Mark 7:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The celestial power was not engaged solely for this purpose; it demonstrated that those previously separated from the truth would soon hear and comprehend the exalted words of God. Indeed, those who are unable to perceive the divine, truthful, and powerful messages can rightly be labeled as deaf. The Lord empowers the speechless, allowing them to express themselves (cf. Matt. 9:33; Mk. 7:37). This power is truly remarkable, even if it accomplished nothing more than this; nevertheless, it conveys a deeper significance: as will soon be evident, those who once lacked knowledge of heavenly matters will acquire understanding from God and will think accurately. For anyone unfamiliar with divine truths is, in essence, mute and unable to speak, regardless of how articulate they may be in other subjects.

The Lord could not remain hidden, so He traveled with His disciples to the northeastern part of Galilee, to the Lake of Gennesaret. Wherever He went, people recognized Him, and as soon as they did, they brought the afflicted to Him, ensuring that He did not let them depart without offering them healing. The crowds were eager to listen to His teachings, and He could not remain silent. Consequently, they congregated around Him, and He merely needed to change His location frequently, allowing the word of His miracles to circulate. His healings were uniquely performed. A man who was deaf and mute was presented to Him. Unlike other instances, He did not heal him instantly through words or the laying on of hands.

As recorded in Mark 7:31, Jesus, having departed from the vicinity of Tyre, traversed through Sidon, which pertains to a broader region rather than a specific city. Consequently, His journey took a northern trajectory. Mark further denotes a location adjacent to the Sea of Galilee, where the Lord made His entrance; specifically, this was on the eastern bank of the sea, within the bounds of Decapolis. Therefore, from the edges of Sidon, Jesus set His course towards the mountains of Lebanon and Hermon, subsequently crossing to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus performed numerous wonders and healings with just a single word. Yet, in the case of a deaf man who could not speak, He chose a different approach. He placed His fingers in the man's ears, spat, touched his tongue, looked up to heaven, sighed, and commanded, ‘Be opened.’ Why resort to such actions when He had the power to heal merely by speaking? Bishop Michael explains that Jesus took the afflicted man aside, intending to divert the idle curiosity of the mixed crowd—comprising both Gentiles and Jews. By placing His fingers in the man’s ears and touching his tongue, He aimed to inspire the man’s faith in the possibility of restoration, knowing that the deaf man could not be swayed by spoken words.

Removing the afflicted individual from the crowd, likely to provide a better setting for His miraculous work or to mitigate potential disturbances and detrimental political repercussions, He placed His fingers in the man's ears. Then, after moistening a finger with saliva, He touched the man's tongue. This approach may have been aimed at stirring faith in the individual who could not hear spoken words, as the miracle itself was meant to engage the soul of the afflicted. Gazing skyward, as though to elevate the thoughts of the suffering man to the Heavenly Father—the only source of true healing—Christ spoke a simple command in the local language: ‘Ephphatha, be opened!’ Instantly, the man's hearing was restored, his tongue was set free, and he began to speak plainly.

Jesus Christ departed from Tyre and Sidon and made His way to the Sea of Galilee, passing through the Tithegrad region. There, individuals brought to Him a man who was both deaf and mute, suffering from an affliction beyond the remedy of human capabilities. They must have known of Jesus' frequent healings performed through the laying on of hands. However, in this instance, He employed a distinct method for the healing. Aiming to divert the attention of the curious onlookers, He led the afflicted man away from the crowd. Then, in an effort to prepare him for the impending miracle and to inspire faith within him, Jesus placed His fingers in the man's ears and, after spitting, touched his tongue.