MARK 7:33-35
DEAFNESS/DUMBNESSDELIGHTFULLY DISMISSED
I. THE SAVIOUR: * Mark 7:33 A. Sympathetic
B. Signs
C. Significance
II. THE SIGHING: ** Mark 7:34
A. Suffering
B. Sirens
C. Satan
III. THE SUCCESS: *** Mark 7:34, 35
A. Soliloquy
B. Shocking
C. Symbolism
The nameless friends in the preceding two verses have been able to lay their care and their charge before Jesus. They were the ones who brought this nameless man to the Master and they were the ones that did the communication due to the fact that this man was unable to hear or to speak. I wonder if he was embarrassed about the whole matter? Perhaps this had occurred so often before in his life time, people speaking on his behalf, that he was used to the stares, the snickers, the shunning that he must have endured for years with out ceasing. Once more he was the center of everyone’s attention and once more he was not able to communicate his inner thoughts with clarity nor certainty. Once more, he stood silently while others did his bidding. Once more he knew that if he attempted to say anything that no one would have enough patience for him to complete his thought.
There he stood, alone although surrounded by people. Once more he stood and felt that he probably was a freak, a fluke a foundling, because he was cut off from the world of conversation, conviviality, and confederacy. He was in his world of silence, of seconds, of suspicion by those whom he met who judged him to be not an equal among men of his own age and stature. Once more he could see the mouths moving but the noise they emitted never penetrated those ears that were dead and lifeless. His cranial side extremities were more for a show than a means to an end wherein he could hear and converse with those around him. He might have read lips and maybe knew enough signs from others to at least be included in part of his surroundings, but by and large, he was excluded and could not adequately join in with his friends who were talking to this common ordinary Man about his plight.
As he looked at Jesus and as Jesus looked at him, he must have sensed that this Man was kind and sympathetic. This Man was no doctor who was in a hurry to give him a cursory examination and then shuffle him away to someone else or to merely state what others have said, “There is no cure for your maladies.” No, the Man to whom this deaf mute was looking, was different. There was compassion in His eyes. There was something about this Man’s demeanor, His genuineness, His sobriety, His mannerism, His ambiance, His essence that disarmed the perturb deaf mute and set him at ease at once. There must have been something about this Man that signaled to the sufferer that this time there was going to be help and the deaf mute was ready and willing to comply with what ever Jesus said. Today-there was going to be healing and the man knew it.
There is something about coming face-to-face with Jesus that assures the seeker, the sinner, the sufferer that all will be fine. There is something electrifying about meeting Jesus and knowing that one is going to be the better when He is helping. Oh, if our friends, all of them: the suffering ones, the sick ones, the sinful ones, the self-sufficient ones-all of them could just meet Jesus, He would arrest the damage in their lives and heal them completely. May we endeavor again and again, over and over, to bring our friends to the Master as the friends of this deaf mute did to him-by bringing them to Jesus. When the meeting with Jesus was complete, this man was healed. I see three things in these verses.
The first thing I see is THE SAVIOUR, Himself, as He assumes command of the entire happenings from this point on. I next see THE SIGHING done by Jesus as he began the healing process. Lastly, I see THE SUCCESS of the miracles wrought.
* THE SAVIOUR : What a kind and gentle Man this Jesus was. I marvel at how astute He was. I am amazed at how He was able to read crowds, people and events and always knew what to do. He was the Creator of all and He superintended over all things, people and places, yet, that does not deter my admiration at the way He was able to do and say the right things-all of the time. Here, in verse 33, He did the right things and the people marveled.
The first thing I note about Jesus in this verse is the way He was Sympathetic to this poor wretch of an individual. Somehow, I think Jesus knew that this man was always on center stage when ever he ventured out to try and hold intercourse with his fellow human beings. There is something in the psyche of all people that makes everyone notice those who are different than us. There is the allurement to stare, to scrutinize, to stratify those who are different, those who are not what society deems as normal. Oh, we try not to be obvious, but that demon of self-vaulting is always there at the expense of the one who has been marked, mauled, maimed or otherwise-that is different than the “normal.” Jesus knew this and He did something profound, “He took him aside.”
Bible scholars are not certain as to why Jesus did this. So often, He did miracles in the open, i.e., feeding the multitude, curing many illnesses, but here, Jesus led the man away. How kind the Master was. Perhaps it is important for all of us to remember that we are not to do our good deeds in front of people. Jesus loves a cheerful giver, but does not like the way some shout about how much they give. Jesus loves to hear the voices of praise spoken in public, but He also loves the times when we bow our heads and tell Him while we are alone that He is our God and we desire no other.
