When his friends brought the deaf/mute man to Jesus, Jesus took him aside -- away from the crowd -- and healed him. The story of the healing is a bit disgusting. Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears -- and spat -- and touched the man's tongue. There is a significant parallel between the deaf man and Jesus' disciples. The man can neither hear nor speak properly. The disciples cannot understand what Jesus is telling them, and are thus hampered in their proclamation. They, too, need Jesus' touch so that they might see, hear, and understand.

We, too, need Jesus' touch so that we might see, hear, & understand. The popularity of the Prosperity Gospel ("Believe and grow rich") is but one evidence of the spiritual misunderstanding that is widespread in the church today. And then there is the …show more content…
We, too, need Christ's healing touch.

This healing is very different from that of the woman's daughter. In that story, Jesus took no action other than to report the healing to the mother (v. 29). He puts his fingers into the man's ears. He spits and touches the man's tongue. Sometimes Jesus heals us with a word, and sometimes he has to spit. I don't know why some healings are easy and others aren't.

And then Jesus looked up to heaven -- and sighed -- and said, "Ephphatha," which means "Be opened" -- "And immediately (the man's) ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly." Jesus brought the man freedom -- freedom to move his tongue -- freedom to talk -- freedom to tell people what was on his mind --freedom to share his heart and soul with other people. And was commanded not to tell anyone.

And the people were "astounded beyond measure." When was the last time that you were astounded beyond measure? We are not easily astounded anymore. We see wondrous things so often that they fail to move us. Put a man on the moon -- did that! Bring down the