The Gospel of Mark 7:31-37

 

Brian Hirvela

6/21/2024

"And again, He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they pleaded with Him to lay His hand on him. And Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven with a sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He was ordering them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. And they were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Jesus had done what he was meant to do in the coastlands, “for they saw a great light; those who live in the land of the shadow of death, the light had shone on them.” (Isa 9:2) Jesus is the light of the world and He brings life to mankind throughout the world, starting in Jerusalem to the ends of the world.

He left the coastlands, Tyre, and headed via Sidon to the Sea of Galilee near the Decapolis. You may recall this is a region where ten cities are incorporated, where the demoniac who had been cleansed of a legion of demons went and proclaimed what Jesus had done for him, and the swine herders who wanted Him to depart from their region.

And the people of the region brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and spoke with difficulty. It is possible that the man’s deafness was not natural for it says the man spoke with difficulty. A person born deaf would not talk with difficulty because they would not know sound which would render them mute. But this man’s deafness might have come from an accident and impeded his speech.

They pleaded with Jesus to heal this man; they wanted Him to lay his hand on him. John Calvin states, “The laying on of hands would of itself have been sufficiently effectual, and even, without moving a finger, He might have accomplished it by a single act of His will, but it is evident that he made abundant use of outward signs when they were found to be advantageous.”

Jesus took the man aside from the crowd, by Himself. Normally Jesus would do His miracles publicly before all the people, but he did this privately away from others. He did this not to seek His own glory.  Jesus is teaching that when we do our good works not all of them need to be done to seek our own glory.

Jesus does tell us in the Sermon on the Mount that our good works should be seen, but only for the glory of God and not for ourselves. When we give in charity or help another, God knows and sees all, we do so privately and with reverence to Yahweh.

Then Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and spit. He then touched his tongue. These outward signs show that power was coming from Him not anyone else. He looked up to heaven, prayed, and sighed in pity for the man, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

The man's ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. This is the miracle of what salvation does; it makes one able to see, hear, and speak the truth. It comes from above, “When Jesus spoke these words He looked up to heaven and said “Father, glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.” (Jn 17:1-2)

Sin deafens and blinds mankind, it makes people deaf and speak with difficulty, unable to comprehend truth and blind to their sin. Only the power of Jesus can save you and show you the truth through His Spirit. Like this man, Jesus can open your ears to hear and loosen your tongue to speak plainly.

And Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone for He was not looking for glory, He had compassion for mankind but was not there to be glorified by man at this time. “But the more He was ordering them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.” In their zeal, they made known what had happened and His fame grew, though He sought to ease into what was to come.

“And they were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” He has cleansed people of demons, made the blind see, opened the ears of the deaf, and raised the dead. He is compassionate to those who are hungry and does the will of His Father for our salvation.

“He has done a great deal of good and has done it well, modestly and humbly, and very devoutly, and all free, without money and without price, which added much to the luster of his good works. He makes both the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak, and that is well, it is well for them, it is well for their relations, to whom they had been a burden; and therefore, they are inexcusable who speak ill of him.”
(M. Henry)

Jesus came to save sinners. Sinners suppress the truth and hide in their darkness because they love darkness. They are unbelieving, vile, foolish, rebellious, haters of God who have adopted the ideologies of this world and the doctrines of men. They have become slaves to their sexual desires, perverting the flesh and mind, and rebelling against the created order of God. They are doomed to condemnation and will be judged by Jesus and sent to Hell where they will burn for eternity in the lake of fire.

However, God so loved His creation, mankind, that He sent His Son Jesus, who can forgive you of your sins and redeem you because He has the authority and power. Jesus brings eternal life to all who repent and believe. For Jesus bore all our sins; He bore all the sins of all who believe in Him. Jesus was born and lived a perfect life of obedience to God as a man. Jesus was condemned to be executed and die in the sinner's place. He suffered the totality of God's wrath upon Himself on the Cross, which every sinner deserves, so that those who believe in Jesus may have peace with God. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death, and lives, and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is in your midst with us offering you salvation.