Mark 7:31-37
The Healing of a deaf and mute man
31Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
33After 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. 34He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ). 35At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Jesus and His disciples traveled around teaching and helping people...Jesus purpose was to spread the good news...
The people from the region of the Decapolis brought Him a man who could not hear and could barely talk...The people wanted Him to place a hand on the deaf and mute man so he would be healed...
Jesus takes aside the man, and probably is trying to communicate with him by placing His fingers in his ears and putting spit and touching the man's tongue...The man would know that Jesus would be healing his ears and his speaking...In this healing Jesus does do more outward actions than He does in His other healings and miracles...
By taking the man aside Jesus would realize if the man had faith that would heal Him...If the man lacked faith, he probably would not have been healed...We are told that in Jesus' hometown He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them...Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith from the people of His hometown (Mark 6:4-6)...So pulling the gentleman aside, Jesus could see and feel his faith...Jesus and His teachings are all about faith...
Jesus looked up to heaven and said "Ephphatha" which means be opened...At this command the deaf and mute man can now speak plainly and also hear...
Jesus told everyone not to tell anyone...The people were amazed and the more the people kept talking about the healing...
He made a deaf and mute hear and speak...The people said Jesus has healed this man...But the people also said "He has done everything well"...
Jesus had just done another miracle...Jesus was a true miracle worker...But these were only signs to encourage the deaf man's faith and the faith of the one's who brought the man, as well as our faith...