Updated: Feb 25
In our daily meditations, we continue to explore the Lord Jesus' supernatural ministry while He walked among us. Today, we examine Mark's account of the healing of a deaf man with a speech impediment:
31Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mark 7:31-37).
Beyond the Formula: Christ’s Reliance on the Father
No one can claim that the Lord acted in only one way. There was no fixed formula for how He healed the sick. Jesus relied on what the Father revealed to Him in every situation. He could have simply spoken a word of healing, and it would have happened, but no method of healing was favored over another. Christ demonstrated total reliance on the Father. He did not explain to His disciples why He led the man away from the crowd or why He sighed before commanding, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened” (v. 35). There are no magical words to say when praying for the sick; we should follow Christ’s example and learn to be obedient to the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit. In verse 34, Mark notes that Jesus "looked up to heaven and sighed." This isn't just a breath; the Greek word implies a deep groan of compassion. Jesus wasn't just performing a mechanical repair; He was feeling the weight of the man's suffering and the brokenness of a world filled with disease. It reminds us that when we pray for healing, we aren't talking to a distant deity, but to a Savior who deeply feels our pain.
Why Does God Use Unusual Methods?
Jesus put His fingers into the man's ears, spat, and then touched the man's tongue. Sounds unusual, right? Sometimes, God does things that challenge our minds to open our hearts. It’s similar to Naaman, the Syrian general, who was told by the prophet Elijah to dip in the muddy Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5). Naaman was initially offended, thinking Syria's rivers were cleaner than the Jordan. But when he obeyed the command, he washed in the Jordan and was completely healed of leprosy. Obedience is essential to seeing God’s work in our lives.
The Intimacy of the 'Aside'
Why did Jesus lead the man away from the crowd? Perhaps because the greatest transformations happen in the quiet, private spaces of our lives. By taking him aside, Jesus moved the man from being a "spectacle" to being a "son." He gave him undivided attention, a deep sigh of empathy, and a personal touch. If you feel "spiritually deaf" today, perhaps the Lord is calling you away from the noise of the crowd to speak a private word of "Ephphatha" over your heart.
Astonished Beyond Measure: A Testimony of Transformation
When people witnessed what Jesus did, their testimony was, “They were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak’” (v. 37). Indeed, all of us who are disciples will reflect on how the Lord has transformed us, and we will testify that the Lord has done all things well for us. At the end of our lives, when we look forward to living with Christ for eternity, we, too, will be astonished at what He has accomplished. Furthermore, on our deathbed, there will come that resurrection day when we will look at one another in our new glorious bodies (1 Corinthians 15), and our joy will be complete in our transformation by the power of God. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
If you found this meditation meaningful, there is much more to explore about God’s plan in our free-to-read or download 66 studies in the Gospel of Luke, YouTube video teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos