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The Deaf-mute Speaks
He maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak
Everlasting life is like the healing of the deaf-mute in Mark 7:31-37:
At the Sea of Galilee near Decapolis, some locals brought to the Lord a man who was deaf with a speech impediment and besought Jesus to heal him. Jesus separated the man from the crowd and put his fingers in the deaf-mute's ear and then spit and touched the man's tongue. Jesus then looked toward heaven, sighed and said, "be opened". Immediately the man's ears were opened and he could speak plainly---"the string of his tongue being loosed".
This is the meaning of the miracle: Decapolis, a "ten city" Roman outpost which included Gadara, known for its demon possession and swine, represents the heathen lands bereft of the truth of God. The deaf-mute signifies the spiritual condition of the local inhabitants who lead him out from the city to Jesus for healing. They are born spiritually dead and unable to respond to the living word of God. They perceive its sound, but are deaf to the truth; their hearts are bastions and strongholds of the lies of demons; there is no life of God in them.
The separation of the man from the crowd parallels the sinner's separation unto the gospel call. Fingers signify the work of God (Psalm 8:3) in healing the spiritual ears of the spiritually dead. Spit, as the water inside of Jesus, is the word of God that is poured out upon the earth and fallen man. It will not return void (Isaiah 55:10-11), but will well up and out of the mouth and tongue of a believer (John 7:38-39). Jesus looks toward heaven as he heals the man, reminding us that the work and words of Jesus were those given to Him by the Father (John 14:10). The string of the tongue being loosened teaches us that the tongue of man, born in bondage and bitterness, can now be free to serve the risen King of Truth. (James 3:11-13)
A new heart in Christ (Ez. 36:25-27)
"He who has an ear..." (Rev. 2:7)
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