Jesus performed a wonderful miracle. A man who was deaf and mute could now hear and speak. Jesus opened the man’s ears and loosed his mouth. The man’s ears are no longer stopped up or his mouth is no longer mute. He can now hear and speak. This is a wonderful miracle.
But when did this miracle actually occur? It did not happen when Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ear. It did not happen when Jesus spat and touched the man’s tongue. It did not happen when Jesus looked up to heaven and sighed. The miracle happened when Jesus spoke the word. Jesus said, “Be opened” and immediately the man’s ears were opened, and his tongue was released. Jesus’ word accomplished exactly what it commanded.
Of course, Jesus could have stood at a distance and simply spoken the words, “Be opened,” and the man would have been healed. Many times, Jesus worked miracles in this way. For example, Jesus stood at a distance and said, “Lazarus, come forth” and Lazarus who had been dead, came back to life. At other times, however, Jesus used physical means. In John chapter 9, He spat on the ground, made mud, placed it on a blind man’s eyes, and told him to wash. The man obeyed, and his sight was restored. When Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes, it was as if He were saying, “I am going to do something to your eyes” and He did. Jesus gave the man sight.
So also, here. When Jesus put his finger into the man’s ears and touched his tongue, He was saying, “I am going to do something to your ears and to your mouth” and He did. Jesus gave the man the ability to hear and to speak.
Yet again, I ask: when did the miracle actually occur? It occurred when Jesus spoke the words “Be opened.”
God’s Word is powerful. God’s Word gives life. At creation God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. God spoke and everything came into existence. God brought everything into existence by the power of His Word. God’s word accomplished exactly what it commanded. Yet, when God created Adam and Eve, he used means. Adam was formed out of the dust of the ground and Eve was fashioned from Adam’s rib. Still, all was done by the power of God’s Word.
In the beginning, there was a perfect relationship between God and man. Adam and Eve showed their love toward God, by eating from the tree of life and by not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were righteous in every way.
But then Satan came along and attacked God’s Word! He said to Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Notice that Satan attacked God’s Word. He attacked what God had spoken.
Unfortunately, Eve listened to Satan. Her ear received his lies, and her mouth received the forbidden fruit. Then Adam listened to Eve and he too ate. With that act, they lost their righteousness. Out of their mouths now came evil words. Adam blamed his wife and God. Their perfect union was now marred by conflict.
Because of Adam’s fall into sin, all humanity suffers under the curse of sin and death. The Fall has even corrupted our ears and our mouths—what we hear, what we believe, and what we speak.
What are you listening to? Gossip, corrupt music, false teaching? And what are you speaking? Evil words, bad words, sinful words? Whatever enters the ear will eventually come out of the mouth.
From the very beginning, Satan has attacked God’s Word. In the garden of Eden, he twisted God’s command. And he still does so today. Satan will say: “Did God really limit marriage to one man and one woman?” “Did God truly appoint men to be the spiritual leaders in the home and the church?” “Did Jesus actually rise from the dead?” “Isn’t the Bible just a book written by men?” “Isn’t truth just relative?” Satan’s strategy has not changed—he still attacks God’s Word today.
We sin with our ears when we despise preaching and God’s Word—when we skip worship, or fail to gladly hear and learn it. We sin with our mouths when we misuse God’s name—when we curse, swear, lie, deceive, or speak in ways that dishonor Him.
No wonder Jesus looked up to heaven and sighed. He sighed not only because the man before Him could not hear or speak, but also because of the deeper brokenness—the result of Adam and Eve’s fall. Jesus grieved over creation’s corruption. He mourned the devastation Satan brought into the world and into our lives.
We pray, “O Lord, open my lips”—for by nature our lips are imprisoned. But when God opens our lips, then our mouths declare His praise and proclaim His mighty works.
