Mark 7:31-37 Meaning: Why Mark Maps Jesus' Gentile Journey
31Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis.
32They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him.
33He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue.
34Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
35Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.
36He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it.
37They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
31And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
31And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.
32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.
33And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue;
34and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it.
37And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
31And again, having gone forth from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis,
32and they bring to him a deaf, stuttering man, and they call on him that he may put the hand on him.
33And having taken him away from the multitude by himself, he put his fingers to his ears, and having spit, he touched his tongue,
34and having looked to the heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, `Ephphatha,' that is, `Be thou opened;'
35and immediately were his ears opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plain.
36And he charged them that they may tell no one, but the more he was charging them, the more abundantly they were proclaiming it ,
37and they were being beyond measure astonished, saying, `Well hath he done all things; both the deaf he doth make to hear, and the dumb to speak.'
31And again having left the borders of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32And they bring to him a deaf [man] who could not speak right, and they beseech him that he might lay his hand on him.
33And having taken him away from the crowd apart, he put his fingers to his ears; and having spit, he touched his tongue;
34and looking up to heaven he groaned, and says to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35And immediately his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right.
36And he charged them that they should speak to no one [of it]. But so much the more he charged them, so much the more abundantly they proclaimed it;
37and they were astonished above measure, saying, He does all things well; he makes both the deaf to hear, and the speechless to speak.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus travels through Gentile lands to heal a deaf-mute man, showing God's healing love reaches beyond Israel.
Context
Mark tells us that after the Syrophoenician woman's faith, Jesus left Tyre and travelled north through Sidon, then southeast to the Sea of Galilee, passing through the region of Decapolis. This was no straight line. Sidon was a Gentile city further up the coast; Decapolis was a league of ten Greek cities east of the Jordan. Mark wanted readers to see Jesus deliberately moving through pagan territory, not just avoiding crowds but reaching people beyond the Jewish fold. In Decapolis, a man who was deaf and spoke with great difficulty was brought to him. This healing is recorded only in Mark, and it is framed by the crowd's astonished cry, 'He has done all things well', words that echo the goodness of God's original creation. The geographical details matter because they show the Messiah's mission expanding before anyone had a name for it.
Key Words
Two Greek words describe the man's condition. Kōphos (deaf) literally means 'blunted' or 'dull', the ear's sharp edge worn down, unable to catch sound. Mogilalos (speaking with difficulty) appears only here in the whole New Testament; it pictures a tongue bound, words coming out twisted. Then there is the Aramaic word Mark preserves: Ephphatha. It is a passive command, 'Be opened', spoken not to the man but to his locked senses. And Jesus estenaxen, 'sighed deeply.' This is the same verb used when Paul groans for the redemption of our bodies. Jesus did not heal coolly from a distance. He groaned over what sin had wrecked, touched the broken places, and spoke open into closed ears. The word that matters most for living may be the quietest one: Jesus sighs with us before healing begins.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have noticed different details here. Many Protestant commentators (Calvin, Matthew Henry) see Jesus taking the man aside as a lesson against showy religion, the healer works in quiet intimacy, not for applause. Anglican and Wesleyan writers often highlight the sigh as proof of Jesus' full humanity and compassion. Catholic readers sometimes connect the use of spit and touch to the sacramental principle, that God meets us through physical means. Eastern Orthodox tradition typically emphasizes the Lord's sovereignty in the single word 'Ephphatha.' What holds these readings together is the conviction that Christ does not stand aloof from our brokenness. He comes close. He touches. He groans. And then He speaks the one word that sets us free.
A common misunderstanding
It is easy to skim over the place names in verse 31, thinking Mark is just filling space. In fact, the geography is the point. Jesus deliberately loops through Gentile regions, Sidon and Decapolis, after being in Tyre. Mark wants readers to see that the good news is already crossing borders, long before the Great Commission. The route is not accidental; it is an announcement.
Living This Out
This week, notice where you expect God to show up and where He actually does. Maybe you assume He works inside the usual circles, church, family, people like you. The man in Decapolis had no standing in Israel; he was brought by friends who simply knew Jesus could help. Ask yourself: Who in your life feels cut off, unable to hear hope or speak clearly what they believe? You don't need perfect words or a worthy résumé. Jesus takes people aside privately. He touches what feels broken. He says 'Be opened' to ears that have shut down. Perhaps this week you let Him do that for you again.
Main takeaway: Jesus travels through foreign lands to heal a man who could not hear or speak plainly, revealing that God's restoring power is for everyone.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus helped a man who could not hear or talk well. He touched his ears and his tongue and said, 'Be open.' Right away the man could hear and speak clearly. Jesus can fix things that seem broken.
For ages 9, 12
The friends of this man brought him to Jesus, and Jesus took him away from the crowd. He used his own spit and his hands to touch the man's ears and tongue. That might seem strange, but Jesus was meeting the man where he was, using touch when words couldn't get through. When Jesus said 'Ephphatha,' the man's ears opened and his tongue was freed. The crowd remembered how God made everything good in the beginning, and they said, 'He has done all things well.'
Questions People Ask
Why did Jesus take the deaf man aside privately?
Mark shows Jesus avoiding a public spectacle. By taking the man away from the crowd, Jesus gave him his full attention and dignity. Some commentators suggest it also helped the man focus on Jesus without distractions, since he could not hear.
What does 'Ephphatha' mean and why did Mark keep the Aramaic word?
'Ephphatha' is an Aramaic imperative meaning 'Be opened.' Mark often preserves Jesus' original words to give readers a sense of being there. It emphasizes the authority of Jesus' command, He does not pray for healing; He speaks directly to the man's ears and tongue.
Why did Jesus sigh deeply (verse 34) before healing the man?
The Greek word (stenazō) carries a sense of deep, heartfelt groaning. Many Christians see this as Jesus' compassion for human suffering, a sigh over the damage sin had caused. It shows that healing flows from a place of shared pain, not detached power.
Why is the geographical route in verse 31 important?
Jesus travels from Tyre north to Sidon, then southeast through Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. This is a long, looping route through Gentile territory. Mark intentionally shows that Jesus' ministry already reaches beyond Jewish borders, preparing for the global mission after the resurrection.
What does the crowd's response 'He has done all things well' mean?
This echoes the language of Genesis 1:31, where God saw all He had made and it was 'very good.' The crowd recognized that Jesus' healing was not just a fix but a restoration of the original goodness of creation. It is a moment of hope that God is making all things new.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study