Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 8:15
And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
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.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.] , them, is the reading of most of the printed editions, but , 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And he touched her hand,…. Sometimes he healed by a word, as the centurion’s servant; and sometimes by a touch, as here; and sometimes by both, as the leper. Luke says, that he “stood over her”, reached over her to take her by the hand, and lift her up, “and rebuked the fever”. Just as he did the winds and sea, having all diseases, as well as the elements, at his beck and control;
and the fever left her immediately, as the other evangelists say.
And she arose and ministered unto them: the former of these actions is a proof of her being restored to health and strength, in so much that she could rise and walk about of herself; whereas generally, persons after fevers continue very weak a considerable time; which shows what a miracle was wrought upon her by Christ: and the latter of them expresses her gratitude, for the mercy she had received; she rises and serves him and his friends, preparing proper and suitable provisions for them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Touched her hand ( ). In loving sympathy as the Great Physician and like any good doctor today.
Ministered (). “Began to minister” (conative imperfect) at once to Jesus at table in gratitude and love.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And he touched her hand,” (kai hepsato tes cheiros autes) “And he (Jesus) touched her hand;” Luk 4:39 reads, “And he stood over her,” showing compassion and care for her; See Mat 8:3; 1Co 9:5.
2) “And the fever left her” (kai apheken auten ho puretos) “And the fever went away from or departed from her:” was borne away from her. Mr 1:31 continues, “And lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.” While Luk 4:39 reads, “And rebuked the fever, and it left her.”
3) “And she arose and ministered unto them.” (kai egerthe kai diekone! auto) “And she attended to, or ministered to him,” to His common needs, Luk 8:2-3. While both Mark and Luke explain, “She ministered unto them,” those in Peter’s house that day of healing, when Jesus came, Mr 1:31; Luk 4:39. The cure was complete and acknowledged by grateful service.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose, and ministered to him.’
Note how this parallels what Jesus did with the leper. He touched both the leper and the fevered woman and they were both healed, and both would have been seen as ‘unclean’. Jewish Halakah forbade the touching of people with certain kinds of fever. But the One Who makes clean did not concern Himself about that. Once He had touched someone they were clean. We too can recognise that ‘His touch has still its ancient power’. Once we come for His touch we are made clean. He can touch us too at the point of our need. But how many of us then arise and serve Him? (The leper actually went away and disobeyed Him (Mar 1:45), although he may well have followed Him later).
‘And she arose, and ministered to him.’ Such was His healing power that she was immediately able to arise and minister to Jesus’ needs. When Jesus healed someone they did not feel weak afterwards. The healing was total. And by her act she demonstrated her love, gratitude and devotion. (There was one case where Jesus healing was only partial (Mar 8:24), but that was because He had an important message to teach through it about the slow enlightenment of His disciples).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 8:15. And he touched her hand Her cure was effected in an instant, and not slowly, like the cures produced in the course of nature, or by medicine; for though the length and violence of her distemper had brought her into a weak and languid state, her full strength returned all at once, insomuch that, rising up immediately, she prepared a supper for them, and served them while at meat, : shewing that she was restored to perfect health. Some commentators read , to him, after many manuscripts.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 8:15-16 . ] at table, Joh 12:2 ; Luk 10:40 . There is a difference, though an unimportant one, in Luke’s account (Luk 4:39 ) of the mode in which the miracle was performed.
.] 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 Peter’s 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).
] without the use of any other means.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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, , , 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 88:5Psa 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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 8:15 . . He touched her hand; here to cure, in Mark to raise her up. , : she rose up at once and continued to serve at the meal; all present but Jesus only referred to here ( , 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.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 8:15. , 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 Peters mother-in-law, and therefore add- , she waited upon THEM, sc. the Lord and His disciples. St Matthew mentions only the Lord, and therefore wrote . The erroneous reading, , 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.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
touched: Mat 8:3, Mat 9:20, Mat 9:29, Mat 14:36, Mat 20:34, 2Ki 13:21, Isa 6:7, Mar 1:41, Luk 8:54, Act 19:11-13
and ministered: Luk 4:38, Luk 4:39, Joh 12:1-3
Reciprocal: Mat 4:24 – all sick Mar 1:29 – entered Mar 8:22 – to touch
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:15
In this case Jesus saw fit to make bodily contact. We are not told here whether he said anything, but in Luk 4:39 it says he “rebuked the fever.” This healing also was immediate and complete for the woman was able to perform the work of administering to them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 8:15. And he touched her hand. Our Lord could heal by a word at a distance, in the response to faith, but He generally made some outward sign of His willingness and will to cure; the sign corresponding to the cure and proving that His will healed.The healing was instantaneous and perfect, she arose and ministered unto him (the singular is sustained by the best authorities), thus showing her perfect restoration. The faith of her family had called for the miracle, but she shows her own faith and her gratitude by serving the Lord, and that too in the natural and womanly way of household duty.
Mat 8:16 tells us of a general gathering of the possessed and sick in Capernaum. Mark (Mar 1:32) says, All the city was gathered together at the door. Luke (Luk 4:41) tells how the demons recognized Him. For these numerous miracles of healing there was a sufficient motive.
Even. Either because the most convenient time, or the best time for the sick to be taken out, or it may have been the Sabbath (comp. Mar 1:21). Our Lord was ready to heal on the Sabbath, but the people may have waited until sundown, when the Jewish Sabbath ended. He healed them all, both those possessed with demons and the sick; two classes carefully distinguished from each other in the Gospels.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 15
Ministered; waited upon, performed the necessary duties of hospitality towards her guests.