Lk 4:38-44
38After he left the synagogue, [Jesus] entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. 39He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.
40At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. 41And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah.
42At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. 43But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
He Rebuked the Fever: Entering Simon’s house after rebuking the demon to come out of the possessed man (Lk 4:35), Jesus responds to the request of the household of Simon to heal his mother-in-law. Jesus does so by rebuking the fever. The healing is thus presented as an act of exorcism. This is because in the culture of the time, the disease is traced to an agent who victimizes the human being. Here, it is the demon called Fever. Verses 40-41 also suggest that the people with various diseases are tormented by demons, so that when Jesus heals them, the demons come out of them. Luke assimilates the technique of healing to that of exorcism.
The rebuke of the demonic Fever provides a further illustration of the power of Jesus’ word. This word had the authority to command the unclean spirits (Lk 4:36). Now, Jesus’ word heals and delivers the sick from their oppression, thought to be caused by demons.
In the healing, Luke accords the household a strategic role. Whereas Mark assigns the request on the woman’s behalf to the disciples (Mk 1:30), Luke says that the role belongs to the members of Simon’s household. Probably, Luke is teaching his Christian community that they must pray for the healing and salvation of the sick and sinners among them (Acts 8:15; see also Jas 5:14-15).