24th Sunday - Gospel - Mark 8:27–35 - You are the Christ
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Mark 7:31-37 Jesus cures a deaf Man with a speech impediment Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
24th Sunday - Gospel - Mark 8:27–35 - You are the Christ
1. Mark 7:31-37 Jesus cures a deaf Man with a speech impediment
Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under
the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright
Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for
educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for
viewing. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible
Software.
2. 31 Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of
Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him off by
himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the mans ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven
and groaned, and said to him, Ephphatha! (that is, Be opened!)
3. 35 And (immediately) the mans ears were opened, his speech
impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them
not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more
they proclaimed it. 37 They were exceedingly astonished and they
said, He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and (the)
mute speak. Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos
Bible Software.
4. Jesus traveled to Decapolis, a Gentile region, which again
confirms that Jesus offers the hope of salvation to the Gentiles as
well as the Jews. The Apostles do not seem to understand that He is
the Son of God and the Fathers representative to the world (cf.
8:17-21). This miracle is a partial fulfillment of Isaiah 35:2;5-6
which will be completed in the curing of the blind man in Mark
8:22-26. Isaiah 35:2 They shall see the glory of the LORD, the
majesty of our God. 5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf be cleared;
5. 6then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of
the dumb sing for joy. In both healings the afflicted person is
brought to Jesus by others. In both healings Jesus takes the
afflicted away from the crowd and In both cases He touches them and
uses spit from His mouth to cure them. In both healings Jesus
requested secrecy. In these two miracles Mark (chap. 7 deaf and 8
blind) shows Jesus as the perfect fulfillment, the promised Messiah
of the Isaian prophecies and the Savior of the entire world.
6. Consider also that others brought the afflicted to Jesus,
just as someone brought you to Jesus and the church. Your faith in
Jesus separates you from the non-believing world and makes you a
better person. Consider also that through the Scriptures, the Word,
Jesus touched your heart, and mind, hearing His Word changed you
from the spiritually deaf, to a faithful follower whose life has
been changed forever. The curing of the spiritually deaf happens
every day but we like the apostles we tend to overlook it, instead
of celebrating it.