Mark 7:31-37 - Healing a Deaf-Mute Man

Joel and Mary Nadel

From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text

Pray

Mark 7:31–37 NASB95

Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep 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 ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Jesus’ Ministry Travels

Romans 6:23 NASB95

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Introduction

Mark is one of the Gospels - it tells us how we can be reconciled to God and gain eternal life

Preceded by John, Jesus came from Galilee

John got the people’s attention

Jesus began his ministry

Signs and wonders demonstrated His lessons

Cripples, diseases, resurrections, casting out demons

Created food from nothing - controlled the weather

Knew He was going to the cross - trained His disciples

Last week, Jesus demonstrates what true faith is, and breaks down the evil of Jewish pride and prejudice

This week: Jesus finished with His mission in Sidon, heads back to Galilee, to the Decapolis, and ministers to a man who is both deaf and mute

Mark 7:32 NASB95

They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.

Another Mighty Miracle

We need to take note that another mighty miracle is recorded here

Immediately He granted their request and the man is cured - instantly provided by word and by touch

Mark 7:35 “And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.”

This is only half the lesson for us though - its not only an example of Jesus power- the power of God. Let’s look deeper

Jesus can heal the spiritually deaf!

Can give the chief of sinners a hearing ear

Can make even the worst sinners love hearing the Gospel that they once made fun of

He can also heal the spiritually mute!

Can teach the worst sinners to call upon God

Can put a new message in the mouth of them who talked only of the sinful world around them

When Jesus sends His spirit, nothing is impossible

Must not worry about others

Mustn’t believe our own hearts are so bad that they can’t be changed

He that healed this deaf-mute still lives

Cases that philosophers and moral intellectuals pronounce hopeless, can be cured by Christ

Mark 7:33-34

Mark 7:33–34 NASB95

Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

A strange way to heal

Second thing we notice is the strange way that our Lord used to work this miracle

Took him aside, put fingers in his ears, spit, touched his tongue, looked up to heaven and said Ephphatha - be opened

No doubt, these actions may seem strange to us. Not sure why He did it this way

He could have easily spoken the word and commanded the man to become healthy, as what He did here

Why He did it this way is not recorded - my opinion of why He might have done this

Jesus used a kind of sign language

We do know, the man was cured

One lesson: Christ used various ways to do His works among men and women

Sometimes one way, somtimes another

What no one could say, especially His enemies, is that His cures didn’t work

We see this as Christ continues to build His church today

Christ uses many different ways to bring grace to us

How did you come to Christ?

Sometimes He works through public preaching, sometimes by the Word shared privately

Sometimes He uses sickness, sometimes the counsel of friends

Sometimes His grace turns people away from their sins, sometimes He uses a providence - with no grace

No means of grace will be exalted over others and made an idol

None of his methods/means will be derided as useless or worthless - all are good and valuable

All are used for the same end - the conversion of sinners

All are God’s sovereign choice - He knows which will work best for each case

Mark 7:37 NASB95

They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Bringing it home - Remember:

A wonderful testimony before witnesses who saw this miracle - “He had done all things well!”

They probably didn’t realize the deeper truth of what they said

Caiaphas: John 11:51 “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,”

Look back at our past from the time we were saved

Our Lord has done all things well

Brought us out of the darkness of our sin into the marvelous light

Humbling and teaching us on our weakness, guilt, silliness - taking away our idols, placing us where we are, giving us what we have - all has been done well!

How merciful He is

Look forward to the days to come

Don’t know if they will be light or dark, many or few

Do know we are in the hands of Him who does all things well

He will not make mistakes in any of His dealings with us

give and take away

afflict and bereave

all with perfect wisdom, in the right way

He makes no mistakes

Leads each lamb in His flock by the right way to heaven

We will never see the full beauty of all this, until the resurrection morning - the day we rise from the grave and ascend to Heaven

We will be able to look back on our lives and understand what has happened, from beginning to end

We will remember all we have experienced, and be able to say that all was “well done”

The reasons, the causes of our difficulties, all will be clear and plain as the noon day un

We will wonder at our own blindness - marvel that we ever doubted our Lord’s love.

1 Corinthians 13:12–13 NASB95

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Prayers

Questions