Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 7:32
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
32. one that was deaf ] The healing of this man, on the east side of the Jordan, is related only by St Mark.
and had an impediment ] The word thus rendered does not imply that he was a mute, as some have thought, but that with his deafness was connected a disturbance of the organs of speech, so that he could make no intelligible sounds. Tyndale renders it “one that was deffe and stambred in hys speche.”
they beseech him ] This is one of the few instances where the friends of the sufferer brought the sick man to Christ. We have already met with another instance in the case of the paralytic borne of four (Mar 2:3-5), and shall meet with another in the case of the blind man of Bethsaida in Mar 8:22-26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They bring – That is, his friends brought, or the people brought.
One that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech – Not entirely mute, but who spoke indistinctly or with difficulty. His deafness might not have been of long standing, and his speech, therefore, not entirely ruined.
To put his hand upon him – That is, to cure him. Blessings were commonly imparted by laying on the hands.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 32. They bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech] Though from the letter of the text, it does not appear that this man was absolutely deprived of speech; for literally signifies, one that cannot speak plainly – a stammerer; yet it is certain also that the word means a dumb person; and it is likely that the person in question was dumb, because he was deaf; and it is generally found that he who is totally deaf is dumb also. Almost all the versions understand the word thus: and the concluding words seem to confirm this – He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the DUMB, , to speak.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
32. And they bring unto him one thatwas deaf . . . and they beseech him to put his hand upon himIntheir eagerness they appear to have been somewhat too officious.Though usually doing as here suggested, He will deal with this casein His own way.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they bring unto him one that was deaf,…. There were two sorts of persons that were called deaf among the Jews; one that could neither hear nor speak; such were they who were born deaf; and so having never heard any thing, it was impossible they should ever speak: the other sort were they that could speak, but not hear; who lost their hearing by some disaster or another, but retained their speech c: of this sort seems to be this man, who though he had some difficulty in speaking, yet could speak a little,
and had an impediment in his speech; or could “scarcely speak”, as the word signifies; though it is sometimes used by the Septuagint, for one that was entirely dumb, as in Isa 35:6 and so it is here rendered “dumb”, by the Vulgate Latin, and other versions; yet it seems to design one that stammered, and could not speak plainly, and without great difficulty: he was tongue tied, as it should seem from Mr 7:35. This man, the inhabitants of the parts where Christ now was, his relations or friends, bring to him, having heard of his fame, and perhaps they had seen miracles performed by him:
and they beseech him to put his hand upon him; firmly believing, that upon his so doing, the man’s hearing would come to him, and he would speak without difficulty: very likely they had seen cures performed by Christ in this way, or at least heard, that by laying his hands on persons disordered, they had been restored to the right use of their senses, or limbs; wherefore they most earnestly entreated, he would be pleased to do the same favour to this poor man. The case of this man much resembles that of a sinner in a state of nature, who is deaf to the voice, both of law and Gospel: he does not hearken to the commanding voice of the law, or attend to its precepts, nor can he be subject to it; nor does he hear its menaces and curses, nor is he at all affected and disturbed with these things; and, like the deaf adder, he stops his ear to the charming voice of the Gospel; he despises it, and has it in the utmost abhorrence: he is deaf to all the instructions, directions, cautions, and exhortations, of the ministers of the word; and even of his best friends, relations, and acquaintance nor can he speak the language of Canaan; it is a strange language to him; he can neither talk it himself, nor understand it in others; for as he has no experience of the grace of God in him, he must be dumb, and cannot speak of what he has no knowledge: and indeed, it may be observed of such who are under the first workings of the spirit of God upon the soul, that they are often as it were tongue tied, and through fear or bashfulness, or the temptations of Satan, care not to speak; or with great difficulty are brought to speak of what God has done for them; and at first, it is but in a lisping, stammering way, they do speak of these things and as the friends and relations of this man, having a great opinion of Christ, and a persuasion of his ability to relieve and cure him, bring him unto him, that he might put his hands upon him; so do such who know Christ themselves, and have felt the power of his grace upon their own souls, bring their deaf and dumb, their relations in a state of nature, under the means of grace; being very desirous that Christ would make bare, and put forth his mighty arm of grace, and lay hold upon them, and work a good work in them, and give them ears to hear his voice, and a tongue to speak his praise.
c Mish. Trumot, c. 1. sect. 2. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And they bring unto him ( ). Another of Mark’s dramatic presents. This incident only in Mark.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Deaf [] . See on Mt 9:32.
Had an impediment in his speech [] . Mogiv, with difficulty; lalov, speaking. Not absolutely dumb. Compare he spake plain, verse 35.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they bring unto Him one that was deaf,” (kai pherousin auto kophon) “And they brought a deaf man to Him,” a prospect for healing that too had been prophesied of the Lord, Isa 19:18.