We pray, “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.” For we are in bondage to Satan, and we cannot free ourselves. We have no power to open our stopped ears or to loosen our bound tongues. We cannot free ourselves from sin, nor can we raise ourselves from death. O Lord, You alone can deliver us from the tyranny of sin, death, and the devil. Therefore we cry out: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.”
Those who brought the deaf and mute man to Jesus knew that only Jesus could deliver their friend from the bondage of the ear and the mouth. They believed that Jesus is the promised Messiah. The prophet Isaiah in 29:18 (our Old Testament reading for today) that “In that day the deaf will hear” (Isaiah 29:18). Those who brought the deaf and mute man to Jesus believed that Isaiah 29:18 is being fulfilled in Jesus.
Jesus then took the man aside from the crowd. He did not wish to make a spectacle of him. Jesus did want a recording of this put on social media. Jesus never sought attention, nor did He exploit the suffering of others to glorify Himself. He was completely present for this man.
Using a kind of sign language, Jesus dealt with him in a way he could understand. He placed His fingers into the man’s ears. He spat and touched the man’s tongue. The very One who took part in creation now touched what sin had broken. The Great Physician went to work. Jesus was “hands on”—never distant or detached. At another time He touched a leper, and that man was healed. Jesus was never afraid to get His hands dirty.
Then Jesus looked up to heaven and sighed. He grieved over the fall into sin and the ruin sin had brought into the world. And then He spoke: “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
But more than just his physical healing took place. This man was made whole in body and spirit. An exorcism occurred. Jesus set this man free from his bondage to Satan. This man can now hear God’s Word. He can now confess that Jesus is God in human flesh.
But this freedom did not come without a price. You see, in order to release us from the captivity of Satan, Jesus must put Himself under that captivity. All the sins of the ear – listening to gossip and lies were put on Jesus. All the sins of the mouth – cursing, swearing, lies, and words of unbelief were put on Jesus. Adam and Eve’s sin, the sin of the Israelites, the mute and deaf man’s sins, your sin and mine were put on Jesus.
Jesus is a hands-on God taking our flesh and sin upon Himself and dying upon the cross. Jesus’ hands which once were put into the man’s ears are now pierced. Jesus’ mouth from which once came healing saliva is now parched and dry. Jesus asked for a drink because there is no saliva left in His mouth.
Jesus is covered with blood and crucified upon a cross for you and for your salvation. Out of love for you, Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for your sin.
Three days later, the words “He is risen” were like the words “Be opened.” Christ’s victory on the cross and over the grave means that Satan has been defeated. Sin is paid for and heaven is opened.
The words “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” are like the words “be opened.”
Do you agonize over the Old Adam within you? Do you struggle against the devil’s tempting words? Then remember that you are baptized. Christ’s “Ephphatha” was spoken upon you. You are redeemed with the blood of Christ and washed clean in the waters of Holy Baptism.
The words “I forgive you all your sins” are like the words “be opened.” The Gospel was put into your ears in Holy Absolution, and it is being put into your ears now as you hear preaching. You are released of all your sin. Then in Holy Communion He touches your tongue with His body and blood. Jesus is still a hands-on God.
Jesus’ words are always life creating and powerful. They always accomplish what they say. They remove sin. They cleanse the heart. They refresh and restore us. They bring to life.
Our text says that “they brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment.” We don’t know how many people brought their friend to Jesus. We don’t even know their names. But they did a good thing.
Bring your children to the baptismal font. Bring them God’s Word at home or at Sunday School. Bring your family to church where you and your family can hear God’s Word. Bring your friends to the Divine Service so that they too can hear God’s Word, believe in Jesus and confess him as their one and only Savior.
Jesus does all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. He does all things well. He died upon the cross for your salvation and He rose from the dead. He does all things well. His Gospel is preached. Ears are opened and the impediment of our tongue is loosed.
Jesus still does all things well. Our Lord puts His word into your ear and then your mouth shows forth praise in liturgy and by singing hymns. Your mouth confesses saving faith in Christ. Thanks be to God. Amen
