Jesus: The Compassionate Healer of Our Spiritual Deafness

 

Summary

In Mark 7:31-37, we witness a profound moment where Jesus heals a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. This passage is not just a testament to Jesus' miraculous power but also a reflection of His compassion and the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus' journey, which seems geographically perplexing, mirrors the wilderness wanderings of Israel, reminding us of God's mysterious yet purposeful plans. The healing of the deaf and mute man is a vivid illustration of the Messianic age prophesied by Isaiah, where the blind see, the deaf hear, and the mute sing for joy. This miracle is a foretaste of the kingdom of God breaking into the world, a kingdom where desolation turns to glory and despair to hope.

The use of the word "mogilalos" links this New Testament event to Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing the continuity of God's redemptive plan. Jesus' actions—putting His fingers in the man's ears, spitting, and touching his tongue—are rich with symbolic meaning. They signify the breaking of spiritual and physical chains, pointing to the ultimate liberation found in Christ. This healing is not just about physical restoration but also about spiritual awakening. It reminds us that before the Holy Spirit opens our hearts, we are spiritually deaf and mute, unable to hear God's word or speak His truth.

The crowd's reaction, "He has done all things well," encapsulates the essence of Jesus' ministry. Everything He does is perfect, reflecting His divine nature. This truth is a comfort in times of trial, reminding us that God's work in creation and redemption is flawless. Even when we face life's uncertainties, we can trust that God is working all things for our good. As believers, we are called to reflect on this truth and let it transform our perspective, enabling us to praise God with liberated tongues and open hearts.

Key Takeaways:

- Jesus' healing of the deaf and mute man is a powerful reminder of the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, where the coming of the Messiah brings restoration and hope. This miracle signifies the breaking of spiritual and physical chains, pointing to the ultimate liberation found in Christ. [12:56]

- The journey of Jesus, though geographically perplexing, mirrors the wilderness wanderings of Israel, reminding us of God's mysterious yet purposeful plans. It teaches us to trust in God's guidance, even when the path seems unclear, knowing that His ways are higher than ours. [04:06]

- The use of "mogilalos" connects this New Testament event to Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing the continuity of God's redemptive plan. It highlights the importance of understanding Scripture in its entirety, seeing the Old and New Testaments as a unified narrative of God's salvation history. [07:17]

- The crowd's reaction, "He has done all things well," encapsulates the essence of Jesus' ministry. This truth is a comfort in times of trial, reminding us that God's work in creation and redemption is flawless. We can trust that God is working all things for our good, even when we face life's uncertainties. [20:57]

- Before the Holy Spirit opens our hearts, we are spiritually deaf and mute, unable to hear God's word or speak His truth. This healing story is a metaphor for our spiritual awakening, urging us to seek God's intervention in our lives so that we may hear His voice and proclaim His glory. [19:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Reading of Mark 7:31-37
- [01:25] - Prayer and Introduction
- [02:29] - Jesus' Journey and Its Significance
- [04:06] - The Mystery of Jesus' Route
- [05:47] - The Deaf and Mute Man's Condition
- [06:36] - The Unique Word "Mogilalos"
- [07:17] - Connection to Isaiah's Prophecy
- [08:06] - Isaiah's Oracle of Doom
- [11:12] - The Promise of Restoration
- [12:56] - Fulfillment in Jesus' Healing
- [15:32] - Jesus' Compassionate Touch
- [17:16] - The Miracle of Healing
- [20:57] - The Crowd's Astonishment
- [23:36] - God's Perfect Work in Creation
- [25:59] - Trusting God's Sovereignty
- [26:50] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Mark 7:31-37
- Isaiah 35:5-6

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Observation Questions:

1. What specific actions did Jesus take to heal the deaf and mute man, and what might these actions symbolize? [15:32]

2. How did the crowd react to the miracle performed by Jesus, and what does their reaction reveal about their understanding of His ministry? [20:57]

3. What is the significance of the word "mogilalos" in the context of this miracle, and where else is it found in the Bible? [07:17]

