Markus 7:34 Kommentar

In this chapter we have, I. Christ's dispute with the scribes and Pharisees about eating meat with unwashen hands (Mar 7:1-13); and the needful instructions he gave to the people on that occasion, and further explained to his disciples (Mar 7:14-23). II. His curing of the woman Canaan's daughter that was possessed (Mar 7:24-30). III. The relief of a man that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech (Mar 7:31-37).

Then came together unto him the Pharisees,.... Having heard of his miracles, and that he was come into the land of Gennesaret; they consulted with one another, and came together to Jesus, to watch and observe what was said and done by him, and take what advantage they could against him. These were not of that country, but were of Jerusalem, as were their companions the Scribes: and certain of the Scribes, which were of Jerusalem; for the fame of Christ had reached the metropolis of the nation; and these men being the more artful and cunning of the whole sect, either came of themselves, or were sent by the sanhedrim, to make their observations upon his doctrine and conduct; See Gill on Mat 15:1.

And straightway his ears were opened,.... It is in the Greek text, "his hearings"; the instruments of his hearing, and so rightly rendered, "his ears": the Persic version reads, "both his ears"; but the word "both" is unnecessary, since the word, "ears", takes in both. Such a power went along with the words of Christ, when he said, "be opened"; that immediately, as soon as ever the words were pronounced, the man's hearing came to him, and he heard as quick as ever he did before he lost it, or, as any other man: and the string of his tongue; which caused it to cleave to his jaws, or the roof of his mouth, and hindered him from speaking plainly, was loosed, and he spake plain; "easily", as the Syriac version renders it; without any difficulty to himself, and so as to be readily understood by others. Thus those whose ears are opened, and whose tongues are loosed in a spiritual manner by Christ, speak plainly of what they have heard and seen, and felt; they can give a plain and clear account of the work of God upon their souls; how they have been convinced of the impurity of their nature, the corruptions of their hearts, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin, in heart, lip, and life; how they have seen Christ to be an all sufficient and suitable Saviour, and have been directed, and encouraged, to go to him, for healing, pardon, righteousness, and everlasting salvation; they can tell what promises have been applied to them, and what comforts they have enjoyed; how busy Satan has been with them; and what temptations of his they have been delivered out of, and by what means: in a word, they can speak plainly of the love of God to them; of the glories and excellencies of Christ; of their faith and hope in him, and love to him; and of the operations of the Spirit of God upon their hearts; and of the glories of the world to come, they are in the expectation of, so far as they are taught of God.

Every sabbath we witness the “opening up” of a mystery. It is in outline form the type of that liturgical opening when the minister once touched your ears and nostrils. What does this mean? Remember in the Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ, when the deaf and dumb man was presented to him, touched his ears and his mouth: the ears, because he was deaf; the mouth, because he was dumb. And he said: “Ephphatha,” a Hebrew word, which in Latin means adaperire [be opened]. In this way the minister is now touching your ears, that your ears may be opened to this sermon and exhortation.

So open your ears and enjoy the good odor of eternal life which has been breathed upon you by the grace of the sacraments. This we pointed out to you as we celebrated the mystery of the opening and said: “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened,” so that everyone about to come to the table of grace might know what he was asked and remember the way he once responded. Christ celebrated this mystery in the Gospel, as we read, when he healed the one who was deaf and dumb.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) He at the same time also groaned, as taking our cause upon Himself, and pitying human nature, seeing the misery into which it had fallen.

And looking up to heaven, he sighed; and said to him: Effeta, which is to say, Be opened. He looked up to heaven to teach that speech to the mute, hearing to the deaf, and healing to all infirmities, should be sought from there. He sighed, not because it was necessary for him to ask anything from the Father with a sigh, he who with the Father grants all things to those who ask, but to give us an example of sighing, when we invoke the aid of heavenly piety for our sins or those of our neighbors. But when he says: Effeta, that is, be opened, it pertains specifically to the ears. For the ears are to be opened for hearing, while the tongue needs to be freed from the bonds of its slowness to be able to speak; and hence it is added:

(ubi sup.) He looked up to heaven, that He might teach us that thence is to be procured speech for the dumb, hearing for the deaf, health for all who are sick. And He sighed, not that it was necessary for Him to beg any thing from His Father with groaning, for He, together with the Father, gives all things to them who ask, but that He might give us an example of sighing, when for our own errors and those of our neighbours, we invoke the guardianship of the Divine mercy.

(ubi sup.) But that which He says, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened, belongs properly to the ears, for the ears are to be opened for hearing, but the tongue to be loosed from the bonds of its impediment, that it may be able to speak.

Looking up to heaven, the Lord "sighed," on the one hand, prayerfully to the Father, that He might have mercy on the man, and as an example to us, that when we intend to do any good deed, we should look to God and ask His help for its accomplishment; and on the other hand, He sighs also out of compassion for human nature, how it has been so given over to the devil that it suffers such outrage and affliction from him.

And looking up to heaven, he groaned, (Cf. Mat. 12:20. Luke 11:20) that is, He taught us to groan, and to raise up the treasures of our hearts to the heavens; because by the groaning of hearty compunction, the silly joy of the flesh is purged away.

The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with unwashen hands, Mar 7:1-5. Christ exposes their hypocrisy, and shows that they had made the word of God of no effect by their traditions, Mar 7:6-13. He shows what things defile men, Mar 7:14-16; and teaches his disciples in private, that the sin of the heart alone, leading to vicious practices, defiles the man, Mar 7:17-23. The account of the Syrophoenician woman, Mar 7:24-30. He heals a man who was dumb, and had an impediment in his speech, Mar 7:31-37.

Ephphatha - Ethphathach, Syriac. It is likely that it was in this language that our Lord spoke to this poor man: and because he had pronounced the word Ephphathach with peculiar and authoritative emphasis, the evangelist thought proper to retain the original word; though the last letter in it could not be expressed by any letter in the Greek alphabet.

FOUR THOUSAND MIRACULOUSLY FED--A SIGN FROM HEAVEN SOUGHT AND REFUSED--THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES--A BLIND MAN AT BETHSAIDA RESTORED TO SIGHT. ( = Mat. 15:32-16:12). (Mark 8:1-26) In those days the multitude being very great, &c.

And looking up to heaven--ever acknowledging His Father, even while the healing was seen to flow from Himself (see on Joh 5:19). he sighed--"over the wreck," says TRENCH, "which sin had brought about, and the malice of the devil in deforming the fair features of God's original creation." But, we take it, there was a yet more painful impression of that "evil thing and bitter" whence all our ills have sprung, and which, when "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses" (Mat 8:17), became mysteriously His own. "In thought of these his brows benign, Not even in healing, cloudless shine." KEBLE and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened--Our Evangelist, as remarked on Mar 5:41, loves to give such wonderful words just as they were spoken.