2) “And had an impediment in his speech (kai mogilalon) “And who was impaired in speech, who was speaking with difficulty, who had a speech impediment,” was tongue-tied, that the miraculous healing power of Jesus might be demonstrated, even as it shall in an even greater way in the Millennial era, Isa 35:5-6.
3) “And they beseech Him,” (kai parakalousin auton) “And they besought Him,” or appealed to Him, (to Jesus).
4) “To put His hand upon him.” (hina epithe auto ten cheira) “in order that (for the purpose that) He would lay His hand on him,” on the deaf and speech impaired man. They had likely heard of His laying hands on others to heal them and thought personal contact was necessary, though it was not, as He had recently healed the Syrophoenician’s daughter, though not even present, Mar 7:29-30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 7:32
. And they bring to him one who was deaf. The reason why they implored him to lay his hands upon him may be learned from passages which we have already considered; for the laying on of hands was a solemn symbol of consecration, (423) and by means of it, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were also bestowed. And there is no doubt that this ceremony was frequently used by Christ; so that those men requested nothing but what they knew that he had been formerly in the habit of doing. On the present occasion, Christ employs other symbols; for he puts his spittle on the tongue of the dumb man, and puts his fingers into his ears. The laying on of hands would of itself have been sufficiently efficacious, and even, without moving a finger, he might have accomplished it by a single act of his will; but it is evident that he made abundant use of outward signs, when they were found to be advantageous. Thus, by touching the tongue with spittle, he intended to point out that the faculty of speech was communicated by himself alone; and by putting his finger into the ears, he showed that it belonged to his office to pierce the ears of the deaf. There is no necessity for having recourse to allegories; and we find that those who have amused themselves with ingenious discussions on this subject, are so far from bringing forward any thing of real value, that they tend rather to hold up the Scriptures to ridicule. Readers of sobriety and judgment will be satisfied with this single instruction, that we obtain from Christ, in answer to our prayers, both speech and hearing; for he pours his energy into our tongues, and pierces our ears with his fingers.
(423) “ Pour dedier et eonsacrer les personnes;” — “for dedicating and con-secrating persons.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(32) They bring unto him one that was deaf.The narrative that follows is peculiar to St. Mark. The locality is not named, but was probably somewhere near the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Had an impediment in his speech.The English rendering is quite accurate, but it may be noted that the word which St. Mark uses stands for dumb in the Greek version of Isa. 35:6, and may therefore have been used by him to connect the miracle which he describes with that prophecy.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
68. HEALING DEAFNESS AND IMPEDIMENT, Mar 7:31-37 .
32. One that was deaf That had become so since his birth and learning to speak. An impediment in his speech A defect of utterance, as some think, which had grown upon him from not hearing his own voice, as is often the case. It was more probably a tongue tie in addition to his deafness, as appears by the description of the cure in Mar 7:35.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they bring to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech and they beg him to lay his hands on him.’
The fact that Mark deliberately brings out that all present expected Jesus to ‘lay His hands on Him’ stresses the unusualness of the healing, because He actually did not do that. This suggests that Mark wants us to see significance in what He actually did do. The one who was brought was stone deaf as revealed by the resultant inability to speak properly. Had he had slight hearing he could have learned to speak properly. It may, however, be that the man was a deaf mute.
We do not know whether the man was a Jew or a Gentile. The fact that Jesus used Aramaic in His healing is hardly decisive. When He spoke the words the man was still deaf. Probably he is intended to represent both Jew and Gentile, for all were deaf to God and His word.
‘An impediment in his speech.’ The Greek ‘mogilalon’ is rare. Interestingly in LXX it occurs only in Isa 35:6, confirming the suggestion that Mark has that passage in mind. It indicates that an example of the presence of the Kingly Rule of God is about to be demonstrated. Its prime meaning is speech impediment, but it can mean dumb. Mar 7:35 ‘he spoke plainly’ would suggest the former meaning here, although ‘dumb’ in Mar 7:37 would support the latter. But as Mark is intending reference to Isa 35:6, where it does mean dumb, the double entendre is understandable.
