What is the meaning of Mark 7:31–37?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

The passage from the Gospel according to St. Mark (ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲛ) 7:31-37 recounts the healing of the deaf and mute man in the region of the Decapolis. This miracle is rich in both theological and liturgical significance within the Coptic Orthodox tradition.

The Biblical Account (Mark 7:31-37)

In this passage, Our Lord Jesus Christ (ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) departs from the region of Tyre and Sidon and comes to the Sea of Galilee. The people bring to Him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech.

1. The Physical Action: Jesus took him aside from the multitude, put His fingers into his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.
2. The Command: Looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which is, “Be opened.”
3. The Result: Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his speech was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
4. The Reaction: The people were beyond measure astonished, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

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Coptic Orthodox Theological Perspective

1. The Incarnational Healing

The Church Fathers, such as St. Cyril of Alexandria, emphasize that Christ used His physical body (His fingers, His saliva) to effect the healing. This demonstrates the power of the Incarnate Word. Because God took flesh, His very body became life-giving and a means of grace. He did not merely speak from a distance; He touched the man, showing that He is the Physician of our souls and bodies.

2. Spiritual Deafness and Muteness

Theologically, this miracle represents the state of humanity before Christ.

• Deafness: Refers to the inability to hear the Word of God or the voice of the Holy Spirit (ⲡⲓⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ).
• Muteness: Refers to the inability to praise God or confess the true faith.

When Christ says "Ephphatha" (ⲉⲩⲫⲫⲁⲑⲁ), He is not just opening physical ears, but opening the heart to receive the Gospel and the tongue to glorify Him.

3. The Liturgical Connection (Baptism)

In the early Church and preserved in the spirit of our various rites, this action of Christ is mirrored in the Sacrament of Baptism. Before a person is baptized, the priest prays over the senses. This "opening" of the senses is necessary so that the new member of the Church can hear the commandments of God and speak the "confession of faith."

4. "He has done all things well"

The exclamation of the crowd, "He has done all things well," reminds us of the Creation in Genesis, where God saw that everything was "very good." By healing the deaf-mute, Christ is performing a "New Creation." He is restoring the human person to their original dignity and health, free from the defects introduced by sin and the fall.

Comparison with Heretical Views

Unlike the heretics who might suggest that Christ’s divinity and humanity were separate or that His body was a mere phantom, we Coptic Orthodox believe that this miracle proves He is One Nature out of Two (Miaphysite). It is the Word of God Himself who "sighed" (showing His true humanity) and who commanded the ears to open (showing His true divinity) as one unified act of the One Incarnate Word.