The Kingdom of God is not solely built on the preachers, the evangelists, or by those who loudly proclaim His truth. His Kingdom is not solely built by churches erected to the glorification of those who preach in their pulpits. His Kingdom is not always built by those who construct large, ornate churches for the glorification of the builders or the denominations who claim ownership of the fine edifices. While these may be part of the Kingdom of God on this earth, much of the real building of Christ’s Church is done by those who clean the sanctuary when the services are done and no one stays to help. Part of the building of God’s Kingdom on this earth is done by those who drive church buses and private cars to pick up those who need a ride. The ongoing miracle of the growth of the Kingdom of God on this earth is done by the millions who work for Christ behind the scenes, away from the eyes and praises of the masses. The continued strength of God’s Kingdom’s growth on this earth is done out of sight and away from prying eyes and those who do not care anything about His work on this globe. Jesus could have done the miracle there in front of everyone, but He led the deaf mute away, alone, just the two of them, with no one watching, no one staring at the silent man, Jesus and the needy one. Is this not like our Master to come and minister to us when we are alone or when we are in a crowd? It does not matter when He comes-we feel like He came just to help us.
Next, I note what Jesus did, once the two were alone: He gave the man some very important Signs. The man might not have known all that had previously transpired between his friends and his new found Friend, but he understood the Signs that Jesus used and knew what Jesus was going to do. Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears and then took some of His own spittle and touched the man’s tongue. When Jesus did that, the man had the assurance that Jesus knew what the problems were and He was there to help.
Jesus did not wave a wand or wave His hands or create some unusual expression of what was to come. Neither did He act in an unprofessional and self-glorifying spectacle of what He was about to do. He merely gave the man some signs and the poor man, whose hopes had risen before only to crash again, knew that Jesus knew and He was going to help him.
There must have been a serene calm sweep over this poor sufferer who was now on the threshold of getting help. The Sacredness of this moment is not to be dismissed lightly. There was an awe that must have griped that man that day. Suddenly, he realized that he was in the presence of Someone different, divine, wholesome and this Man was doing something that raised his hopes to a height where they had never before been. He knew, he knew, he knew that Jesus was going to do a miracle for him and the moment was Sacred, serene and sanctifying.
When ever we encounter Jesus-it is always the same, it is a Sacred moment. Sometimes that moment stretches out to be more than just a moment. Sometimes that Sacred feeling may last for a long time, sometimes it is in a flash when we see the results of God’s handiwork around us as we go about our busy day. Sometimes it is the hearing of a miracle of God’s intervention in the lives of the down and out or the up and the out that proves He is still doing miracles. But when ever we encounter the Master doing His work, in us or in others, there is that moment of time, a Sacredness that assures us that we are not alone, that He is present and is still working His wonders somewhere in this world. Just as this man felt that day-that he was not alone, but in the presence of the King of kings, the Lord of lords and the Doctor of all doctors-healing was coming to him at long last. When ever we are touched by that divine Being, or our family is visited by the Christ of every crises or when we hear that one of our loved ones is healed, saved or has been drawn closer to God, those are Sacred moments-we know He knows, He has heard and He has given His signs by touching the afflicted part and placed some of Himself on the ones who have been healed in one way or another-those times are Sacred.
** THE SIGHING: With all of this deaf mute’s anticipation, Jesus did something so unusual-He Sighed. People sigh for various and sometimes mysterious reasons. Usually one sighs when things are not going well. Sighs are rarely given when there is good news spoken. Sighs are rarely heard or released when one is blessed with extra income, or a promotion or when a fear is laid to rest. Usually Sighs are heard when there is concern over a situation, a circumstance, a problem of which arose unexpectedly or may be of long endurance and one thinks about one’s helplessness to change the equation of the problem and cannot-one Sighs. Jesus did something so out of His character-He Sighed. The questions arise then as to the “Whys” of His Sighs.
The first thing I note in answering to the “Whys” of His sighing had to with the Suffering the deaf mute endured for so long. While the afflicted man could not hear with his normal ears, sinful man cannot hear with his spiritual ears. Just as this badly affected man could not hear the sweet voices of those who loved him, sinful man cannot hear the sweet voice of a heavenly Father who wants to tell each person that He loves them so much that He sent His Son to die for them.
Just as this distressed man could not hear warnings of impending danger from those who loved him, blighted mankind cannot hear the warnings of a just God that seeks to warn him about the coming judgment. Jesus Sighed because one of His created being was cut off from all that which helps to make life more fulfilling. Likewise, Jesus Sighed because sinful man was cut off from the Divine plan to make his life better. What ever caused this man to lose his hearing was probably not due to his own doing. Likewise doomed mankind has lost his hearing and his speech even though it was not of his own choice. It is no wonder that Jesus Sighed.