Thus Mark (and Jesus) intends us to see the man as symbolising man in his deafness to the divine message (like the disciples would be seen to be – Mar 8:18). And because man is deaf he can only stutter when speaking about God. Jesus was concerned for His disciples to receive from this the message that they too were deaf and stuttering, and that the One Who would unstop the ears of the deaf and make the tongue of the dumb sing was now here. (If we can assume that the disciples were with Him this was a message for the disciples, He did not want the incident to be passed on outside – Mar 7:36). He was working up to Caesarea Philippi (Mar 8:27-31) which would come after the time in the region of Sidon.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mar 7:32-33. And had an impediment in his speech: . He was not absolutely dumb, but stammered to such a degree, that few understood his speech, Mar 7:35. However, the circumstance of his being able to speak in any manner, shews that his deafness was not natural, but accidental. He had heard formerly, and had learned to speak; but was now deprived of hearing, perhaps, through some fault of his own, which might be the reason that Jesus sighed for grief when he cured him. The friends of this man brought him to Jesus, and interceded for him, because he was not able to intercede for himself: his desire, however, of a cure, may have prompted him to do his utmost in speaking, whereby all present were made sensible of the greatness of the infirmity under which he laboured. Our Lord’s exuberant goodness easily led him to give this person the relief that his friends begged for him; yet he would not do it publicly, lest the admiration of the spectators should have been raised so high, as to produce bad effects; for the whole country was now following him in expectation that he would soon set up his kingdom: or, as Gadara, where his miracle upon the demoniacs had been so ill received, was part of this region, (see Luk 8:26.) he might shun performing the miracle publicly, because it would have no effect upon so stupid a people. Whatever was the reason, he took the man with his relations aside from the crowd; and because the deaf are supposed to have their ears shut, and the dumb their tongues so tied or fastened to the under part of their mouth, as not to be able to move it, (see Mar 7:35.) he put his fingers into the man’s ears, and then touched or moistened his tongue with his spittle, to make him understand that he intended to open his ears, and loosen his tongue. This, perhaps, was the only reason for these symbolical actions. Spiritual writers have given different interpretations of them.”If any one should ask,” says Dr. Doddridge, “why our Lord used these actions, when a word alone would have been sufficient, and when such means, if they may be called means, could in themselves do nothing at all to answer the end? I frankly confess I cannot tell;nor am I at all concerned to know; yet I am ready to imagine it might be intended to intimate, in a very lively manner, that we are not to pretend to enter into the reasons of all his actions; and that where we are sure that any observance whatever is appointed by him, we are humbly to submit to it, though we cannot see why it was preferred to others, which our imagination might suggest. Had Christ’s patients, like Naaman, (2Ki 5:11-12.) been too nice in their exceptions on these occasions, I fear they would have lost their cure: and the indulgence of a curious or a petulant mind would have been but a poor equivalent for such a lo
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
4. The Healing of the Deaf and Dumb Man. Mar 7:32-37
(Parallel: Mat 15:29-31)
32And they bring unto him one that was deaf,14 and had an impediment in his speech 33[a stammerer]; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his 34tongue: And, looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that Isaiah , 35 Be opened. And straightway15 his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he16 charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
See on Matthew.The healing of the deaf and dumb man on the east side of the Jordan is a narrative peculiar to Mark. In regard to time it is closely connected with the two foregoing events: occurring at the termination of the Lords travels towards Phnicia and through Decapolis back to the eastern border of the Sea of Galilee (Gaulonitis). Mark shows, in his account of the miracles, a preference for those healings in which the gradual process of the cure, as connected with the instrument and the development of it, is vividly presented. Thus, in his account, the daughter of the Syrophenician woman lies exhausted upon her bed after her deliverance. Thus, he represents Jesus as commanding them to give the daughter of Jairus something to eat. And he alone records the healing of the blind man at Bethsaidaa process which was gradual, and performed in two stages. And here he alone communicates a narrative in which the miraculous act of the Lord is closely connected with the application of the saliva.
Mar 7:32. A deaf man, who could not well speak.Meyer opposes this translation: is wrongly translated, a deaf man difficult of speech (see Beza, Maldonatus, De Wette)., although it seems in its formation to be hard of speech, corresponds in the Septuagint to the Hebrew , dumb. See Isa 35:5, &c. Hence it is a deaf and dumb man (Vulgate, Luther, Calovius, Ewald), which is also confirmed by . Since does literally mean one who speaks with difficulty,and it is said of this one, that after his cure he spoke (not simply he spoke),the meaning of the words is sufficiently established. With deafness there is connected a disturbance of the organs of speech, or a general perversion of speech.
Mar 7:33. Aside from the multitude.Wherefore? 1. He would make no display (Theophylact); He would not nourish superstition (Reinhard); He would have an undisturbed relation between Himself and the sick man (Meyer). This last is the weakest reason; for we might for the same reason except the same thing elsewhere. Rather we may assume that the district of Decapolis was something like the region of Tyre and Sidon: it was not a purely Jewish land. Here it was necessary, especially in this time of crisis, that He should avoid a publicity which might bring together the Gentiles in crowds, excite superstition as much as faith, and create in the minds of the Jews a prejudice against Him. In an analogous manner the Lord acted in the case of the blind man of eastern Bethsaida: He led him altogether out of the village. In both cases, however, we must remember that it was a susceptibility of faith which was to be gradually awakened. See the Doctrinal Reflections.And put His fingers.A similar circumstantial procedure we have in the healing of the blind man, Mark 8. But we are not to assume that Jesus desired in any sense to conceal the miraculous element in the cures (Lange, Leben Jesu, ii. 1, p. 282), which would amount to untruth. Meyer. But, upon this principle, the disguise thrown over the evangelical truths of the Gospel through the employment of parables, would amount to untruthfulness.