4. How does the geographical journey of Jesus in this passage reflect the wilderness wanderings of Israel? [04:06]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the healing of the deaf and mute man serve as a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about the Messianic age? What does this tell us about Jesus' mission? [12:56]

2. In what ways does the crowd's declaration, "He has done all things well," encapsulate the essence of Jesus' ministry and divine nature? [20:57]

3. How does the use of "mogilalos" in both Mark and Isaiah emphasize the continuity of God's redemptive plan throughout the Bible? [07:17]

4. What might Jesus' seemingly perplexing journey through the region signify about God's plans and guidance in our lives? [04:06]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually deaf or mute. How did you seek God's intervention to open your heart and mind to His word? [19:13]

2. The crowd proclaimed, "He has done all things well." How can this truth comfort you in times of personal trial or uncertainty? [20:57]

3. Jesus' journey mirrored the wilderness wanderings of Israel. How can you trust in God's guidance even when your path seems unclear or confusing? [04:06]

4. Consider the symbolic actions Jesus took in healing the man. What spiritual or physical chains in your life need breaking, and how can you seek liberation through Christ? [15:32]

5. The prophecy in Isaiah speaks of a transformation from desolation to glory. In what areas of your life do you need to see this transformation, and how can you actively participate in it?

6. How can understanding the continuity of God's redemptive plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament deepen your faith and understanding of Scripture? [07:17]

7. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to trust that God is working all things for your good. What steps can you take this week to surrender that area to Him? [20:57]

Devotional

Day 1: The Messiah's Restoration and Hope
The healing of the deaf and mute man by Jesus is a profound demonstration of the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, where the coming of the Messiah brings restoration and hope. This miracle is not merely about physical healing but signifies the breaking of spiritual and physical chains, pointing to the ultimate liberation found in Christ. It serves as a reminder that Jesus' ministry was a foretaste of the kingdom of God breaking into the world, where desolation turns to glory and despair to hope. As believers, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of Christ's presence in our lives, recognizing that He is the source of true restoration and hope. [12:56]

Isaiah 35:5-6 (ESV): "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to experience Christ's restoration and hope today? How can you invite Him into those areas to bring healing and transformation?


Day 2: Trusting in God's Mysterious Plans
Jesus' journey, though geographically perplexing, mirrors the wilderness wanderings of Israel, reminding us of God's mysterious yet purposeful plans. This teaches us to trust in God's guidance, even when the path seems unclear, knowing that His ways are higher than ours. Just as the Israelites had to rely on God's direction through the wilderness, we too are called to trust in His sovereignty and wisdom, even when we cannot see the full picture. This trust is not passive but an active engagement with God's promises, believing that He is leading us toward His perfect will. [04:06]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's plan? How can you actively choose to trust Him today, even when the path seems unclear?


Day 3: The Continuity of God's Redemptive Plan
The use of the word "mogilalos" connects the New Testament event of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man to Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing the continuity of God's redemptive plan. This highlights the importance of understanding Scripture in its entirety, seeing the Old and New Testaments as a unified narrative of God's salvation history. As believers, we are encouraged to delve deeper into the Scriptures, recognizing the threads of God's promises and their fulfillment in Christ. This understanding enriches our faith and deepens our appreciation for the cohesive story of redemption that God has woven throughout history. [07:17]

Luke 24:27 (ESV): "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."

Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of the continuity of God's redemptive plan in Scripture? What steps can you take to study the Bible more comprehensively this week?


Day 4: The Perfection of Jesus' Ministry
The crowd's reaction, "He has done all things well," encapsulates the essence of Jesus' ministry. This truth is a comfort in times of trial, reminding us that God's work in creation and redemption is flawless. Even when we face life's uncertainties, we can trust that God is working all things for our good. As believers, we are called to reflect on this truth and let it transform our perspective, enabling us to praise God with liberated tongues and open hearts. This acknowledgment of Jesus' perfect work encourages us to rest in His sovereignty and goodness, knowing that He is in control. [20:57]

Psalm 18:30 (ESV): "This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him."

Reflection: In what ways can you acknowledge and celebrate the perfection of Jesus' work in your life today? How can this truth bring comfort and assurance in your current circumstances?


