Mark 7:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, let us understand that when we extend kindness to others, we should refrain from seeking their admiration, and when we are recipients of kindness, we ought to acknowledge our benefactors and express our gratitude, even if they prefer not to be recognized.

The Lord could not remain hidden from the people, so He journeyed with His disciples to the northeastern region of Galilee, near the lake of Gennesaret. Yet, wherever He traveled, His presence was recognized, and as soon as people identified Him, they brought the afflicted to Him, for He could not send them away without offering healing. The crowds hungered to hear His teachings, compelling Him to speak. They surrounded Him at every turn; all that was needed was for Him to frequently change His location and keep His miraculous deeds a topic of conversation. His healings possessed a distinctive nature. For instance, He encountered a man who was deaf and unable to speak. Unlike other instances, He did not heal him instantly with mere words or by laying hands upon him.

Alongside the man who was deaf, mute, and unable to speak clearly, the Lord restored many other afflicted individuals in the town of Tithegrad, including those who were crippled, blind, and unable to walk. The onlookers were filled with astonishment at these miracles and glorified the God of Israel. However, the Lord instructed those who had been healed to keep their experiences to themselves. Despite His instructions, they could not help but share their testimonies even more fervently.

He instructed those who had brought the afflicted man to refrain from sharing what had occurred. Jesus sought to prevent any unnecessary commotion among the onlookers due to the signs and wonders He was performing, so He took the mute and deaf individual aside, away from the crowd, and carried out the miraculous act in view of only those who had brought him. For this reason, He also instructed them not to disclose the miracle. However, filled with joy and astonishment, they couldn’t contain their excitement and quickly returned to the crowd to share all that had transpired. Jesus reiterated His request for silence, but this had little impact: the more He urged them to keep quiet, the more they spoke of Him.

In certain instances, Christ instructed the man He had healed to keep the miracle confidential. However, this restriction proved ineffective, as news of Him circulated widely across the region. The people were filled with astonishment, proclaiming, “All things worketh well! He maketh the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”

He instructed them not to share this, referring to the individuals who had accompanied Him upon His return with the healed man, particularly those who had brought the afflicted person to Him. The directive to remain silent may have been intended to avoid provoking the Pharisees, who were increasingly hostile towards Him and closely monitoring His actions. These religious leaders, skeptical of His miraculous works, were disseminating slander regarding the divine authority behind such acts. However, their astonishment at the miracle only fueled their desire to speak about it, and the very request for silence intensified their eagerness to share the news.

Jesus Christ departed from Tyre and Sidon, journeying to the Sea of Galilee, passing through the region of the Tithegrad. In this place, individuals brought to Him a man who was both deaf and mute, afflicted by a condition beyond human remedy. They likely knew of Jesus’ previous miracles, where He had restored the sick through the laying on of hands. However, in this instance, He employed a unique method to bring about healing. To divert the idle curiosity of the bystanders, He took the man aside. Then, to prepare him for the miracle and cultivate faith within him, He placed His fingers in the man's ears and, after spitting, touched his tongue.