#ephphatha

#DailyDevotion Jesus Has Done All Things Well Mark 7:31-37 31Jesus again left the country of Tyre and went through Sidon and the country of the Decapolis (Ten-Towns] to the Sea of Galilee. 32Some people brought Him a man who was deaf and had a speech defect, and they urged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 33Taking him away from the crowd to be alone with him, He put His fingers into the man's ears. He spit and touched his tongue 34and looked up to heaven and sighed. Then He said to him, “Ephphatha!" which means, “Be opened!" 35His ears were opened, his tongue was set free to speak, and he talked naturally. 36 Jesus ordered the people not to tell anyone. But the more He forbade them, the more widely they spread the news. 37They were dumbfounded. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the speechless speak.” Jesus in this section of Mark has fairly much avoided Jewish places. While the Sea of Galilee area is surrounded by various non-Jewish people areas, the Galilee seemed to be predominately Jewish. He goes from Tyre through Sidon which are northwest of Galilee along the coast to the Decapolis which is on the southeast corner of the sea. So instead of the seemingly easier south down the coast and then east, Jesus goes to the Decapolis by going north, east and then south to get to the sea of Galilee. Perhaps he just needed a break from people who may have recognized him. When he gets there, the sea, people do recognize him and bring him a deaf-mute man. They want Jesus to lay his hand on him and heal him, but Jesus does not do as they expect. He takes the man away from the crowd to be alone with him. Jesus either thinks the man needs some specialized attention or he doesn't want people to see what he does. Based on verse 36 it seems he doesn't want the notoriety at the moment. Now I'm told this account by those who do deaf ministry this account is particularly special to them and those to whom they minister. Because of the man's dual disability of being deaf and mute, he may not have realized what was going on at the time with the crowds. Jesus taking the man aside shows the man he is important to Jesus. Secondly, there is the whole manner Jesus goes about healing the man. First he puts his fingers in the man's ears. He's letting him know I'm going to something about this. He spits and touches the man's tongue telling him he is going to do something about that as well. Jesus looks to heaven and sighs telling the man he is looking to heaven in prayer for the man. Jesus finally speaks the words, “Be opened!” and the man can now hear and speak naturally. Everyone is dumbfounded (which is ironic because they are not dumb (unable to speak) like the man was. Jesus commands the people to not speak of it but they do not listen and spread the word about it all over the place. They tell everyone, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the speechless speak.” The Spirit reminds the people of Isaiah's words in chapter 35, 4 “...'Have courage, don't be afraid. Look, your God comes with vengeance; God will pay back. He will come and save you.' 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened.” Jesus is God who has come to us. He has come and saved us. This miracle is a sign to us who Jesus is and why has has come. He brings salvation to you as he did the deaf-mute. Heavenly Father, through Jesus your dear son, open our ears so we may hear your Word and loosen our tongues so we may sing the praise of your salvation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Read the full article

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