Authority over the Virus! (LK 4:31-39)

In Luke’s gospel after being rejected in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus goes to Capernaum, in Galilee. News about Jesus is spreading and all are speaking well of him. In Capernaum, he teaches with authority on the Sabbath to the amazement of his hearers. Surely Jesus was teaching his liberating gospel to the poor and oppressed (Luke 4:1-14) Jesus proceeds to exercise his authority over the ‘unseen demonic realm’. In the presence of Jesus in a synagogue,  a demon evokes a man to cry out in a loud voice, 34 “What do you want Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 Jesus tells the ‘unclean spirit’ to be quiet and come out. This is exactly what the demon did and 36 the man was delivered and the people were amazed. 37 As a result, the news about Jesus spreads throughout the area.

38 Then Jesus goes to the home of Simon Peter where Simon’s mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her, so Jesus bends over Simon’s mother-in-law and rebukes the fever. Simon’s mother-in-law is healed and proceeds to wait on them. Jesus rebuked that fever, the fever leaves her and Simon’s mother-in-law is freed to serve Jesus and his growing band of disciples. 

In this ‘strange encounter’ Jesus speaks to a fever in a similar fashion as spoke to the demon in the synagogue. Jesus bent over Simon’s mother-in-law and rebuked the ‘high fever’ which left her (Luke 4:39). This peculiar episode is interpreted in various ways by those from various Christian traditions. What strikes me and what I think we can all agree on is that Jesus had authority over this fever and by implication the virus that caused it. Consequently, let us know that Jesus has authority over this current virus pandemic. I want to encourage all of us that Jesus has ‘power and authority’ over this virus and we can all ask him to help us (Luke 4:38). Moreover, let us asks our Lord Jesus Christ to speak to this ‘corona virus’ that it might leave us and leave us amazed with the ‘power and authority’ of our saviour the Lord Jesus Christ; AMEN!

Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on this weary world and speak to this wretched virus that it may leave us and leave us amazed by your ‘power and authority’.