The Deaf Hear and the Dumb Speak

In Mark 7:32–33, Jesus encounters a man who is deaf, and because of his deafness, he has a speech impediment. In ancient times, this was one of the worst types of handicaps. There was the humiliation of being stared at because someone is unaware of your condition. There was the humiliation of not being able to communicate even with the simplest of requests. There was the humiliation of not hearing directions, advice, questions, or explanations. And if that’s not bad enough, the religious culture in which Jesus lived often attributed this type of handicap to demon possession. In his situation, this man is miserable, hopeless, embarrassed, and desperate. Jesus steps into this man's world and changes all of that.