Mark 7:31-34

Mark 7:31-34 31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”).

Jesus goes to a new area next: Decapolis. It’s on the other side of Galilee from Tyre. There “some people” brought a deaf mute to Jesus and pleaded with Him to heal the man. Again, intercession. The man couldn’t ask for himself, he was deaf and dumb. There are people who are deaf to the Gospel and who won’t ask for themselves because they don’t know. They need someone to intercede for them.

He looked up to Heaven with a deep sigh. The word for sigh here means groan. Because He partners with us in His compassion He suffers with us.

Instantly the man could not only hear, but speak plainly. He may never have heard anything in his life, so to speak clearly was even a bigger miracle.

Next Jesus gives them orders not to tell anyone about this. He didn’t come to physically heal people and He didn’t want to be known for that so people would only come to Him for that purpose. But they were so excited they had to share. Every time God changes a heart we should get just as excited and run share the news!