Fever

"He touched her hand, and the fever left her"

The second public miracle of Jesus Christ was the healing of a child's fever.

"^4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. ^4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death [see What Happens When You Die?].

^4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

^4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

^4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.

And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. ^4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. ^4:52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour [i.e. about 1 pm; see Hours Of The Day] the fever left him.

^4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

^4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee." (John 4:46-54 KJV)

Although fever is usually the result of the body's immune system fighting an infection, ironically, those who get some kinds of infections are often those with weak immune systems - a potent immune system will eliminate a threat before an all-out war, a fever, against an out of control infection can happen. The specific recorded incidents of healing of fever were either that of the young (those whose immune system is not yet well developed) i.e. the nobleman's child, as recorded above, or older people (those whose immune system may not be functioning as well as it used to) i.e. the father of Malta's governor, as recorded below, and this example of Peter's wife's mother. The healing of fever was often then accompanied by healing of other sorts of ailments, physical, psychological - and spiritual (true Christians have their own sort of immune system against demonic infection i.e. the Holy Spirit).

"^8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house [see also Peter's Ministry and Houses Of The Holy], he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. ^8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

^8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with Devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: ^8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:14-17 KJV)

The apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry), and many others, by means of The Spirit Of God, also healed illnesses, including the father of Publius of Malta.

"^28:7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. ^28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. ^28:9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed" (Acts 28:7-9 KJV)

Fact Finder: What part does faith have in healing?
See Faith and Healing