01.16. Be Opened

Be Opened

Mark 7:31-37 The Healing Miracle of the Deaf and Dumb Man of Decapolis

Jesus had travel through the area of Decapolis on another occasion when He healed the maniac of Gadera. (See Mark 5:1-43) This man had broadcast all that Jesus had done for Him. Decapolis means "ten cities." The cities were located in the region of what is now Jordan. As Jesus comes into this area Matthew (Matthew 15:30 ) records that there were many miracles preformed. Mark however singles out this one. God put a special emphasis on this one man who was deaf and dumb.

    In some of the other miracles the Jesus preformed the physical aliment was attributed to demonic activity such as the maniac of Gadera. It seems not so in this case. This man had a natural problem not associated with demon possession or sin in the text.

I- The Miracle:

    Of the man in this story it was said that he could not hear and had a, "having an impediment in his speech." This phrase in Greek is only one word, "mogilalos (mog-il-al’-os)." This is the only place in the New Testament this word is used. It means "hardly talking, i.e. dumb (tongue-tied)." Notice it says that he only had an impediment to his speech. He could make noise but it was not recognizable. This is important for the application in a moment.

    His friends bring him to Jesus and ask that Jesus put His hand on him. Jesus takes the man aside from the multitude.

He"…puts his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue…" Notice that He first touched his ears and then his tongue. Many think that his wrong speaking was because of him not being able to hear. Jesus wishing to not call attention to Himself took Him aside. He looks into heaven, so the man would know from where His power came. He says to Him "Ephphatha, Be opened."

    Notice it says that his ears were immediately opened. He could hear and he could speak. Jesus charges him to tell no man but he immediately told everyone.

II- Applications:

Israel as we all well know rejected their Messiah. They are blind because of their unbelief. Paul spends two chapters in Romans talking about Israel being set aside for a small time. Romans 10:18-19 "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. ¹⁹ But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."

Israel stand in need of a touch of their ears so they can again hear what God is saying and indeed said to them 2000 years ago. Jesus is Messiah. Will this happen? Yes! Notice Genesis 35:1, Genesis 35:5-6 "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose…. ⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. ⁶ Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing…" The time is coming when Israel will hear what they should have heard before.

This great nation that God allowed to be raise up was built on God’s word. The laws of our land are taken from the principles set forth in the Word of God. What happened, you ask. We lost our fear of God. Many in America are crying out about prayer being taken out of school, the courthouse, and the public arena. There is a sense of something very wrong in our land. Poles seem to say things are all right but there is a sense of impending judgment. We have a nation that is polluted with the cesspool coming into our homes each day. Is there any hope? Yes! The very fact that God has allowed this to happen and cause us to reflect on our relationship with Him as a nation shows us He is dealing with us. Personally we need to stop and allow God to open our ears to hear His word and then express our opinion based on what He says not what we feel or hear.

The final picture for us out of this miracle is of a lost man. Acts 28:26-27 records the words of Paul to the Jewish leaders in Rome shortly after he arrived there as a prisoner. He quotes the prophet Elijah and says, "Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: ²⁷ For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

He of course is speaking of Israel but it also shows the condition of the lost men and women of this world. The man in the story of our text was deaf and when he spoke, or tried to, it did not make sense. The world is full of lost men who cannot hear the things of God and they are babbling fools about evolution, morality, and almost any other subject.

Mankind fell and stands in need of a touch of the Master to hear and speak. The good news is that Christ died so you may hear and understand and then tell others.