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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 7:31-37

Our Lord Jesus seldom staid long in a place, for he knew where his work lay, and attended the changes of it. When he had cured the woman of Canaan's daughter, he had done what he had to do in that place, and therefore presently left those parts, and returned to the sea of Galilee, whereabout his usual residence was; yet he did not come directly thither, but fetched a compass through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, which lay mostly on the other side Jordan; such long walks did our Lord... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 7:31-37

7:31-37 He went away again from the regions of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the regions of the Decapolis. They brought to him a man who was deaf and who had an impediment in his speech, and they asked him to lay his hands on him. He took him aside from the crowd all by himself. He thrust his fingers into his ears, and spat, and touched his tongue. Then he looked up into heaven, and sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" which means, "Be opened!" And his ears were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 7:32

And they bring unto him one that was deaf ,.... There were two sorts of persons that were called deaf among the Jews; one that could neither hear nor speak; such were they who were born deaf; and so having never heard any thing, it was impossible they should ever speak: the other sort were they that could speak, but not hear; who lost their hearing by some disaster or another, but retained their speech F3 Mish. Trumot, c. 1. sect. 2. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. : of this sort... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 7:33

And he took him aside from the multitude ,.... To shun all appearance of ostentation and vain glory: and put his fingers into his ears ; the finger of his right hand into his left ear, and the finger of his left hand into his right ear: and he spit and touched his tongue ; that is, either he spit upon his tongue, for so the Vulgate Latin renders it, "spitting he touched his tongue"; and the Persic version thus, "he cast his spittle on his tongue"; or rather, he spit on his finger,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 7:34

And looking up to heaven ,.... To his Father there, by whom he was sent, and from whom, as man, he received his authority and power; though this was not for assistance in the working of this miracle, which he had power to do of himself; nor do we find that he put up any request to his Father: but he seems to have made use of this motion, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the man: to teach him, that every good gift, blessing, mercy, and favour, and so this he was about to partake of,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 7:35

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,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 7:32

They bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech - Though from the letter of the text, it does not appear that this man was absolutely deprived of speech; for μογιλαλος literally signifies, one that cannot speak plainly - a stammerer; yet it is certain also that the word means a dumb person; and it is likely that the person in question was dumb, because he was deaf; and it is generally found that he who is totally deaf is dumb also. Almost all the versions... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 7:33

And he spit, and touched his tongue - This place is exceedingly difficult. There is scarcely an action of our Lord's life but one can see an evident reason for, except this. Various interpretations are given of it - none of them satisfies my mind. The Abbe Giradeau spiritualizes it thus: - He took him aside from the multitude - When Christ saves a sinner, he separates him from all his old evil companions, and from the spirit and maxims of an ungodly world. He put his fingers in his ears... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 7:34

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. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 7:35

He spake plain - Ορθως , distinctly, without stammering. One MS. has, And he spoke, praising God. There is no doubt of this: but the evangelist, I think, did not write these words. read more

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