Ephphatha! Be Opened! — sacred illustration
✶ Our Bible Moments No. 278 / 280

Comfort & Not Alone

Ephphatha! Be Opened!

Mark 7:32-35

Mark 7:32-35 is the moment Jesus heals a deaf man in the Decapolis. So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.

Lord Jesus, You took the deaf man aside, away from the crowd. You looked up to heaven and sighed deeply. Take me aside with You today. Open my ears to hear You, and loosen my tongue to speak of You plainly. Amen.

Mark 7:32-35 is the moment Jesus heals a deaf man in the Decapolis. So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.

The Scripture

“Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.”

— Mark 7:32-35

Prayer points from Mark 7:32-35

  1. Ask Him to take you aside, away from the noise around you.
  2. Thank Him that He comes close and meets you where you are.
  3. Ask Him to open your ears to hear His voice.
  4. Ask Him to loosen your tongue to speak of Him plainly.
  5. Pray for someone who is deaf, ill, or struggling to be heard.
  6. Praise Him, because He has done all things well.

About this verse

Jesus has just left the region of Tyre and traveled through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the Decapolis, a mostly Gentile region. Some people bring Him a man who is deaf and can hardly speak, and they beg Jesus to place His hand on him. Instead of healing him in front of everyone, Jesus takes him aside privately, away from the crowd. He puts His fingers into the man’s ears, spits, and touches his tongue, speaking to him in a way he can feel. Then He looks up to heaven, sighs deeply, and says one word in Aramaic: Ephphatha, be opened. At once the man hears, his tongue is released, and he speaks plainly. Jesus tells them not to tell anyone, but the more He says it, the more widely they proclaim it, saying He has done all things well. It is a prayer for anyone who has stopped hearing God and wants Him to come close.

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