Minor to Major

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.”—Matthew 8:14–16 (NIV)

When we read about Jesus’ life, as we are in the Book of Matthew, we need to recognize we aren’t being given an exhaustive account of all He did. We know this is true because John ends his account of Christ’s life by telling us He did way more than any amount of books could ever capture (John 21:25). With this in mind, we understand that the author has specifically and carefully chosen every recorded detail to convey an important truth concerning Jesus.

In this case, Matthew gives us a couple of miraculous back-to-back moments. They share certain similarities in that they begin with a human need, and Jesus is the One who effectively meets the need. But they also pose some striking differences, and this is by design. For by juxtaposing these two miracles of Jesus, Matthew is telling us an important truth about Him.

The first miracle involves Peter’s mother-in-law. In that culture, households were often multi-generational. So, it stands to reason that she lives with Peter. As Jesus visits Peter’s home, attention is drawn to her fevered condition. Jesus touches her, heals her of the fever, and she immediately starts serving Him (which is the right response to the Lord’s healing touch on anyone’s life).

In Luke’s account of this, he adds that it was a “high fever” (Luke 4:38), which is something we can all relate to as we’ve all had a high fever at some point in our lives. Was the woman’s fever 102, 103, or 104 degrees? We don’t know. But we do know a fever is typically something that runs its course in our bodily system. It’s not fun by any means, but it’s also somewhat common and survivable. It’s what we might classify as a “minor malady.”

Now, that same evening, we see another miraculous moment. Only this time, it’s not a fever that’s in view. Many people who were demon-possessed were brought before Jesus. As before, with the fever, He heals and restores those who are hurting.

But we all understand there’s a massive difference between someone having a high fever and someone who’s demonically possessed, let alone several of them! A demonic possession isn’t something that resolves itself over time. It’s something that requires supernatural power in order to be dealt with. And Jesus deals with this, which can be rightly considered a “major malady.”

What is Matthew doing here? Better yet, what is the Holy Spirit, who inspired Matthew in writing this, doing here? It’s clear we’re meant to see how Jesus can be called upon for anything, whether we consider it a “minor” or “major” need. We need to know that nothing is too small or too big for our Lord to handle. We can seek His healing from one end of the spectrum to the other. He cares about both ends and everything in between.

Maybe you’re battling something you deem insignificant and unworthy of bringing to the Lord’s attention . . . bring it! Or maybe you feel dominated by something too great for Him to overcome, so you don’t bother bringing it to Him in prayer . . . bring it! He’s equal to every need we will ever face, and He will respond to each one according to His perfect love, timing, and will for our lives. The outcome is in His hands, but the invitation to call upon Him is in ours.

Pause: What message do you see from Matthew in combining these miracles?

Practice: What keeps you from bringing your minor or major needs to the Lord? This week, be intentional to bring it all to Him, no matter how small you think it is!

Pray: Lord, we bow in recognition that You are “all in” with Your love for us. Nothing is too small or too big for You—You care about everything from the minor to the major needs in our lives. Help us to be more instant in bringing all before You, no matter where it fits on our earthly spectrum. Help us to trust You the way You want to be trusted. Amen.