August 26, 2026 | Simon's Mother-in-law & A Leper | Lesson 352

MATT. 8:2-4, 14-17; MARK 1:29-45; LUKE 4:38-41; 5:12-16

Full lesson HERE

SIMON'S MOTHER-IN-LAW: According to Mark and Luke, after Jesus left the synagogue, He entered the house of Simon and Andrew (Mark 1:29; Luke 4:38). Simon Peter's wife's mother lay sick with a fever in the house.

A LEPER: When Jesus was in one of the cities, a leper came to him, and falling upon his knees, he begged Jesus to heal him. Leprosy was a dreaded disease in Biblical times, not only because of the horribleness of the disease itself, but also because of the isolation from society for those who contracted the disease.

Leprosy is an infectious disease that attacks the skin and nerves. It causes ulcers and white scaly scabs on the skin and destruction of the nerve endings, resulting in ugly deformities and gradual decaying of body parts. There was no cure for the disease in Jesus' time, and to prevent spread of the disease, the Law of Moses required a leper to live apart from other people. The leper was not allowed to enter any walled city; he had to wear torn clothes and a covering on his upper lip; as he went about, he had to cry "unclean, unclean" so that others would keep their distance. In short, the disease of leprosy was a living death.