Jesus Sighed because this man could not call out for help by himself-he needed helpers to help him speak. Likewise sinful man can not adequately converse with God without divine intervention. The voice created by God was meant to converse with one another and to give praise to God. This man could do none of that. Likewise, sinful man cannot adequately address God nor give Him praise. Lost man cannot raise his muted voice in singing the holy praises to God because he simply cannot speak. The only voice that a muted sinner can use is when he calls out to God with his stammering, sin blighted voice, “Help me, God.” It is no wonder that Jesus sighed.
Perhaps another reason that Jesus sighed was due to what He knew. As the old mythological stories relate about the seductive sea nymphs (Sirens) whose alluring voices would call to the sailors to come to them. Then when the seamen steered their crafts to the places where these alluring ladies were, the ships would hit the rocks close to shore and the sailors would die-they were allured to their death by these seductive Siren voices.
This man that stood before Him was not previously able to hear the tempting voices of the Sirens of evilness, but now he would. He would hear the voice of many temptations to go here or go there, do this or do that which would be wrong; this man would soon hear the Siren voices sing to him for him to yield his body to sin-to his own spiritual death. While Satan tempts through many avenues, one of these is through the portals of the audible canal. Previously, this was blocked and Satan could not use this means to tempt him to sin, but now with his restoration, this man would soon hear the myriad voices of the Siren singers calling him to do that which would be wrong. The ears were created to hear the voice of God; the mouth was created to sing the praises of God, but fallen man has short-circuited these two avenues of help and turned them into tools wherein sinful men are capable of losing their lives in a Devil’s hell.
Not only would this man be able to hear the sinful Siren voices soon to fall upon his once closed ears, but the possibility was there that that this man might yield his voice to the singers of doom that could ensnare others to sin. It is no wonder that Jesus Sighed.
If these are not enough to make Jesus Sigh then He certainly had to Sigh over the very ability of Satan and how this arch fiend of the Trinity has hurt God’s creation. Man was created in the image of God with all of the normal faculties of which God wanted for His creatures. The power that Satan had has been used to wreck God’s handiwork. Here, before Jesus, was that proof and Jesus Sighed. Jesus Sighed because of what this deaf mute had suffered at the hand of Satan, and He Sighed at what mankind has suffered at the hand of he who hates God. The power that Satan has was not limited to blight the earth but to afflict mankind as he did with Job and the millions who have followed Satan to their final place of isolation from God. Jesus Sighed-He had a right to
Sigh. However all was not lost; regardless of the possibilities of the future there was help and healing for this poor man.
*** THE SUCCESS: There is always Success with Jesus. Away from prying eyes and gawking stares, Jesus proceeded to heal the deaf mute and at long last, he had Success in his quest to be normal. This was done so quickly whereas the man had endured so long the double edge deterrent to his happiness. At last, he was healed. The manner of the healing is revealing in how Christ operates both then and now.
Jesus spoke but one word, “Ephphatha” which means, “Be opened.” note the Soliloquy that transpired here. It was nothing the man said but in what Jesus said. Somehow, He knew the right words to bring instantaneous healing to the deaf mute, just like He always has the correct words for our healing. Jesus had just Sighed and then He spoke this one word and that which doctors and medicine could not do-Jesus did with this one word. What a miracle!!!
I then note what happened after the healing process was completed, “He spoke plain.” That which took us years to do, to speak plainly, this man did instantly. Those that study the formation of language acquisition have verified how that we as children-indeed all children regardless of the tongue we are learning, have a process of hearing sounds, then internalizing that which has been heard and then trying to imitate that very sound. This helps explain why all children pass through a stage of saying “cute” things and mispronouncing words.
In their own minds as was in our minds, they are simply trying to speak that which they hear. This helps explain why some vowels and consonants are not spoken by the toddlers-they simply do not hear these various sounds. However, as the child grows and matures, the hearing improves as well as the attempt at speaking correctly what has been heard. It is a long process which often takes years, but here, this deaf mute was instantly healed and spoke plainly. All of the art of learning to speak plainly was compressed into seconds and he spoke plainly. Only the mercies of a loving God could do this. That which He created and that which was affected directly or indirectly by Satan’s wiles, was made to work in a millimeter of a second. He spoke and needed no training to do so; our God is good.
Lastly, this man, this miracle, this happening, stands as a Symbolism of a sinner coming to Jesus. Evil man has been deaf and cannot speak the praises of God. He has suffered at the hands of Satan as he has had impediments not of his choosing. But alone with Christ, the moment salvation is given, the sinner, now the saint, is able to speak the praises of God very plainly.
The man was returned to his friends and I have a feeling that he never stopped talking about this day for as long as he lived on this Earth. And, if he did not allow the Sirens of temptation to distract his soul and he made it to heaven-he is still hearing the angels singing the praises of God while he also joins in with a “plain” voice and praises God along with them.
He was brought by friends who did the talking for him-he left telling them of his encounter with the Master. It is always good to tell others what Christ has done for us.
