Reflections on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:31

Healed and Serving

This is an interesting verse in the Gk because there are three actions being described. The first is that Jesus came to her. The second is that he took her hand. The third is that he raised her up. Apparently the Gks did not like to use more than one main verb in a sentence, so two of the verbs are written as participles (i.e. "having done this...")

προσελθων (2nd Aorist, Active, Participle, Nominative, Singular, Masculine) "having come to".

ηγειρεν is the main verb (Aorist, Active, Indicative, 3S) "he raised".

κρατησας (Aorist Active Participles Nominative, Singluar, Masculine) "to take hold of". Mar_5:41

As mentioned in my notes on the previous verse, there is a hint of personification of the fever here. Mark records that they fever "left" her. The boundaries between the spiritual realm and the physical realm were not as distinct in ancient times as in our modernist Western thought. There was some association of sickness (esp. fever) with demon possession. Luke's account draws this out more. I wouldn't make a big point of it, but it is interesting to note that the fever is described as "leaving", rather than Peter's mother-in-law being described as being healed.
One point many commentators note is that the healing was so complete that she did not require a recuperation period, but immediately was able to serve them. Was this simply her role in the family, that she was now able to fulfil? Was it motivated by gratitude for the healing? We do know that Jesus was served by many women that he healed. (Mar_15:40-41)