And He spit.Spitting, He touched His tongue. Meyer thinks that the touching was the direct spitting upon the tongue. But as the touching () is elsewhere an application of the hand, it may be assumed that He moistened His finger and touched therewith the mans tongue. Saliva used in healing: here; Mar 8:23; Joh 9:6. De Wette: Saliva was in antiquity a remedy for the eyes (Plin. H. N. 28, 7; Tacit. Hist. 4, 21; Sueton. Vesp. Cp. 7; Tanchuma, f. 10, 2; Sanhed., f. 101, 1; Hieros. Sotah, f. 16, 4; Vajikra Rabba, f. 175, 2. Comp. Wetstein and Lightfoot, ad Joh. ix. 6). Meyer: The saliva is, like the oil (Mar 6:13), to be regarded as a conductor of the miraculous power. Yet it was not applied in the cure of the ear, but only in the healing of the tongue here, as Mark 8 in the healing of the eyes. Wherefore then was this distinction? Probably because the saliva was better suited to be a symbolical medium for the awakening of faith, and it was never wont to be applied to the ear.
Mar 7:34. Looking up to heaven, He sighed.Manifestly the sighing of prayer. How much more easily He seemed to accomplish His healing on other occasions! Or was deafness, in its spiritual significance, much worse than blindness and possession; and did the Lord intend to signify that? We assume, 1. that in this half-heathen district, more imperfect and disturbed forms of faith presented themselves to Him, which made the healing on His part more of a conflict; and 2. that in this half-heathen district, where they generally believed in demigods and magic, He desired to make more definitely prominent His own dependence on God the Father. For the like reasonthat is, because the Pharisees had blasphemed the source of His miraculous powerHe accomplished the raising of Lazarus before the Jews from Jerusalem in connection with a loud prayer to the Father; and in healing the man born blind, John 9, He joined with Himself in the work the temple-fountain Siloam, the holy spring of the priests. 3. Since the Lord could not influence the deaf man by word, it was necessary that He should influence Him by a strongly speaking sign.Mark everywhere sets a special mark on the sighing of the Lord, as also upon His manner of looking: comp. Mar 8:12. Meyer remarks, and rightly, that this sigh was at the same time a sigh of painful sympathy.Ephphatha.An Araman word, in the Imperative: Be thou opened. Related, though not identical, is the Hebrew , in the Imper. Niphal.
Mar 7:35. And the string of His tongue was loosed.Thus he did not merely speak with difficulty on account of his being dumb, as Olshausen supposes.
Mar 7:36. But the more He charged them.The stronger His prohibition was, the more it enkindled a desire to spread the report of the miracle.
Ver: 37. He hath done all things well; that is, in the healing.Thence they draw the conclusion: As well the deaf, He hath, &c.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Nothing is more instructive and full of significance than the prudence of our Lord in respect to the publication of His miracles, as soon as He had entered the borders of the land where there were closer relations with heathenism, and the people were more infected by heathen views:the history of the woman of Canaan, the present narrative, and the healing of the blind man in eastern Bethsaida, all illustrate this. The reason was, that Christ would have a monotheistic faith, which traces all up to God the Father as the final source, and that He would not suffer His divine power of healing to be mingled and debased with superstitious and magical notions. This holy prudence will explain many and great restraints upon the full influence of Christianity in the heathen or heathen-Christian world, down to the present day.
2. We may compare the doxology of this people, Mar 7:37, with the doxologies of Mar 1:27; Mar 2:12; Mar 3:11, &c. Matthew explains: They glorified the God of Israel.
3. It must be particularly observed here also, that Jesus could affect this deaf and dumb man only through His glance, His immediate revelation, His signs, and manner of action. So far this instance stands alone; for the youth who was deaf and dumb through possession, Mar 9:25, suffered not through the sealing up of his organs, but through the perversion and violence done to his soul. So also the possessed who was dumb, Mat 9:32; and the demoniac who was blind and dumb, Mat 12:22.
4. Our Christian institutions for the deaf and dumb are an abiding monument of that miraculous healing in the mountains: the natural development of the miraculous act of our Lord. The healing of the deaf and dumb by signs, was a type of the instruction of the deaf and dumb.
