How does this verse impact our lives

For me it is a testimony to/example of the healing power of Christ.

I don't think that any, or very few, FundiEv Christians are willing to give up modern medicine to prove their belief that Jesus heals *real ailments*(not psychogenic ones).

Sometimes in the news, we hear of a child dying from lack of medical treatment which the parents decline for the kid due to religious beliefs. Always a sad thing that they are willing to sacrifice SOMEONE ELSE for their beliefs. Very upsetting.

I think that almost all Christians welcome the science of modern medicine that saves lives everyday.

It is not about medicine, though that is a blessing.

It is about faith - all the miracles start with faith

32There 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.

These people first believed in Jesus.

31 Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.


Here's what this says to me:

They brought one to Him. This was in the physical sense because He was physically present. Today we bring one in the spiritual sense through prayer. They begged Him. THey repeatedly asked until the request was answered. How easily do we give up today? He took him aside. Jesus did not perform for the crowd, but took the one away privately. He touched the man intimately in his ears and tongue. He spoke to the man. Then Jesus looked to Heaven, to His Father and sighed a prayer, and spoke. All things were done by the Mouth of God speaking it into existence. Then the man's ears were opened and his tongue loosened. He could hear the Voice of God and speak the Word of God. Jesus commanded the multitude to tell no one, but they did not obey. The more He commanded them, the more they told.

This last part puzzles me, as I don't understand why the LORD put this here about their disobedience.

I've read or heard somewhere that Jesus did not want peolple to come to him for physical ailments only.

He was primarily concerned with the spiritual sickness of sin.

Luke 5 : 17-25

In several ways:

Mark 7:31 And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.

Note that Jesus here works through the faith of others, not through the faith of the one healed.

This teaches me the power of intercessory prayer and that God wants us to pray one for the other.

This is confirmed in the book of James:
James 5 16 Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.

It also teaches me that the Baptism of infants is valid. Because in the Baptism of infants, the infant does not desire nor can he express any faith. But God works through the faith of the parents.

I believe this is confirmed in the book of Acts:
Acts Of Apostles 2 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call.


[i]33 And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue: 34 And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. 35 And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.[/quote]

This verse tells me that God works through material things to bring graces to his children. This is confirmed in the book of Mark:

Mark 6 56 And whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.Matthew:

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.

In my opinion, this is a temporary situtation. In the beginning of His ministry, Jesus did not want sensationalism to interfere with His ministry. But when the time came:

Matt 21:15 And the chief priests and scribes, seeing the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying: Hosanna to the son of David; were moved with indignation. 16 And said to him: Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Luke 19:39 And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 To whom he said: I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.

Sincerely,

De Maria

Yes Jesus was concerned with the sin of the people but He needed and wanted the people to come to him to be healed so that they would know that He was the Son of God.

G'Day ; This is as my Lord beloved is, He makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak, then and now, He still takes us aside and opens our ears (and heart) to hear His message and loosens our tongues to speak of the glories of God, with out fear, and to testify of the sinfulness of people and thair necessity of Jesus Christ.
Blessings Miykle