2. JESUS HEALS A DEAF Mark 7:31-37 (Matt. 16:29-31). 31 And again he went out from the borders of Tyre,--How long Jesus remained in Tyre and Sidon is not stated. Having completed his work there he now starts on his way to another field of operation. and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.--He starts from Tyre and passes through Sidon. He travels northward. From Sidon he passed over into the borders of Decapolis, on the east of the Jordan, thus approaching the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Decapolis was a region of "ten cities," lying east of the Jordan. Only Mark gives an account of the following miracle. 32 And they--Friends of the deaf. Those interested in him. The demoniac of Gadara, after his healing, went through this region declaring what great things Jesus had done for him. (Mark 5:20.) Thus his fame was spread abroad in that region. bring unto him one that was deaf,--His friends conduct him to Jesus. He was merely diseased and not possessed of a demon. and had an impediment in his speech;--He was "a deaf stammerer." He was not entirely without hearing, but spoke indistinctly or with difficulty. and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.--That is, to cure him. Blessings were commonly imparted by laying on the hands. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude privately,--From the crowd in the presence of only a few witnesses. Why? Many reasons may be given and none be correct. (1) His friends had suggested their way of healing (to put his hands upon him) (verse 32); they needed to be taught that they should leave the way to Jesus. (2) The people may have gathered to see a great miracle. But Jesus would make no display; nor satisfy mere curiosity. (Matthew 12:15-21.) (3) He would withdraw from observation; and produce as little excitement as possible. (Mark 6:31-32; Mark 8:22-23.) (4) While he would strengthen their faith, he would not feed their superstition. (5) For the good of the man himself; that he might have a proper view of Christ's healing power. Jesus showed that he was not limited to any one way of exercising his miraculous power. and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue;--The diseased organ. Jesus spat on the eyes of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:23), and "on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed" the eyes of the blind man at Jerusalem (John 9:6). Why Jesus used the spittle in either case can only be an opinion on our part. But surely not on account of any healing power in it. This may be one way that Jesus teaches us that we are not to enter into the reasons of all his actions;and that when he has appointed any observance, we are humbly to submit, though we may not be able to see why it might not be different. 34 and looking up to heaven,--Heaven is upward. To lift up the eyes to heaven is an act imploring aid from God, and denotes an attitude of prayer. (Psalms 121:1-2; Mark 6:41; John 11:41.) By looking up to heaven, as representing the abode of God, he gave God recognition in the miracle. he sighed,--Groaned, pitying the suffering man who stood before him. The expression of his compassion in his sigh heavenward would naturally impress all present with the necessity of looking to God for help. and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.--A word in common language in Judea at that time. 35 And his ears were opened,--Every obstruction was removed, and a perfect action of the organs enjoyed. and the bond of his tongue was loosed,--The difficulty in speaking was removed. There is nothing for, but rather everything against, the supposition of some, that the cure was gradual. and he spake plain.--His stammering was all gone. A perfect cure. He spoke without difficulty--all could understand his speech. The process adopted in this case was peculiar. Jesus first put his fingers in the man's ears, then spat. He then touched the man's tongue, looked up to heaven, heaved a sigh, and exclaimed, "Be opened," and the man was healed. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man:--Why, he does not state, but we may be assured he had good reasons. It was, however, an impressive way of showing that he did not seek the praise of men. deal they published it.--Forbidding them publishing it seems to have created a great desire to spread the news. A very common freak of human nature is seen here, the more he charged them to keep the cure a secret, "the more a great deal they published it." 37 And they were beyond measure astonished,--Exceedingly --very much. In the Greek, "very abundantly." saying, He hath done all things well;--All things in a remarkable manner; or he has perfectly effected the cure of the deaf and the dumb. It is an exclamation of the highest approval and satisfaction. All God's creation was very good. he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.--Mark refers to this case and probably to others. Matthew (Matthew 15:30-31) states that many miracles were performed, among which were the dumb speaking. In this, and the parallel in Matthew, the characteristic difference between the two writers is seen. Matthew says that "there came unto him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they cast them down at his feet; and he healed them"; but he gives no particular description of any single case. Mark, on the other hand, selects a single one of these cures, and describes minutely both it and its effect on the people.