Mark 7:31-37 31And again after going out from the region of Tyre, he went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the region of the Decapolis. 32And they brought to him a deaf and mute man, and they begged him order that he might lay his hand on him. 33And after taking him away from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears and touched spit on his tongue, 34and after looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke correctly. 36And Jesus commanded them so that they would say nothing. But as much as he told them, even more they proclaimed. 37And they were exceedingly amazed, saying, “He has done all things well, and he even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Jesus continued on his long journey, traveling north along the Mediterranean coast to Sidon and then turning east across the Sea of Galilee to the area of Decapolis. This area was populated mostly with Gentiles. This journey fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 35 as Jesus traveled through the areas mentioned in this passage. Verse 5 of this passage specifically speaks to the next scene: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.”
Verse 32 does not give a clear subject, but whoever brought the deaf and speechless man saw hope in Jesus. This story adds further insights into how Jesus broke down barriers between Jews and Gentiles and crossed ethnic lines to help people. He was in the general area where the Gerasene man freed from a legion of demons went as a witness back in 5:20. His testimony had prepared the way for when Jesus went through there again. The man brought to Jesus could not hear or speak. These two physical challenges often go together because hearing is important for speaking. The man could not hear and so could not speak clearly. The people believed all that Jesus needed to do was place his hand on the man and he would be healed. Their intervention by bringing the man to Jesus and their faith that he could heal the man are the key foundations of this story.
The method Jesus healed this man appears unique to this situation. Jesus called the man aside to be alone with him. By doing this, Jesus was showing kindness to someone whose life was likely difficult around other people. Jesus could have simply spoken the word, and the man would have been healed, but instead, he used physical symbolism to engage the man’s senses in the healing. People believed in those days that spittle could cure. The physical touch helped the man experience the compassion of Jesus in a vivid way.
Jesus’ healing was accompanied by a simple prayer in one Aramaic word, one of the few recorded in the New Testament. Mark translates it for the reader. Why did Jesus heal this way? It may have been because of his location and audience among Gentiles. He pointed this man, who may have been a pagan, to the one true God of heaven. None of these actions were necessary for the man’s healing, but each was done to strengthen his faith. The miracle is emphasized by how the man was able to speak clearly.
The people who had gathered, brought the man, or watched as spectators were amazed, as might be expected. Like in other situations, Jesus wanted to keep the publicity low. His journey would take him to the cross and not the palace. He will soon turn his direction towards Jerusalem and the cross. On this journey, he would call his disciples to consider the cost of following him. This story demonstrates how Jesus cares about each individual. He comes to each of us as we are, where we are, and always in terms of our needs. He wants more than amazed on-lookers.
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