“I will also give You as a light of the nations [Gentiles] so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” - Isaiah 49:6b
A week ago we began a span of 3 sermons that cover miracles Jesus performed outside the borders of Israel. In that message Jesus went to Phoenicia, where He cast a demon out of a little girl. In today’s and in next week’s sermons Jesus will be in another Gentile region adjacent to Galilee. As I stated a week ago, while Jesus primarily stayed in Israel and interacted with the Jewish people during His earthly ministry, His mission and atoning work was for everyone - including the Gentiles.
This morning’s message is titled “A Deaf Mute and Large Crowds in the Decapolis”. It is the 20th sermon in this year’s series on “The Miracles of Jesus”. Both of the miraculous events we’ll discuss in this sermon are recorded exclusively in a single gospel account. The first is found only in Mark and the second only in Matthew. Alright… here we go!
I. A SECOND VISIT (Mark 7:31)
After departing from Tyre, where He had healed a demon-possessed girl, Jesus passed through Sidon, another prominent city in Phoenicia, before returning eastward back across northern Israel and coming to the Sea of Galilee. From there He crossed over into the Decapolis. This was His second trip to the Decapolis. He had made a brief visit there previously during which He’d cast a legion of demons out of a crazed man (or possibly pair of men) into a herd of swine.
Like Phoenicia, the Decapolis was an area of confederated city-states that bordered Galilee. It was located, for the most part, on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and Jordan River. As we’ve discussed before, it was predominantly inhabited by Gentiles. It would appear that Jesus traveled to the region by boat, seeing that He departed by boat when He left (Matthew 15:39).
II. A PECULIAR APPROACH (Mark 7:32-35)
Upon His arrival somewhere within the region of the Decapolis, the people brought a man to Jesus who was deaf and had difficulty speaking. They pleaded with Jesus to lay hands on him and heal him. Jesus took the man aside by himself, put His fingers into the man’s ears, spit, touched His tongue, looked towards heaven with a sigh, and said “Ephphatha!”, which means “Be opened!” Immediately the man could both hear and speak plainly.
I am fascinated by the manner in which Jesus healed this man. First he took Him aside privately. Then He touched the man’s ears and tongue, gesturing that He was about to heal the man’s hearing and speech. Remember that the man was deaf, so He couldn’t hear what Jesus was saying just yet. Then he did something that seemed a bit strange… He spat. This is 1 of 3 miracles recorded in the gospels when Jesus spat. Why?
In Biblical times it was believed that saliva had medicinal properties. That said, they didn’t believe it was potent enough to immediately cure blindness, deafness, or so on. Rather, it was used as a treatment over time intended to improve unhealthy conditions or impairments. By spitting, Jesus communicated His intention to heal in a very recognizable way. By its immediate effects, Jesus revealed His divine power to be much greater and effectual than any human medicines or treatments.
III. AN ASTONISHED RESPONSE (Mark 7:36-37)
Jesus told the crowd of witnesses not to tell anyone what had happened, but the more He urged them to keep silent, the more they made it known. They were utterly astonished by what they had seen. The crowds were saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Although Jesus took this man aside, clearly the people either watched and heard from a distance or saw the results of the miracle afterward. They knew that Jesus and supernaturally healed him. Jesus, as we’ve seen on a few similar occasions, asked them not to tell anyone what they’d seen, but they did. By this point everyone knew who Jesus was, so asking the people to keep quiet in order to slow His rise to fame seems pointless. Perhaps Jesus was trying to squelch the shortsighted notion that He was simply a miracle worker seeking notoriety.
This particular story describes a healing miracle. Jesus performed it using both touch and a spoken command. He also spat as a way of illustrating His divine power over that of traditional medicine. He performed this miracle in the presence of many people to reveal His identity and declare His glory that they might believe.
IV. MANY ON THE MOUNTAIN (Matthew 15:29-31)
While in the Decapolis, near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus went up onto a mountain and sat down. Large crowds were bringing the lame, crippled, blind, mute, and others to Jesus in order to be healed. They marveled as they watched Him heal these many afflicted people and they glorified the God of Israel.
While uncertain, it is possible that the miraculous healing of the mute man with a speech impediment which we discussed earlier in this sermon occurred during Jesus’ healing of many people on the mountain. That man may have been among those who were brought to Jesus in order to be healed that day. I suppose it doesn’t really matter, but I do find it interesting to think about. If so, his story is the only 1 specifically described among the many that are generally referred to as being healed on this miraculous occasion.
The miracles that took place on the mountain were healing miracles. The Bible doesn't specifically state how Jesus performed them. It does say that the crowds marveled and glorified the God of Israel, suggesting that some believed or at least acknowledged the LORD’s power.
CONCLUSION
In last week’s message, the apostles (who were all Jewish) seemed somewhat averse to Jesus healing a Gentile woman’s daughter. As you might recall, they urged Him to send her away. Nevertheless, He healed the girl anyway despite their complaints. This week Jesus took them to the Decapolis where He proceeded to heal many more Gentiles, including a deaf mute. It seems to me that, at least in part, Jesus was intentionally showing them that His ministry and message were not limited exclusively to the Jews. I’m not sure they grasped this truth just yet.
In fact, even after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven there was still debate among the disciples whether or not the Gentiles could be saved, and if so how? This issue even resulted in friction between Peter (who was inclined toward the Jews) and Paul (who was inclined toward the Gentiles). I believe that Jesus’ visits to Gentile areas, though few, are compelling evidence that His compassion and atoning work was (and is) for everyone.
Next week we will wrap up our discussion of Jesus’ brief visit to the Decapolis with a story that is strikingly similar to another we’ve already covered. Do you remember Jesus feeding the multitudes with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of small fish? Could He do something like that again? Hmm. See you next Sunday.
