His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, reflecting on the means by which the Lord healed a deaf man, writes,
. . . Jesus takes the ‘man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech’ and ‘he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue’ (Mark 7:33). This therapeutic technique is reminiscent of similar occurences very familiar to people in New Testament times. As different commentators hold, however, Mark’s description has special points, such as Jesus’ prayer and sigh (7:34). thus, the scene is solemn while Jesus’ sigh, expressive of his love for a suffering human being, fills the air with the reality of God’s mercy and affection. We should include that the specific therapeutic technique based on touch is applied to a deaf man, i.e., to a person who could understand the language of touch but not the sound of words. Thus, it turns out that this is a further expression of understanding and affection, Here, the miraculous healing authority of Jesus is expressed in direct relation to special human needs.
Authority and Passion: Christological Aspects of the Gospel According to Mark, Demetrios Trakatellis, Archbishop of America. translated from the Greek by George K. Duvall and Harry Vulopas. Boston, Massachusetts: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1987, reprinted 2001, Page 45.
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His Eminence Archbishop Demitrios: http://goarch.org/archbishop/demetrios
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