Mother-In-Law, Role Model

How we read the Gospels has become quite a matter of discussion in recent decades. It is all too easy to read our own prejudices into the Gospel stories and to allow our readings to reinforce our prejudices. Stories of women in the Gospels have been a key area of such research. This observation is healthy, because misreading the Bible in ways that hurt people cannot be good. However, sometimes the Bible talks back.

The story of Peter’s mother-in-law is not often deemed a story that depicts women positively. As soon as she is healed, this unnamed woman makes a meal for everyone. Surely this does not depict women in a positive light, but chains them to the kitchen sink. Maybe we need to let this part of the story disappear from view as we rejoice in Jesus’ defeating the powers of evil in this text.

I wonder what Peter’s mother-in-law would say if she were around. I suspect she might not be too impressed. Jesus had healed her and she got up to serve others. Was this really an expression of her subservience and oppression? Or was she setting an example to both men and women of what the truest response to Jesus can be? When Jesus heals us, he equips us to carry on serving others. I suspect that Peter’s mother-in-law has understood what the disciples (including her wayward son-in-law) failed to understand in their desire to change the world they wanted to dominate (Mark 8:31–35; 10:35–45): she has understood the value of service. A later disciple, Paul, learned the same lesson. He tried power but on meeting Christ he learned the better way, imitating Christ in serving others (Phil. 2:5–11). Peter’s mother-in-law is one of many remarkable unnamed people. We ought to pause at her story, for she models the way of Jesus.

Which do you prefer: to serve or to be served? Be honest. In what ways can you develop more of a servant-heart?