JESUS HEALS A DEAF MAN

Mark 7:31-37 / Keywords 7:34

He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ).

7:31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.[h] 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Footnotes

h. Mark 7:31 That is, the Ten Cities

1. A deaf and mute man (31-32)

Jesus continued traveling north to Sidon and even further into Gentile territory. Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged for Jesus’ mercy. Jesus revealed the universal love of God by caring for his lost sheep even in Gentile territory.

 

2. ”Ephphatha!” (33-37)

Taking the man aside, Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and then spit and touched his tongue. Why? Jesus was using sign language to help the man understand that he was intending to heal his hearing and his speech. Jesus also looked toward heaven, turning the man’s faith to God. He said, “Ephphatha!” meaning, “Be opened!” (34). Immediately, the man could hear and speak plainly. The man disobeyed Jesus’ direction not to tell anyone and drew unwanted attention to Jesus.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to communicate faith and your love to those who cannot hear plainly physically or spiritually.

One Word Jesus heals the deaf and mute