Mark 7:31-37 He has done all things well

31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

     We don’t know who the man was in this account, only his sad condition, he was deaf and had a speech impediment.  But somehow this man’s friends knew enough to take him to the Lord Jesus for they knew that He was a healer.  The Lord took this man aside from the multitude (v.33) and deals with him in private.  Obviously, the Lord did not want to draw attention to His person due to the increased hatred from the religious leaders, who were filled with envy towards Him.  But, God deals with each and every one of us in private, too.  It is admittedly strange that the Lord would put His fingers into the man’s ears, and with spittle would touch the man’s tongue, but the Lord Jesus not just the healer, but also the Creator! (Ex. 4:11).  The Lord must have known that this man needed a tangible sign to assure him that help was on its way.  He couldn’t hear the Master’s blessed voice, but he could feel the Master’s precious touch.  In verse 34 the Lord, while looking up to Heaven (seems to be referring an act of prayer) and sighed (perhaps in sympathy towards the poor man and saddened by the sorry effects of sin and depravity upon nature and mankind).  But then, the Lord speaks a simple command, “Be opened,” and so ends the poor man’s plight.  The miracle was so overwhelming (as you could imagine) and they proclaimed it everywhere (certainly, they didn’t consider the Lord’s charge, and perhaps they were not aware that jealous and corrupt leaders desired the Lord’s demise).  Here in v. 37 is a beautiful and fitting observation:  “He hath done all things well” – and that He most certainly does, all the time.