influenced by it, and substitutes the singular.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.