5. The Romish rite of baptism relies especially on this miraculous history, because it exhibits the use of several symbolical elements: 1. Separation from the multitude: dedication of Christ in baptism. 2. The baptizing priest touches, with an Ephphatha, the ears of the infant; 3. moistens its nostrils with saliva; 4. lays salt in its mouth. The Christian Church should do all this in a real manner, and not in a symbolical. As the symbol for it, and at the same time the reality of it, Christ instituted simple baptism.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Sufferers to be brought to Jesus.The healing of the deaf and dumb; or, the double disease and the double cure in their reciprocal connection. 1. The connection between deafness and the inability to speak: a. in physical things; b. in spiritual. 2. Right speaking conditioned by right hearing: in natural life, in spiritual things.He who does not persevere to the end in hearing aright will surely cease by degrees to speak aright.The true obedience is of eminently quick and sure hearing.The education of the deaf and dumb man in faith: 1. He must yield himself up to be led by the strange Wonder-worker, who can only speak to him by looks, into the wilderness; 2. he must see His signs, especially the signs of His prayer and His sighing; 3. he must hear his word of power, that he may have his hearing and be able also to speak.The holy care of the Lord in all His wonderful works, aiming ever at the glory of Gods name.How the wonder-working majesty of Jesus is concealed in His humility.Christ, as He went on His way, opposed and avoided with the same decided earnestness the heathenism which deified men and the world, and the Judaism which deified the letter and ceremonial observances.Christ had to struggle as well with superstition as with unbelief, to exalt both into faith.All Christs miracles were to the honor of God: 1. All His miracles were miracles of prayer, dependence on God, and strict union with His Father; 2. all His miracles were distinguished, not only in their reason and their end, but also in their form and manner, from the magical works of the heathen world.Christ ever conceals the thousands of His miracles by the disguise of an unpretending medium.Christ in His whole being full of saving power.The sighing of Christ and of His Spirit (Rom 8:26) over the sin and the misery of humanity and the creature.The sympathy of Christ.Guilt and innocence in the popular proclamation of Christs works.The words of His astonished people: He hath done all things well: 1. In its human limitation; 2. in its higher significance.Concerning redemption as concerning the creation, the word holds good, The Lord hath done all things well (Gen 1:31): 1. in the whole, 2. in the details.
Starke:Where Jesus goes in and out, there is nought but blessing.Canstein:When we look at the deaf and dumb, it should make us reverence all the more the glorious gifts of hearing and speech, and determine to use both prudently to the glory of God.Zeisius:Most people can both hear and speak; but how great and how common is spiritual deafness and dumbness!Luther:Christ begins His cure with the ears, and acts in accordance with nature; since from hearing speaking comes: begets .Lange:Let us seek silence.A Christian should often sigh over spiritual and bodily misery.The ears should be open for God, but shut to the devil and the world.It is a sign that the tongue has been loosened by Christ, when the words become holy, and the new song is sung to His glory out of a new heart.Quesnel:The humility of the benefactor, and the thankfulness of him who has received the benefit, may contend without damaging peace in the heart.Wondering at Gods works is well; but it should never end there.Nova Bibl. Tub.:God doeth all things well, not only in healing and binding up, but also in smiting and wounding.Zeisius:As Satan damages and ruins everything, so, on the contrary, Christ repairs all things.Braune:The Lord guides all His own in various ways, every one in his own; but the goal for all is the great salvation longed for.Jesus speaks the right language of signs to the deaf and dumb.Gerlach:The words, He hath done all things well, seem to express an anticipation of the new creation.Jesus finds His glory in the deaf ears of hardened sinners, and in the speechless or restrained tongues of unthankful, earthly-minded unbelievers. Even from among them He takes many into solitude with Him: His creating hand touches the sealed ear and the idle tongue, His high-priestly intercession groans to the Father for them, and often His Ephphatha opens the ear and looses the bonds of their tongue, so that they may speak plainly.Lisco:The turning of the eyes of Jesus towards heaven should teach us to expect our help from thence, and thither to direct our thanksgivings.Schleiermacher:That love which could manifest itself so mightily in the Redeemer is among us in our benevolent institutions. But if we ask what has driven men to think upon this, we can say no more than that it is the selfsame Spirit of love who is for ever striving to meet and overcome all the woes and sufferings of humanity.What a great and wonderful word is this Be opened, which the Redeemer was ever speaking throughout His whole manifestation, and the influences of which have never ceased, but will go on until the whole race of mankind have come to the hearing and knowledge of His salvation, and their tongues shall be loosed to the praise of the Most High!Heubner:The significance of the healing of the deaf and dumb (in its spiritual application): 1. The person of the wretched one; 2. the leading him to Jesus; 3. the action of our Lord; 4. His looking up to heaven and sighing; 5. His work; 6. His prohibition (the conversion of a sinner should not be boastfully trumpeted to the world; it should exert its influence silently).Christ the only Physician who can repair the mischiefs in Gods creation.How much knowledge of God may come through the senses.Bauer:How many are still deaf and dumb towards the kingdom of God!
