REFLECTIONS TODAY

While the district of Tyre was occupied by a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles, that of the Decapolis was predominantly Gentile, and the people who come to Jesus are regarded as Gentiles. They bring to Jesus a deaf and dumb man. Jesus takes the man aside and does a series of gestures: touching the places of ailment, spitting, and uttering the healing command. Such gestures were widespread among miracle workers. Mark carries Jesus’ command in Aramaic, Ephphatha, which he translates for the non-Jewish readers of the Gospel: “Be opened!” The word is not some gibberish magic word, but clearly an authoritative command that effects what it says. The pagan inhabitants are exceedingly astonished and say, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” There is an allusion here to the messianic texts of Isaiah 35:5-6. Unwittingly, the Gentiles may have publicly recognized the potential messianic figure in Jesus, which the disciples, as represented by Peter, will later confess (Mk 8:29).

Gospel • MARK 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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