Luke 4: 39
And standing over her, He rebuked the fever,and it left her. ...
In this same chapter, Jesus rebuked demons: the man in the synagogue with an unclean demon who testified that Jesus was "the Holy One of God" (vs. 33-35); and many demons who were crying out, "You are the Son of God," as He healed many (vs. 40-41).
So Jesus rebuked demons and a fever. So was the fever caused by a demon (it does not say that) or caused by a living virus or bacteria or fungus?
What (or who) else did Jesus rebuke? The winds and the sea (Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24), people, the demons in people (Mark 1:25, 8:33, 9:25; Luke 4:35, 9:42, 55), the devil (Matt. 17:18).
The winds and the sea we do not consider as living beings. But other than that, Jesus rebuked sentient beings (the fever could be either).
As Christians, we are commanded to rebuke a brother who is sinning (I Timothy 5:20; II Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:13, 2:15). The Angel said to the devil, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9). And in Revelation Jesus says, "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten" (Rev. 3:19).
<Have I gone off chasing a rabbit trail here?>
Father, help us to have Your wisdom and compassion in rebuking one another. Teach us to let personal insults and emotional injuries roll off us, and be concerned only with Your reputation. Show us what is important and what is trivial in Your Kingdom. Keep us from rebuking when it is not according to Your righteousness, but only when Your Name has been maligned.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