Klefeker:Even in the sufferings of His creature man, God finds His glory.Reinhard:How we, as Christians, should sanctify to our own good the defects, infirmities, and sicknesses of our bodies.Huffell:The Christians look to heaven.Reinhard:The quiet unostentatious zeal with which Christians should do good.Thiess:The deaf and dumb man is a type of us.Couard:He took him out of the crowd apart.Bomhard:The Ephphatha of our Redeemer: 1. A word of omnipotence and grace; 2. great and glorious in its effect; 3. it is uttered to all of us; 4. it is vain for many; 5. it proves its virtue on believers, ever more beautifully and abundantly; 6. it will one day abolish for ever all our fetters.Rautenberg:He hath done all things well: 1. Praise of His perfectionwonder; 2. praise of His benevolencethanksgiving; 3. praise of His gloryadoration.
Footnotes:
[14][Mar 7:32.After , Lachmann and Tischendorf, after B., D., ., Versions, have .Ed.]
[15]Mar 7:35. is wanting here in B., D., L., ., Versions, Lachmann, Tischendorf. Instead of , Lachmann and Tischendorf, after B., D., ., read .
[16][Mar 7:36. is wanting in A., B., L., ., Vulgate, Laehmann, Tischendorf.Ed.)
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
DISCOURSE: 1430
THE DEAF AND DUMB MAN HEALED
Mar 7:32-36. And they bring unto hint one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain; and he charged them that they should tell no man.
THE astonishing frequency of our Lords miracles renders them the less noticed; and we are ready to suppose that, after a few of them have been considered, the rest will afford us nothing new. But every distinct miracle was attended with some peculiar circumstances, and ought to excite our admiration as much as if it had been the only one recorded. To improve that which is now before us, we may consider,
I.
The manner in which it was wrought
Many instructive lessons may be learned from an attentive survey of our Lords conduct in every part of his life. His manner of performing this miracle was peculiarly worthy of notice. It was,
Humble
[He took the man aside from the multitude that surrounded him: not that he was afraid of having his miracles inspected and scrutinized: the greater part of them were wrought publicly before all: but on some occasions he sought rather to conceal his works. He wished not to excite the envy of the priests, or the jealousy of the rulers: he laboured also to avoid all appearance of ostentation: he would shew us by his example how our acts of beneficence should be performed [Note: Mat 6:3.], and that we should never be actuated by the love of mans applause [Note: Joh 5:44.]. Hence be so strictly charged the people not to divulge this miracle. He also looked up to heaven in acknowledgment of his Fathers concurrence. Not but that he had in himself all power to do whatsoever he willed [Note: Joh 5:21.]: but, as Mediator, he bore his commission from his heavenly Father, and therefore directed the eyes of men to him as the fountain of all good. Thus did he teach us to look up to heaven for aid, even in those things for which we might suppose ourselves to be most sufficient, and to consult in every thing, not our own glory, but the glory of God.]
Compassionate
[Touched with pity toward the object before him, he sighed. He could not view even the present miseries introduced by sin, without deep commiseration. Thus he shewed how fit he was to be our great high priest [Note: Heb 4:15.], and how we ought to feel for others, and to bear their burthens [Note: Gal 6:2.]. We should never behold the bodily infirmities of others without longing to relieve them: nor, without gratitude to God for the continued use of our own faculties.]
Sovereign
[Though he looked up to heaven, he wrought the miracle by his own power. He had only to issue the command, Be opened. He who once said, Let there be light, and there was light, needed only to express his will in order to be obeyed. Instantly the man received the perfect use of his faculties; and, though enjoined silence, became an active instrument of spreading his Benefactors praise.]
Mysterious
[Our Lord was pleased to put his finger into the mans ears, and to touch his tongue with his finger, which he had previously moistened with his own spittle [Note: The Author here follows the sense given to this passage by commentators: but he apprehends there was far more intended than is generally supposed. Our Lord, (a very strong expression; and a very significant act!) , spitting on the ground, . It is not said, that he whet his finger with his spittle, but only that he spat. Now he is very averse to fanciful interpretations: but he would suggest, that possibly our Lord might intend to intimate, that the ears must be opened by the conveyance of instruction, and the tongue be loosened by the casting away of the evil that is within us. He mentions this, however, with great diffidence.]. What was the precise intention of these means we cannot determine. Certain it is, that they had no necessary connexion with the restoration of the mans faculties: but they are not without their use as they respect us. They shew that there are no means, how weak soever in themselves, and inadequate to the end proposed, which he may not make use of for his own glory, and that it becomes us to submit to any means whereby he may be pleased to convey his benefits.]
But, besides more minute considerations, there are others which arise from a more general view of the miracle:
II.
The improvement we should make of it
All the miracles were intended to confirm the doctrine delivered by our Lord
We may very properly therefore consider this as,
1.
