Mark 7:31-37 New International Version
Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man 31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.[a] 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. 33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Saturday - September 4
Similar to the foreign woman, this healing is a direct contrast to the religious leaders who “act” spiritual and religious. This man is completely incapable of being a spiritual superhero. But what does Jesus do? He speaks. Remember that Jesus condemned the religious leaders for making God’s word “void” or meaningless. They claimed their own traditions were more important and spiritual than the actual words that God had given through Moses. The One who is greater than Moses came to this man and spoke. In the common language of Aramaic, Jesus made a command to the man’s ears and mouth, “Be opened.” They listened! May God open our ears to hear HIS Word and our mouths to speak HIS truth!