\u00a0<\/p>\n
TEXT \u2014 Mark 7: 31-37 \u2014 Cure of a Deaf Mute<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Setting: Outside Judeae<\/strong><\/p>\n 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap\u2019olis.<\/em><\/p>\n Deaf Man with Speech Impediment<\/strong><\/p>\n 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, \u201cEph\u2019phatha,\u201d that is, \u201cBe opened.\u201d 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.<\/em><\/p>\n People\u2019s Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, \u201cHe has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n EXPLANATION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap\u2019olis.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThen he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap\u2019olis<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The geographical setting is Gentile territory. Jesus is now preaching and healing the Gentiles or non\u2013Jews. The references probably indicate that he went through the whole territory. Experts on the region claim that he would have had to spent several months, as many as eight perhaps, in these places because they are so far apart and travel conditions were difficult. Decapolis refers to the district of ten cities that were loosely joined.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAnd they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus had visited this area previously (Mk. 5: 1) and cured a man possessed by a devil, the Gerasene demoniac. Then the people asked Jesus to leave them (Mk. 5: 17). Now they welcome him.<\/p>\n \u201cand they besought him to lay his hand upon him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The laying of hands for healing is not mentioned in the Old Testament or in Jewish writings. It is common in the Gospels and Acts (Mk. 5: 23; 6:5; 7: 32; 8: 23\u201325; 16: 18)<\/p>\n Being deaf it is most likely that the man was not aware of Jesus and his power. His friends had faith in Jesus\u2019 power and acted on the man\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, \u201cEph\u2019phatha,\u201d that is, \u201cBe opened.\u201d 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAnd taking him aside from the multitude privately<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus does not wish to reveal himself as the Messiah. At this stage the people had pre\u2013conceived ideas that the Messiah would be a national and political king. They thought of him as coming to bring Utopia where all their physical needs and desires would be taken care of. After the crucifixion and resurrection those ideas would be purified. Then that would be the time to allow people to recognise him as Messiah.<\/p>\n \u201che put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue<\/em>\u201d \u2014 These gestures symbolised what would occur: the deaf man\u2019s ears would open so that he would hear; his tongue would be loosened so that he could speak clearly. The gestures indicated to the man who could not hear what Jesus was doing for him.<\/p>\n The finger in the ear<\/em> symbolises God\u2019s action (Ex. 8: 19). St. Gregory the Great (6th century) has written: \u201cThe Spirit is called the finger of God\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cspat and touched his tongue<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Spitting was a common gesture against evil. Jewish doctors at the time believed in the power of spittle to cure. Animals certainly have the power of healing in their saliva. On another occasion Jesus used spittle to cure a blind man (Mk. 8: 23). He used spittle as a symbol of healing.<\/p>\n \u201cand looking up to heaven<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus looked up to heaven before he blessed and broke the loaves in Mark\u2019s account of the multiplication of loaves and fish (Mk. 6: 41). He was expressing his relationship with God his Father, the source of his power.<\/p>\n \u201che sighed<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus\u2019 deepest feelings are mentioned frequently by Mark: 1: 41 (moved with<\/em> pity<\/em>), 43 (sternly charged him<\/em>); 3: 5 (looking around at them with anger<\/em>); 7: 34 (looking up to heaven, he sighed<\/em>); 8: 12 (he sighed deeply in his spirit<\/em>); 10: 14 (he was indignant<\/em>), 21 (looking upon him, loved him<\/em>).<\/p>\n \u201cand said to him, \u201cEph\u2019phatha,\u201d that is, \u201cBe opened<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This is an Aramaic word, used in the Old Testament. It is normal for Mark to explain Aramaic words for his Roman readers to whom he wrote.<\/p>\n Note that it is by his word that Jesus works the miracle.<\/p>\n Secondly, the gestures were symbols. Jesus did not refer to the ears, tongue or speech. He told the man to \u201cbe<\/em> opened<\/em>\u201d. Jesus cured the whole man, not just a particular organ or two.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Mark gives details of the effect of the miracle.