The Curing of a Deaf Man
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[31] Then He (Jesus) returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. [32] And they brought Him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought Him to lay His hand upon him. [33] And taking him aside from the multitude privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue; [34] and looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." [35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. [36] And He charged them to tell no one; but the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. [37] And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."
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Commentary:
32-33. Sacred Scripture quite often shows the laying on of hands as a gesture indicating the transfer of power or blessing (cf. Genesis 48:14ff; 2 Kings 5:11; Luke 13:13). Everyone knows that saliva can help heal minor cuts. In the language of Revelation fingers symbolized powerful Divine action (cf. Exodus 8:19; Psalm 8:4; Luke 11:20). So Jesus uses signs which suit in some way the effect He wants to achieve, though we can see from the text that the effect--the instantaneous cure of the deaf and dumb man--far exceeds the sign used.
In the miracle of the deaf and dumb man we can see a symbol of the way God acts on souls: for us to believe, God must first open our heart so we can listen to His word. Then, like the Apostles, we too can proclaim the magnalia Dei, the mighty works of God (cf. Acts 2:11). In the Church's liturgy (cf. the hymn Veni Creator) the Holy Spirit is compared to the finger of the right hand of God the Father (Digitus paternae dexterae). The Consoler produces in our souls, in the supernatural order, effects comparable to those which Christ produces in the body of the deaf and dumb man.
| Mark | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Mark 7 | |||
| 31. | And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. | Et iterum exiens de finibus Tyri, venit per Sidonem ad mare Galilææ inter medios fines Decapoleos. | και παλιν εξελθων εκ των οριων τυρου και σιδωνος ηλθεν προς την θαλασσαν της γαλιλαιας ανα μεσον των οριων δεκαπολεως |
| 32. | And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. | Et adducunt ei surdum, et mutum, et deprecabantur eum, ut imponat illi manum. | και φερουσιν αυτω κωφον μογγιλαλον και παρακαλουσιν αυτον ινα επιθη αυτω την χειρα |
| 33. | And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue: | Et apprehendens eum de turba seorsum, misit digitos suos in auriculas ejus : et exspuens, tetigit linguam ejus : | και απολαβομενος αυτον απο του οχλου κατ ιδιαν εβαλεν τους δακτυλους αυτου εις τα ωτα αυτου και πτυσας ηψατο της γλωσσης αυτου |
| 34. | And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. | et suscipiens in cælum, ingemuit, et ait illi : Ephphetha, quod est, Adaperire. | και αναβλεψας εις τον ουρανον εστεναξεν και λεγει αυτω εφφαθα ο εστιν διανοιχθητι |
| 35. | And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. | Et statim apertæ sunt aures ejus, et solutum est vinculum linguæ ejus, et loquebatur recte. | και ευθεως διηνοιχθησαν αυτου αι ακοαι και ελυθη ο δεσμος της γλωσσης αυτου και ελαλει ορθως |
| 36. | And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it. | Et præcepit illis ne cui dicerent. Quanto autem eis præcipiebat, tanto magis plus prædicabant : | και διεστειλατο αυτοις ινα μηδενι ειπωσιν οσον δε αυτος αυτοις διεστελλετο μαλλον περισσοτερον εκηρυσσον |
| 37. | And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. | et eo amplius admirabantur, dicentes : Bene omnia fecit : et surdos fecit audire, et mutos loqui. | και υπερπερισσως εξεπλησσοντο λεγοντες καλως παντα πεποιηκεν και τους κωφους ποιει ακουειν και τους αλαλους λαλειν |