Ephphatha is the word Jesus sighed over a deaf man in the Decapolis.
Looking up to heaven,
He sighed and said to him,
Ephphatha,
that is, Be opened.
His ears were opened,
his tongue was released,
and he spoke plainly.
Mark keeps the Aramaic so the church will not sand a command into a motto.
Be opened is creation speech aimed at locked gates
—
and it worked.
They wanted a hand laid on in public. He took the man aside. Fingers in ears. Spit. A touch on the tongue. A look up. A sigh that sounds like the world’s weight in one breath. Then one word the man could not hear until it opened him. Be opened. Isaiah had promised that the ears of the deaf would be unstopped and the tongue of the mute would sing. This is that promise with saliva and privacy on a Gentile shore. Peace, be still was spoken to wind and water. Ephphatha is spoken to a body. Same authority. Different door. He charged them to tell no one. They told everyone. He has done all things well. The word does not stay in Decapolis. Closed ears are still the prophet’s complaint: Hear, but do not understand. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden. The first work of the gospel is that something shut becomes able to receive. Then the tongue looses to speak plainly—not to keep the miracle as a souvenir, but to say He has done all things well.
- Mark translates on purpose. The sound matters. So does the meaning.
- Be opened is command, not wish. The gates are being addressed.
- The sigh belongs with the word. Power here is not flippant.
- Ears first, then tongue: he must hear before he can speak well.
- Privacy honors the man. The leak of fame is the crowd’s doing.
- Isaiah 35 is under the spit. Promise has a shoreline.
- Closed ears in a Bible class still need the same verb.
- Aramaic Kept – A word from His mouth, not a slogan factory.
- Be Opened – Ears; the bond on the tongue.
- The Sigh – Looked up; breathed out; then spoke.
- Aside – From the crowd; a man, not a stunt.
- Plain Speech – The result of a loosed tongue.
- Tell No One – Charge given; news ran anyway.
- All Things Well – The region’s verdict after the opening.
- Mark 7:32-37 – They brought to Him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment… taking him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly… “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
- Isaiah 35:5-6 – Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
- Isaiah 29:18 – In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book.
- Isaiah 6:9-10 – Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy.
- Mark 4:39 – He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”
- Mark 8:18 – Having ears, do you not hear?
- Hebrews 3:7-8 – Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.
- Luke 24:45 – He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Acts 16:14 – The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
- Revelation 3:20 – If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in.
He sighed and said to him, Ephphatha—Be opened.
His ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.
The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy.
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.
The Lord opened her heart to pay attention.
Do not leave the word in a commentary. Closed ears still sit in pews. Let Him take you aside. Let Him address the gate. Be opened. Then speak plainly. Praise is the tongue’s first honest job when the bond lets go.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.