1. Ephphatha

Today’s reading portion is titled “The Healing of a Deaf and Mute Man”. 115 cases of healing acts are reported in Synoptic Gospels. However it is very difficult for us, who live in today’s modern world, to admit that those miraculous stories happened really and literally. Many of us reject and considered them to be ridiculous fables. Some others acknowledge them because it was Jesus, the son of God, who performed.

The others admit as a fact that those who were involved in the event experienced something marvelous and they could not interpret them other than as miracle. Apart from what happened exactly, we see at least how those events impressed people of that time. The Aramaic words used in Scriptures, without being translated to Greek, reveal the impact. Witnesses was amazed so strongly that they reported exactly what they heard attending the scene.

We find some examples also in Mark’s Gospel, “Ephphatha!” in today’s passage. Another one is “Talitha koum!” in chapter 5 verse 41,words which woke a dead girl up. Peter, James and John attended the latter event too. Perhaps it was Peter, who was profoundly amazed by the act, repeated the Aramaic words to Mark, the Gospel writer, in exact terms.

“Ephphatha!” should be a similar case. In this chapter 7, Jesus heals a deaf and mute man. Moreover the episode implies that Jewish people of the time were spiritually deaf and mute. Though Jesus commenced his ministry in Galilee Jewish authorities snubbed his teaching because they were harshly criticized by Jesus. Thus religiously and politically powerful men plotted together how to accuse and kill Jesus as a rebel.(see Mark 3:6) King Herod, ruler of Galilee, was also involved in the plot.(see Mark 6:14)

Being rejected by his own people, Jews, Jesus withdraw into pagans’ region. Jesus met there the man who “had eyes but failed to see, and ears but failed to hear"(see Mark 8:18) That expression alludes to the reaction of Jewish people toward Jesus’ ministry. They failed to see and hear God’s works and words. In consequence, they failed to worship God as it should be. Jesus pronounced “Ephphatha!” also to open such closed minds.

Mark reported what Jesus did with the man ;- After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.(Mark7:33)

Jesus treated him face to face but the act alone could not complete the healing. Therefore ;- He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” ).(Mark7:34)

Jesus “looked up to heaven” to pray God for divine power. “With a deep sigh” is “¦Ò¦Ô¦Ò¦Ó¦Å¦Íά¦Æ¦Ø {soos-ten-ad’-zo}” in origianl Greek, with means “to groan together ”. Jesus groaned facing the man who suffered from physical handicaps incurable by human capability. “Ephaphata” came out through that groaning. Then ;-At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.(Mark 7:37)

God answered Jesus’ Prayer. Divine power poured inside Jesus, which achieved the healing miracle.

2. The message of the story

Mark wrote that Jesus, facing the man, took a deep sigh or ‘groaned together”. The phrase points out that Jesus encountered authentically the man and it was thanks to man’s neighbors ;- There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.(Mark 7:32)

Jesus had already healed a demon-possessed man in this region and the man told about Jesus’ miraculous power to numerous persons. Hearing it, neighbors of the deaf and blind man sought the similar cure for him.

The man could not come to Jesus without their help. He could not even know about Jesus’ divine acts because of his handicaps. It was neighbors willingness which allowed him to meet Jesus. And Jesus saw the profound faith in their conduct.

A Japanese writer Yanagida Kunio wrote about the death of his son. His second son committed suicide and died ultimately after 11 days of brain death. The writer reflected on death during those 11 days and distinguished 3 facets in recognition of death.

The first is one’s own death which is impossible for the very dead person to grasp consciously. The second is death of one’s relatives and friends. And the last one is anonymous death, or that of those whom we never know personally or heard about. And ordinary humans would not suffer psychologically from anonymous death. For example, if a famine killed several thousand people in a faraway country we might not be upset strongly or prevented from sleeping normally during night.

But, meeting the handicapped man Jesus shared sufferings with him and “groaned together” as if he were one of Jesus’ close friends. Neighbors of the man brought him to Jesus because they considered his pains to be their own.

Please pay attention to Mark’s ending phrase of this episode ;- People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."(Mark 7:37)

The verse tell us that those who make efforts to help others will be made witnesses to Jesus and to the Kingdom of God. Even though watching Jesus’ acts Jewish people did not worship him. In contrast, pagans recognized Jesus power. Thus they rejoiced and admired Jesus. God’s glory was shown through the very faith of those pagans and groan of Jesus.

3. To groan together

We chose Romans 8:22-23 for today’s invocation verses in which the word “¦Ò¦Ô¦Ò¦Ó¦Å¦Íά¦Æ¦Ø {soos-ten-ad’-zo} - to groan together ” is also used ;- We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Paul said that the whole creation’ groan is because of sadness and sufferings which fill the world. But he considered those pains to be a inevitable step to give birth to a new lives as spiritual fruits.

Then he goes further ;- In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.(Romans 8:28)

As Paul says even if our sufferings are too strong to pray the Spirit supports us to reconcile our relationship with God. Act of groaning empowers us this way.

In todays Japan more than 30,000 cases of suicide are reported every year. How can we prevent suicidal attempts ? Facing that question we can do nothing but groaning. According to a statistic administrated in 2006 by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 89 % of reported suicidal attempts resulted in death at first try. And only 18% of persons of death case had talked about their decision to kill themselves to other persons beforehand. In contrast, 71 % of those who tried but did not die had expressed their intention to others and 41% of them had consulted psychoanalysts. Following those facts I think that as long as we feel a slight hope we seek mental support of others in spite of decision of suicide to. Therefore to commit suicide such persons chose unconsciously means which might not work.

Indeed, I think we can diminish suicidal attempts only by listening to and advising those who are desperate. Not only professional psychiatrist but also anybody might be able to console feelings of others by sharing their pains. We must remember that Jesus healed the sick by “groaned together and prayed God”.

We, ordinary people, can roan and pray or share sufferings together. Neighbors of the deaf and mute man did not remain indifferent to his pains and acted to save him. They brought him to Jesus because they shared his pains as if their own. Thanks to such a willingness the man could to receive Jesus’ compassion and healing acts, groaning and praying.

Our church organize prayers meetings on Wednesday and Thursday morning. We pray there to support church members who have difficulties and problems. I think that is one of very important roles of the church, to share pains and to groan together.

And we must lean from today’s lecturing portion to distinguish healing from the salvation .
Physical healing remains temporary. That will not give us eternal life. What is the most important aim of Jesus’ healing acts is to lead us to God who accord us ultimately eternal life. Even if our body and mind are not cured we can receive God power, which is the very salvation.

Mister Mizuno Genzou is a Japanese poet who lived totally paralytic life in bed. He became christian but his paralysis was not reduced of cured. Nonetheless Jesus’ love woke his poetical talent and he commence writing poems. He expressed thankfulness to God through his verses. I present you an example :” Thank you Sadness, sent by God. Without you I could not have faith, joy and peace”.

It was one of his friends who brought him a Bible. Then he read it with a pastor who led to baptizement. His mother wrote down what he conceived by a communicating method using his movements of eyelids. Many people “groaned together” to show God’s glory on him.

Witnesses of today’s healing act said ;- “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

The healed man is not a unique beneficiary of the act, but the crowd too because they encountered God by witnessing it. We can have similar experiences by sharing suffering and pains of our neighbors.