What Jesus Did : Mark 7:32-35 - Away from the Crowd
by Phil Ware
Away from the Crowd - Mark 7:32-35
While he was there, some people brought a man to him. This man was deaf and could not talk. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man {to heal him}. Jesus led the man away from the people to be alone with him. Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears. Then Jesus spit and touched the man's tongue. Jesus looked up to the sky and made a breathing sound. Jesus said to the man, "Ephphatha!" (This means, "Open!") When Jesus did this, the man was able to hear. The man was able to use his tongue and spoke clearly. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Jesus concern is clearly to bless and heal this man, not to make a name for himself or to use miracles for his own advantage. He has power over disease as well as demons. His desire is to use that power to bless and deliver, not to amaze or bewilder the crowds. As God's Son among us, Jesus is personal and intentional with his care. He will not exploit another's misfortune to make a name for himself. What a powerful lesson for all of us who call him our Lord and example.
Today's Prayer
Father, thank you for the powerful example of Jesus. He is not trying to grow a crowd, but to bless the broken and train his followers. Please give me this same balance in my life and in my ministry. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Jesus left that place and went to the area around Tyre. Jesus went into a house there. Jesus did not want the people in that area to know he was there. But Jesus could not stay hidden. A woman heard that Jesus was there. Her little daughter had an evil spirit {from the devil} inside her. So the woman came to Jesus and bowed down near his feet. The woman was not a Jew. She was Greek, born in Phoenicia, an area in Syria. The woman begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. Jesus told the woman: "It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. First let the children eat all they want." The woman answered, "That is true, Lord. But the dogs under the table can eat the pieces of food that the children don't eat." Then Jesus told the woman, "That is a very good answer. You may go. The demon has left your daughter." The woman went home and found her daughter lying on the bed. The demon was gone. Then Jesus left the area around Tyre and went through Sidon. Jesus went to Lake Galilee. Jesus went through the area of the Ten Towns. While he was there, some people brought a man to him. This man was deaf and could not talk. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man {to heal him}. Jesus led the man away from the people to be alone with him. Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears. Then Jesus spit and touched the man's tongue. Jesus looked up to the sky and made a breathing sound. Jesus said to the man, "Ephphatha!" (This means, "Open!") When Jesus did this, the man was able to hear. The man was able to use his tongue and spoke clearly. Jesus commanded the people not to tell any person about what happened. Jesus always commanded people not to tell other people about him. But this only caused the people to tell about him more and more. The people were really amazed. The people said, "Jesus does everything in a good way. Jesus makes deaf people able to hear. And people that can't talk—Jesus makes them able to talk."-- Mark 7:24-37 (ERV)
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/mark/0507-wjd.html
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