Day 5: Spiritual Awakening and Liberation
Before the Holy Spirit opens our hearts, we are spiritually deaf and mute, unable to hear God's word or speak His truth. The healing story of the deaf and mute man is a metaphor for our spiritual awakening, urging us to seek God's intervention in our lives so that we may hear His voice and proclaim His glory. This spiritual awakening is not a one-time event but a continual process of being attuned to God's presence and responding to His call. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we are empowered to live out His truth and share His love with others. [19:13]

Ephesians 1:17-18 (ESV): "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Reflection: How can you seek a deeper spiritual awakening in your life today? What practices can you incorporate to better hear God's voice and proclaim His truth in your daily interactions?

Quotes


And Mark tells again of Jesus continuing to be on the move. But his description of the itinerary here in the seventh chapter is one that has frankly baffled Biblical scholars for centuries, because we read that Jesus left Tyre, went north to Sidon, and then made His way east, and came back south, and then back up to the Sea of Galilee, a trip that moved in the shape of a horseshoe and that took 120 miles to go from Tyre back across and down and around, up into the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. [00:02:54]

And it takes us back to chapter 35 of the book of Isaiah, but before I read from chapter 35, let me give you just a little bit of a heads up here. In the preceding chapters, Isaiah has been delivering to the people of Israel an oracle of doom, that God had commissioned Isaiah to pronounce upon the people of Israel and her neighbors that the judgment of God was going to lay the land waste, that the people were going to go through a period of severe desolation. [00:07:34]

But when God gives His announcement of judgment, He almost always gives us an element of future hope because God never abandons His remnant to desolation. And even in this text where Isaiah announces the Day of the Lord, the day of the Lord’s visitation, the day of His destruction that would come upon the land, He then builds upon this. And hear what He says in chapter 35. [00:10:57]

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them. And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. [00:11:24]

Then here’s the climax. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing.” Here is where that word “mogilalos” is used again, where the tongue of the dumb will sing. “For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. [00:13:06]

And when Jesus touched the man on the tongue, He looked up to Heaven, and the Scripture said, “He sighed,” or groaned inwardly, indicating a passionate appeal to the Father to intervene. He touched the man’s tongue, a tongue that was in chains, and then our Savior sighed, and He spoke a word that is left in the original by Mark that simply means, “Be opened.” [00:17:26]

And until the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts and regenerates our soul, what we have in our mouths is mere filth, the poison of asps is under our lips, and our tongue is used to utter blasphemy and poison until it is made free from the chains of sin. Immediately, Mark tells us his ears were opened. The impediment of his tongue was loosed. [00:19:26]

And they were astonished beyond measure. And in their shock, in their astonishment, notice what they say in this response. Here’s what they say of Jesus, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” He has done all things well. What a description of Christ. Jesus never did anything poorly in His life. [00:21:06]

And when God created the heavens, He looked at what He made through the power of His voice, He saw the lights shining into the darkness, and He says, “Well, that’s not too bad.” No, no. He looked at the work of His hands and pronounced His divine benediction upon it, “That’s good.” Because what God does in creation, He does well. [00:23:43]

And in the work of redemption that was accomplished for your souls, Christ did it well. That’s why we can sing in the midst of tribulation, “It is well with our souls.” Not because we make our souls well in the midst of the storm, but because when the Spirit of God comes into the soul of a person and brings His peace and brings His joy, He does it well. [00:24:33]

God doesn’t have to explain anything that pleases Him to bring to pass in this world. He didn’t have to explain to Israel why jackals were inhabiting the land. He didn’t have to explain to Israel why their streams had become like rivers of tar, worthless for navigation, worthless for fishing. The reason for that was clear. They were a sinful nation. [00:26:20]

O Lord, such grace and excellence is indeed amazing, and even if we had ten thousand tongues to sing your praise, we would still seem to ourselves to be inarticulate about it. Take the chains from our mouths that we may show forth Your praise in a manner fitting for Your glory. For we ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen. [00:27:15]

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Transcript
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