The Miracle Man
Mark 7:31-37
Did Jesus come to perform miracles?
Photo by Assad Tanoli on Unsplash
When he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” - Mark 7:31-37
It is clear that these acts of kindness attracted people from far and wide. They definitely helped him reach more people. But was that his intent?
There is a clue in the reading.
He took him aside in private, away from the crowd...
It appears that Jesus wanted to help without drawing a crowd, and that tells me that he did not plan on healing the deaf and curing the sick.
I could be wrong. After all, it is a great marketing approach. But being a miracle worker doesn’t guarantee that he will grow his flock.
People can come, be healed and go on their way. Many did.
They obviously spread the word about him, though, and more people came to be healed. That may have been more of a curse than a blessing.
When we read John’s gospel, we get the impression that Jesus intentionally performed these signs to show the people that he was the Messiah.
In Isaiah 35, we get a glimpse of the expectations the people might have had about the Messiah.
“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…”
Isaiah doesn’t say this is when the Messiah comes, but it is implied and interpreted that way, so the people may have expected such miracles only when the Messiah comes.
Yet, Mark doesn’t say that the people thought Jesus was the Messiah when he performed this miracle. So, it makes me wonder if the miracles were part of Jesus’ plan from the start, or did his Mother start him down this path when she told him to help the groom at the wedding in Cana.
The answer may be in the way Jesus answered his mother. He told her his time had not yet come. He didn’t say that his power was not to be used for the benefit of the children of God.
So, we are left to speculate on our own.
There is no denying that people come to Jesus because of his miracles. How many of us would not believe if we didn’t know of his power to heal? Physical healing and spiritual healing are different things.
He surely came to heal us spiritually, bringing us back to the Father. But what about the lame and the deaf, not to mention the dead?
Jesus showed enormous compassion for us. I believe that is why he risked his life to heal people. He eventually gave his life to heal us all, but that is our spiritual healing.
Whatever the original plan, what Jesus did for so many was to give them life when their situation held them back from living.
That is something that we can do in his name. We can do our small miracles in helping one another have a better life.
We can be miracle men and women for God.
More to come...