A proof of his mission
[It had long been foretold that the Messiah should work miracles. The restoring of men to the use of their faculties was among the number of the works which were to be performed by him [Note: Isa 35:5-6.]. Here then the prophecy received a literal accomplishment; nor could prejudice itself find any just reason for questioning any longer our Lords Messiahship. We indeed enjoy such abundant light and evidence that we need not the support of any single miracle: but, as all the miracles collectively, so should each individually, assure us beyond a doubt, that Jesus is the Christ.]
2.
A specimen of his work
[Jesus had a much greater work than that of healing bodily disorders, He is the great physician whose office it is to heal mens souls. The miracles which he wrought in the days of his flesh were only as shadows of those which he had undertaken to perform. He unstops the ears of men so that they may hear his voice and live: he loosens their tongues so that they may shew forth his praise. This he does by the invisible but effectual energy of his Spirit. Let those, who have never yet heard his voice, implore his aid: let those, who are yet unoccupied with his praises, entreat his favour. Soon shall all natural or acquired infirmities yield to his word [Note: Isa 32:3-4.], and Ephphatha be the commencement of a new and heavenly life.]
3.
An encouragement for all to call upon him]
The object of his compassion had nothing to recommend him: his desire of relief was sufficient to call forth the pity of our Lord. Who then should stay from our Lord on account of his unworthiness? Should we make our infirmities a reason for continuing far from him? Should we not rather take occasion from them to plead with him more earnestly? And would not he rejoice in manifesting his power and love towards us? Let every one then apply to him in humility and faith. No disorders, however complicated, shall be able to withstand his will. The believing suppliant shall soon experience the efficacy of his grace, and shall have occasion to add his testimony to theirs of old [Note: ver. 37.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
Ver. 32. One that was deaf ] None of the evangelists have this story but only Saint Mark.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 7:32 . , speaking with difficulty; but here for dumb. Cf. , Mar 7:37 , used in Sept [66] , Isa 35:6 , for , dumb, here only in N.T.
[66]Septuagint.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And Mar 7:32-37 are a Divine supplement, here.
deaf. impediment. Not horn deaf, and dumb in consequence; but the impediment may have come through subsequent deafness. He could speak, but with difficulty, through not being able to hear his own voice. Compare Mar 7:35.
beseech. App-134.; not the same word as in Mar 7:26.
put = lay. Not the same word as in next verse.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 9:32, Mat 9:33, Luk 11:14
Reciprocal: Isa 35:5 – the ears Isa 35:6 – the tongue Luk 1:64 – his mouth Luk 7:22 – the deaf Act 28:8 – laid
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE USE AND MISUSE OF SPEECH
And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech Him to put His hand upon him.
Mar 7:32
Were his friends doing a kind action in bringing this poor afflicted man under the notice of the Great Physician? There can be no doubt about our answer. Nothing maimed or imperfect which may be healed can be in accordance with the Will of God.
I. Responsibility of speech.God has given to us the powers of speech; we have learned to talk, to hold converse with each other. Day after day we use the gift ourselves or profit by it in others, and it has become one of those common things which we use without thinking of, and employ with little restraint. It is inevitable, we cannot doubt it, that such a gift must carry with it grave responsibilities. A word spoken can never be recalled. It goes forth like an arrow shot from a bow into an unknown space, and we can trace it in its results where we least expect it. What a terrible thing for a man to realise that what he has said and repented of, what he has suggested and is now ashamed of, has gone out of his reach for ever, accumulating an account only to be reckoned up at the last day as a terrible addition to personal sins already swollen to the dimensions of an unpayable debt!
II. Misusing the gift of speech.There are many ways of misusing this great power with which God has entrusted us, some of which we do not always stay to consider.
(a) The lack in our modern education. There is one point in which we are all beginning to feel profoundly disappointed, and that is in the little progress which is being made in refinement, and in some of those things which we have hitherto believed to be characteristic of true education.
(b) Conversation in the workshop. Again, there are few things which more need looking to than the general tone of conversation in our large centres of industry, in the large works of our manufacturing towns, in the warehouses, in the offices where men are thrown together in great masses.
(c) Unrestrained discussion. Think only how people discuss things now in public, which our grandfathers and grandmothers would have shrunk even from mentioningdetails of surgical operations, minuti of diseaseproblems, as they are called, of life. Everywhere the veil is removed, everywhere there is publicity. Surely God has put a ritual of beauty, of refinement, of purity, round the ordinary speech and intercourse of society as a safeguard against evils which are never far distant and always ready to burst in and overwhelm public manners and public morality.
(d) Untruthfulness. There is another prominent misuse of the gift of speechand that is untruthfulness. It is very seldom that we hear a sermon or receive advice about truthfulness. Yet truth, in its widespreading reach, is a magnificent virtue, which seems to include in its expansive embrace almost every other; and a lie is not only contemptible in itself, but is the ultimate measure of the baseness of all bad actions. Whatsover loveth and maketh a lie sums up the degradation of all that is unfit for the Golden City. Certainly, we are no strangers to the political lie, the religious lie, the social lie, the private lie.
