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Although Jesus at first answers the Greek woman harshly, He ultimately responds to her request. By healing her daughter, He demonstrates that God’s loving presence has come to all people and not just to Jews. It’s one of the first glimpses in this Gospel of the truth that will become clearer later—the truth that, through Jesus, God is making all people, and not just one chosen nation, clean and whole.

31 Jesus traveled on His way through Tyre and Sidon, eventually returning to the region of the Sea of Galilee. From there He pressed on to the area of the Ten Cities.[a] 32 Among the sick who were brought to Him was a man who was deaf and could barely speak at all, and those who brought him begged Jesus to lay His hands on the man. 33 Jesus took him aside from the crowd, alone, and touched his ears with His fingers. Then after spitting on His fingers, Jesus touched the man’s tongue. 34 Looking heavenward to God, Jesus sighed and commanded,

Jesus: Open up[b] and let this man speak.

35 [Immediately][c] the man could hear, his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Jesus ordered those who had witnessed this to tell no one; but the more He insisted, the more zealously people spread the word.

People (astonished): 37 He does everything so well! He even returns sound to the deaf and mute.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:31 Literally, the Decapolis
  2. 7:34 Aramaic, Ephphatha
  3. 7:35 Some of the earliest manuscripts omit this word.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man(A)

31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre(B) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee(C) and into the region of the Decapolis.[a](D) 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,(E) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on(F) him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit(G) and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven(H) and with a deep sigh(I) 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.(J)

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.(K) 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:31 That is, the Ten Cities