A week ago we began a span of 3 sermons that cover miracles Jesus performed outside the borders of Israel. In that message Jesus went to Phoenicia, where He cast a demon out of a little girl. In today’s and in next week’s sermons Jesus will be in another Gentile region adjacent to Galilee. As I stated a week ago, while Jesus primarily stayed in Israel and interacted with the Jewish people during His earthly ministry, His mission and atoning work was for everyone - including the Gentiles.
This morning’s message is titled “A Deaf Mute and Large Crowds in the Decapolis”. It is the 20th sermon in this year’s series on “The Miracles of Jesus”. Both of the miraculous events we’ll discuss in this sermon are recorded exclusively in a single gospel account. The first is found only in Mark and the second only in Matthew. Alright… here we go!
I. A SECOND VISIT (Mark 7:31)
After departing from Tyre, where He had healed a demon-possessed girl, Jesus passed through Sidon, another prominent city in Phoenicia, before returning eastward back across northern Israel and coming to the Sea of Galilee. From there He crossed over into the Decapolis. This was His second trip to the Decapolis. He had made a brief visit there previously during which He’d cast a legion of demons out of a crazed man (or possibly pair of men) into a herd of swine.
Like Phoenicia, the Decapolis was an area of confederated city-states that bordered Galilee. It was located, for the most part, on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and Jordan River. As we’ve discussed before, it was predominantly inhabited by Gentiles. It would appear that Jesus traveled to the region by boat, seeing that He departed by boat when He left (Matthew 15:39).
II. A PECULIAR APPROACH (Mark 7:32-35)
Upon His arrival somewhere within the region of the Decapolis, the people brought a man to Jesus who was deaf and had difficulty speaking. They pleaded with Jesus to lay hands on him and heal him. Jesus took the man aside by himself, put His fingers into the man’s ears, spit, touched His tongue, looked towards heaven with a sigh, and said “Ephphatha!”, which means “Be opened!” Immediately the man could both hear and speak plainly.
I am fascinated by the manner in which Jesus healed this man. First he took Him aside privately. Then He touched the man’s ears and tongue, gesturing that He was about to heal the man’s hearing and speech. Remember that the man was deaf, so He couldn’t hear what Jesus was saying just yet. Then he did something that seemed a bit strange… He spat. This is 1 of 3 miracles recorded in the gospels when Jesus spat. Why?
In Biblical times it was believed that saliva had medicinal properties. That said, they didn’t believe it was potent enough to immediately cure blindness, deafness, or so on. Rather, it was used as a treatment over time intended to improve unhealthy conditions or impairments. By spitting, Jesus communicated His intention to heal in a very recognizable way. By its immediate effects, Jesus revealed His divine power to be much greater and effectual than any human medicines or treatments.
III. AN ASTONISHED RESPONSE (Mark 7:36-37)
Jesus told the crowd of witnesses not to tell anyone what had happened, but the more He urged them to keep silent, the more they made it known. They were utterly astonished by what they had seen. The crowds were saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Although Jesus took this man aside, clearly the people either watched and heard from a distance or saw the results of the miracle afterward. They knew that Jesus and supernaturally healed him. Jesus, as we’ve seen on a few similar occasions, asked them not to tell anyone what they’d seen, but they did. By this point everyone knew who Jesus was, so asking the people to keep quiet in order to slow His rise to fame seems pointless. Perhaps Jesus was trying to squelch the shortsighted notion that He was simply a miracle worker seeking notoriety.
This particular story describes a healing miracle. Jesus performed it using both touch and a spoken command. He also spat as a way of illustrating His divine power over that of traditional medicine. He performed this miracle in the presence of many people to reveal His identity and declare His glory that they might believe.
IV. MANY ON THE MOUNTAIN (Matthew 15:29-31)
While in the Decapolis, near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus went up onto a mountain and sat down. Large crowds were bringing the lame, crippled, blind, mute, and others to Jesus in order to be healed. They marveled as they watched Him heal these many afflicted people and they glorified the God of Israel.
While uncertain, it is possible that the miraculous healing of the mute man with a speech impediment which we discussed earlier in this sermon occurred during Jesus’ healing of many people on the mountain. That man may have been among those who were brought to Jesus in order to be healed that day. I suppose it doesn’t really matter, but I do find it interesting to think about. If so, his story is the only 1 specifically described among the many that are generally referred to as being healed on this miraculous occasion.
The miracles that took place on the mountain were healing miracles. The Bible doesn't specifically state how Jesus performed them. It does say that the crowds marveled and glorified the God of Israel, suggesting that some believed or at least acknowledged the LORD’s power.
CONCLUSION
In last week’s message, the apostles (who were all Jewish) seemed somewhat averse to Jesus healing a Gentile woman’s daughter. As you might recall, they urged Him to send her away. Nevertheless, He healed the girl anyway despite their complaints. This week Jesus took them to the Decapolis where He proceeded to heal many more Gentiles, including a deaf mute. It seems to me that, at least in part, Jesus was intentionally showing them that His ministry and message were not limited exclusively to the Jews. I’m not sure they grasped this truth just yet.
In fact, even after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven there was still debate among the disciples whether or not the Gentiles could be saved, and if so how? This issue even resulted in friction between Peter (who was inclined toward the Jews) and Paul (who was inclined toward the Gentiles). I believe that Jesus’ visits to Gentile areas, though few, are compelling evidence that His compassion and atoning work was (and is) for everyone.
Next week we will wrap up our discussion of Jesus’ brief visit to the Decapolis with a story that is strikingly similar to another we’ve already covered. Do you remember Jesus feeding the multitudes with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of small fish? Could He do something like that again? Hmm. See you next Sunday.