(e) Ordinary conversation. As we think of our ordinary conversation, what are we to say of those idle, do-nothing words? Do they edify? Do they help the wayfarer in his journey through life?
Surely we all ought to do something for the recognition of a greater sense of responsibility as regards our words.
Rev. Canon Newbolt.
Illustration
The story is well known how Pambo, a recluse of the Egyptian desert, when about to enter on his noviciate, betook himself to an aged monk and requested from him instruction for his new lips. The old man opened his Psalter and began to read the first verse of Psalms 39 : I said, I will take heed to my ways; that I offend not in my tongue. That is enough, said Pambo, let me go home and practise it. And long after, being asked by one of his brethren whether he were yet perfect in his first lesson, the saint, in his turn, now an aged man, replied: Forty-and-nine years have I dwelt in this desert, and am only just beginning to learn how to obey this commandment.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2
This man was suffering with a bodily ailment of his hearing, and that had caused him to be defective in his speech. People learn to talk from childhood by hearing others, and if they cannot hear they may not learn to talk.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 7:32. Had an impediment in his speech. Lit, hardly speaking. It is more probable that he was deaf and dumb than a stammerer, etc. Deafness usually causes dumbness. An actual and separate defect in the vocal organs is, however, suggested both by the form here used and the mode of healing. This man was not possessed, as many thus afflicted were. Possession and such diseases and deformities are to be distinguished; the more so, since Mark is specially apt to tell of our Lords power over unclean spirits.
To lay his hand upon him. They thought this was necessary.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
LXIX.
THE DEAF STAMMERER HEALED AND FOUR THOUSAND FED.
aMATT. XV. 30-39; bMARK VII. 32-VIII. 9.
b32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech [The man had evidently learned to speak before he lost his hearing. Some think that defective hearing had caused the impediment in his speech, but Mar 7:35 suggests that he was tongue-tied]; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue [He separated him from the crowd to avoid publicity (see Gen 1:31]; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. [These were the people who had asked Jesus to depart from their coast on account of the loss of their swine. A complete change in their feelings had taken place since that day.] a30 And there came unto him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they cast them down at his feet; and he healed them [We have here an instance of the common difference between the narratives of Matthew and Mark. Where Matthew is wont to mention the healing of multitudes, Mark picks out one of the most remarkable cases and describes it minutely. The hasty action of those who brought in the sick and returned to bring in others is indicated by the way in which they cast down their burdens at Jesus’ feet]: 31; insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing: and they glorified the God of Israel [The people whom Jesus healed were Jews, but daily intercourse with the heathen of Decapolis had tended to cool their religious ardor. The works of Jesus revived this ardor and caused them to praise the God whose prophet they esteemed Jesus to be.] a32 And b1 In those days [i. e., while Christ was in Decapolis], when there was again a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, aJesus called his disciples unto him, and said, {bsaith,} unto [404] them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: aAnd I would not send them away fasting, lest haply they faint on the way. b3 and if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way: for some of them are come from far. [When the five thousand had been caught in similar circumstances, the apostles had come with suggestions to Jesus, but now, being taught by experience, they keep silence and let Jesus manage as he will. The multitude had not been three days without food, but it had been with Jesus three days and was now without food.] 4 And his {athe} disciples say unto {banswered} him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread here in a desert place? aWhence should we have so many loaves in a desert place as to fill so great a multitude? [It seems strange that the apostles should ask such a question after having assisted in feeding the five thousand. But the failure to expect a miracle, despite previous experience, was a common occurrence in the history of Israel and of the twelve ( Num 11:21-23, Psa 78:19, Psa 78:20). In this case the failure of the apostles to expect miraculous relief suggests that they had probably often been hungry and had long since ceased to look for supernatural relief in such cases. Their disbelief here is so similar to their disbelief in the first instance that it, with a few other minor details, has led rationalistic commentators to confound the miracle with the feeding of the five thousand. But the words of Jesus forbid this– Mat 16:9, Mat 16:10, Mar 8:19, Mar 8:20.] 34 And Jesus said unto them, b5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. aand a few small fishes. 35 And he commanded {bcommandeth} the multitude to sit down on the ground [they were on the bleak mountain, and not in the grassy plain of Butaiha]: and he took the seven loaves aand the fishes; and he gave thanks, band having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his {athe} disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. [405] {bto set before them; and they set them before the multitude.} 7 And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them. a37 And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were babout afour thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitudes.
[FFG 403-406]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
The Greek word describing this man’s speech impediment, mogilalos, is a rare one. It occurs only here in the New Testament and only in Isa 35:6 in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Its presence there is significant because Isaiah predicted that Messiah would loose the tongues of the dumb when He came (cf. Mar 7:37).
"Defective speech usually results from defective hearing, both physically and spiritually." [Note: Grassmick, p. 136.]