Mark 1: 29 41 Jesus At Simon’s House

Target year level: Year Nine

Scripture text

Introduction

Mark 1:29-41 is in the first major section of Mark’s Gospel, the Galilean Ministry (Mk 1:14 - 7:23). In his Galilean ministry, and throughout the Gospel, Mark will have Jesus assert his authority and legitimacy and have others question, oppose and test his right to speak and act as he does. In the Prelude to the Public Ministry (Mk 1:1-13)the evangelist establishes the legitimacy and authority of Jesus by having him receive the endorsement of John the Baptist, divine endorsement (Mk 1:6-11) and endorsement by ordeal (Mk 1:12-13)

In Mark 1:29-41, Jesus’ authority and the legitimacy of his ministry are reinforced through the healing of many at the house of Simon. For a summary of key aspects of the Gospel of Mark and an outline of its structure see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) Introduction to Mark.

World behind the text

The authorship of the Gospel which bears the name of Mark is unknown. The Gospel writer was influenced by the stories, wisdom and leadership of Peter until Peter’s martyrdom sometime between 64 and 67 CE. The Gospel of Mark was probably written between 65 and 70 CE, after the death of Peter and towards or at the end of the four-year war between Israel and Rome. This was a time of turmoil, violence and great suffering. By 67 CE, Nero, the Roman Emperor had already killed many of the leaders of the Christian community in Rome.

Mark and many of his Christian contemporaries held strongly the early Christian apocalyptic hope for the end of the world and the imminent second coming of Jesus. Mark thinks of himself and his Christian community as caught up in events that indicate that the end of the world and the end of history is near at hand.

According to tradition, Mark’s Gospel was written in Rome. The Gospel of Mark was written for a Christian church that was made up for the most part of Gentile Christians. Scholars think that the community for whom Mark wrote needed affirmation and encouragement as they dealt with problems of being members of a small and often persecuted Christian community struggling to preserve its identity and integrity amidst the cultural and religious pluralism and upheaval of the Greco-Roman World.

World of the text

Mark 1:16 - 3:6 is dominated by a pronounced emphasis on the authority of Jesus displayed in word and deed. The healing of Simon’s mother in law (Mk 1:29-34); a summary report of many healings (Mk 1:32-34) and the healing of the leper (Mk 1:40-45) show the authority of Jesus in deeds, just as the teaching of Jesus (Mk 1:21-22) and the calling of the disciples (Mk 1:16-20) exhibit Jesus’ authority in words. These miracle stories (Mark 1:32-34) also introduce the theme of the messianic secret. This theme related to the command to secrecy about the true identity of Jesus as Messiah is developed throughout Mark’s Gospel and reaches its climax at Mark 14:53-65 when Jesus’ identity is the focus of his ordeal before the Council of Jewish leaders in Mark’s passion narrative. For more detailed commentary on Mark 1:29-41 go to Michael Fallon 64-67 .

World in front of the text

Mark 1:29-41 is indicative of the author’s early focus on Jesus as a healer both of body and spirit. Christians have always placed emphasis on their ministry of healing in the spirit of Jesus. In the Catholic Christian tradition this healing ministry takes on a sacramental form in the Sacraments of Healing – Penance and Anointing of the Sick. As Christianity grew and spread, first in the Greco-Roman World and then into Europe and beyond, the healing ministry was given organised and institutional expression in the establishment by Christians of hospices and hospitals to care for the sick and the dying. In contemporary times Christians continue to be involved in a variety of healing ministries offering both physical and spiritual care to those who are ill.