Mark 7:24-37
“Notice what you notice.” And He entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet He could not be hidden. (v. 24b) Yesterday both Debbie and I asked why Jesus would stray so far away from Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon – Gentile territory. My sense was that He was just trying to get away for a bit – to leave Galilee and not be troubled by all the demands that were being made of Him. This verse seems to confirm that thought. He entered “a house”. I wondered if that was a “target house”, like maybe He had been invited there by someone He had met in Galilee or if it was just someone offering hospitality to a stranger – or if it was someone who knew of Jesus’ reputation and offered Him a home when he saw Him on the street. Any of those options are possible. But the second part of that verse points to His wanting to get away – he did not want anyone to know! But He was soon found out!
Today’s mention of the Decapolis is the third and last time that it is mentioned in the New Testament. In our readings schedule Jesus has visited the Decapolis before (see Matthew 4:25 and Mark 5:20), so He is known in that region and people bringing the deaf and mute man to Him is not so unusual. It turns out that Jesus using his spit to heal was also not so unusual. There are two other occurrences of Jesus using spit in healing (Mark 8:23, John 9:6). We naturally ask why He would do that – it remains an open question.
Beyond the spit item is another intrigue – And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” (v. 34) I was struck by “He sighed”. Just now I looked up to the ceiling and sighed and asked what sighing might mean to me or to other people. I remember one of my brothers who used to say “Heavy sigh…”, implying some level of incredulity at some circumstance in his life or someone else’s behavior. But that reaction does not fit Jesus here. What does fit is a level of contentment and confidence that His Father would do just what Jesus is asking, that the man’s ears and mouth be opened. Jesus’ sigh is simply a reflection of His inner peace – His equanimity. We’re back at David’s most recent sermon!
GLORY!
I like the sigh of peace and contentment rather than the sigh of frustration or disgust. More of an “Aaah!”
I read a note in my study Bible that Jesus may have said tell no one because his message was getting overshadowed by his healing miracles, signs. Hadn’t thought of that possibility, especially since he said this in an area where he had healed many.
That’s really interesting—makes sense!