To Serve

Mark 1:29-39

“Jesus took her hand and raised her, and she served them”.

Notice how themes are linked.  In Mark 1:29-39 healing is linked with service: “Jesus took her hand and raised her, and she served them”. The private and the public spaces are linked. Jesus is in the synagogue then he is a private house. He is in a house and then he is in a wilderness space.

 The word that describes healing is “raised up” or resurrection. This word is repeated several times throughout the Gospel of Mark: for example, the paralytic in chapter two will also be “raised up” from his stretcher bed. The widow of Nain’s son will be raised as will Jairus’ daughter in 5.41. The theme of Resurrection is of obvious importance to the community that follows Jesus. Healing and Resurrection are linked. To be healed is to live the Resurrected life. What is the resurrected life? A life lived in Christ, with Christ, for Christ following the pattern of Christ. The pattern of Christ is death and resurrection, the baptismal pattern of dying with Christ and rising with Christ.

 Peter’s mother-in-law is raised and then serves. The word diaskow is used here. Here is what is important: the word diaskow is used of her and of Jesus. It is never used of any of the male disciples who are nearly always cast in a negative light in Mark’s Gospel as people who misunderstand Jesus and the kingdom of God. The image of her serving is not to be understood in a menial sort of way. Instead, she is one who is empowered, to exercise the ministry of Jesus, to share the ministry of Jesus and to own the ministry of Jesus. She is one of the disciples of Jesus, someone who “gets it”.