<\/p>\n When God appointed Moses to go forth in his name and speak with Pharaoh, Moses pointed out that he was unable to speak properly and so would be unsuited. God told him that he was to go as God was the creator of speech and would give him the necessary ability. In this present passage Jesus is seen exercising the powers of creation unique to God. He claims to have divine power, to be divine.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAnd he charged them to tell no one<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Once again (see verse 33) Jesus seeks privacy in performing the miracle. Other requests for silence about miracles are in Mk. 1: 34, 44\u201345; 5: 43; 8: 26.<\/p>\n \u201cbut the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The word \u201cproclaim<\/em>\u201d is reserved in Mark\u2019s Gospel for the preaching of Jesus and his disciples (Mk. 1: 14\u201315, 38, 39; 3: 14; 6: 12; 13: 10; 14: 9). That it is used here indicates that \u201cthe multitude<\/em>\u201d (v. 33) and the cured man were declaring Jesus to be the Messiah. The man with the unclean spirit, called \u201clegion<\/em>\u201d, also could not remain silent but \u201cwent away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marvelled<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 5: 20).<\/p>\n Many people are silent in proclaiming the word of God because like the man cured in this miracle they have not heard the word of God.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, \u201cHe has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAnd they were astonished beyond measure<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This is a much stronger statement than the quotation in Mk. 5: 20 (\u201cAll men marvelled<\/em>\u201d). Surprise, wonder, awe and fear occur 34 times in Mark\u2019s Gospel. We too should react in this way to Jesus\u2019 words and works (deeds).<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018He has done all things well\u2019\u201d \u2014 <\/em>Following the creation story in Genesis (see Gn. 1: 31), this could be a reference that this miracle is a new creation and the Messianic age.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 This refers to Isaiah 35: 4\u20135, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped\u201d.<\/em> Isaiah had announced the Messianic Age and Mark\u2019s account of the miracle, in view of Isaiah and the reaction of the \u201cmultitude<\/em>\u201d, indicates that Jesus is the Messiah who has come to the Gentiles.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n APPLICATION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n We are told quite plainly that Jesus is divine, exercising the powers of creation by giving hearing and speech to one who did not have either. In the Book of Genesis, when God had completed creation, we were told that \u201che has done all things well<\/em>\u201d (Gn. 1: 31). The crowd now uses these words to endorse that they regard Jesus as having divine powers, and therefore being divine.<\/p>\n Secondly, we are told that Jesus is the Messiah. The prophecies were that the Messiah would give hearing to the deaf and speech to the dumb. He exercises both of these in this passage. The Age of the Messiah has arrived.<\/p>\n Jesus came into the world to save it, that is, to heal the broken relationship with God. When he heals this deaf and tongue-tied man, he is showing himself as our Saviour. We are not to regard him as a mere miracle\u2013worker or a magician. He is proclaiming the Good News that God loves us.<\/p>\n We are also shown that God has truly come in the flesh: the hand that heals, the finger, the saliva, the sigh, the look to heaven and speech.<\/p>\n In the Rite of Baptism there is an element that is based exclusively on this Gospel reading. After the actual pouring of water and words that are the essential part of the Sacrament, and some other symbolic signs with prayers, the officiating priest makes the sign of the cross on the ears and mouth of the child or person being baptised, using the words \u201cThe Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father\u201d<\/em>. The reasoning behind this symbol and words is that as in Baptism we have undertaken a special relationship with Jesus, we are one with him (Rm. 6: 11), our ears are to be open to hear his word and our tongues loosened to proclaim his deeds and words, like the crowd, in awe and wonder.<\/p>\n The Venerable Bede has a beautiful remark: \u201cHe is deaf and dumb, who neither has ears to hear the words of God, nor opens his mouth to speak them, and such must be presented to the Lord for healing, by men who have already learned to hear and speak the divine oracles.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 TEXT \u2014 Mark 7: 31-37 \u2014 Cure of a Deaf Mute \u00a0 Setting: Outside Judeae 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap\u2019olis. Deaf Man with Speech Impediment 32 And they brought to him a man who was<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2818"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2835,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2818\/revisions\/2835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n