In brief
The deaf mute of the Decapolis is an unnamed man whom the Bible does not identify. Deaf and with difficulty speaking, he is brought to Jesus as Jesus returns toward the Sea of Galilee through the Decapolis. Jesus takes him aside, touches his ears and tongue, looks up to heaven and says Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. Only Mark reports this miracle. What we keep is that Jesus has done all things well.
What does the name The Deaf Mute of the Decapolis mean?
The Bible does not give this man's name. The word Ephphatha, which Mark cites in Aramaic, is translated by the evangelist himself as be opened (Mark 7:34). The Decapolis, the ten cities, was a region largely of Greek culture.
The story of The Deaf Mute of the Decapolis
A return through the Decapolis
Mark 7:31After meeting a Syrophoenician woman in the region of Tyre, Jesus returns by way of Sidon toward the Sea of Galilee, passing through the region of the Decapolis. It is in this region, where a healed demoniac had already proclaimed what Jesus had done for him (Mark 5:20), that a new miracle will take place.
Brought by others
Mark 7:32People bring Jesus a man who is deaf and can hardly speak, and they beg him to lay his hand on him. The man can neither hear about Jesus nor express his request clearly. Others lead him and plead for him. Their action shows the importance of those who bring others to the Lord.
Taken aside
Mark 7:33Jesus takes the man aside, away from the crowd. He puts his fingers into the man's ears and touches his tongue with his own saliva. For this man who cannot hear, Jesus speaks through gestures, touching precisely what is affected. The healing begins with a personal encounter, away from the gaze of others.
Ephphatha
Mark 7:34-35Jesus looks up to heaven, sighs and says Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. Immediately the man's ears are opened, his tongue is released, and he speaks plainly. The word of Jesus, accompanied by a look toward heaven, brings an immediate and complete healing, where nothing seemed able to open.
He has done all things well
Mark 7:36-37Jesus orders them to tell no one, but the more he insists, the more they proclaim it. The witnesses are utterly astonished and say that he has done all things well, making even the deaf hear and the mute speak. Their words echo Isaiah's promise of the deaf who hear and the mute tongue that sings for joy.
Test your knowledge
What The Deaf Mute of the Decapolis teaches us
- Bringing to Jesus those who cannot come alone is a true service of love.
- Jesus meets each person where they are, with gestures suited to their weakness.
- The word of Jesus has the power to open what was closed, in the body as in the heart.
- The healings of Jesus show that he is the one the prophets announced.
Key verses
The heart of the account: Jesus looks up to heaven, sighs and says Ephphatha, be opened. A single word is enough to open the ears and release the tongue.
The crowd's conclusion sums up the miracle and the person of Jesus: he has done all things well, making the deaf hear and the mute speak.
The prophetic promise: the ears of the deaf will be unstopped and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. The healing of the deaf mute shows these signs being fulfilled in Jesus.
Sermons about The Deaf Mute of the Decapolis
- Isaiah 35: Suffering Passes, Joy Is EternalThe preacher draws on Mark 7:31-37 to show the nature of the miracles of Jesus: he takes the deaf man aside, touches his ears and tongue, and the crowd observes that he does all things well.
- Mark 1: When Your Soul Has a Fever, Get Up and ServeThe sermon points out the sometimes surprising way Jesus healed, as when he puts his fingers in the ears of the deaf mute and touches his tongue with saliva.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ephphatha mean?
Ephphatha is an Aramaic word that Mark kept as it was, then translated for his readers: be opened (Mark 7:34). It is the word by which Jesus healed the deaf mute of the Decapolis. Immediately his ears were opened and his tongue was released.
Why did Jesus take the deaf mute aside?
The text gives no explanation. We can observe that Jesus moves him away from the crowd and speaks to him through gestures he can understand, touching his ears and tongue. This account shows a Lord attentive to the person, not to the effect produced on the crowd.
Where can I find the story of the deaf mute of the Decapolis?
This miracle is reported only in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 7, verses 31 to 37. It follows the encounter with the Syrophoenician woman. Matthew 15:29-31 summarizes the same period, mentioning many healings near the Sea of Galilee, including the mute speaking.