Why Miracles series: The Deaf Hear
Then Jesus answering said unto them,
Go your way, and tell John
what things ye have seen and heard;
• how that the blind see,
• the lame walk,
• the lepers are cleansed,
• the deaf hear,
• the dead are raised,
• to the poor the gospel is preached.
Miracles
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
(John 20:30-31)
Purpose of Signs and Miracles
These Miracles Attest that Jesus The Messiah
1) Miracle of Sight
2) Miracle of Walking Lame
3) Miracle of Cleansed Lepers
4) Miracle of the Deaf Hearing
5) Miracle of Dead Living
6) Sign of Gospel Preaching (to the poor).
The Deaf Hear: Contrast With Other Signs
THE FIRST THREE SIGNS
The Blind, The Lame, and The Leper
- Prohibited from entering the Temple
- Prohibited from service, worship, or sacrifice.
The Deaf
- There is no prohibition in Leviticus for the deaf.
- Symbolic of Israel’s failure to obey the LORD
The Problem: Israel is Deaf
- Isaiah 42:18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
- Isaiah 42:19 Who is blind, but my servant?
- or deaf, as my messenger that I sent?
- who is blind as he that is perfect,
- and blind as the LORD’S servant?
- Isaiah 42:20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not;
- opening the ears, but he heareth not.
- Jeremiah 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people,
- and without understanding;
which have eyes, and see not;
which have ears, and hear not: [see also 13:11]
- and without understanding;
- Ezekiel 12:2 Son of man,
- thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house,
which have eyes to see, and see not;
they have ears to hear and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
- thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house,
Why Parables?
The ability hear the Word of God with understanding.
Matthew 13:10-17 Israel is willfully blind and deaf
- (13) “while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
- (15) “FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL” (*1)
Contrast the disciples of Jesus
- (16) “blessed are your … ears, because they hear”
- (17) “prophets and righteous desired
… to hear what you hear” (*2)
*1: Isaiah 6:9-10
*2: Luke 10:24 (kings);
Hebrews 11:39 (martyrs);
1 Peter 1:12 (angels)
The Promise To Israel
Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall
- the deaf hear the words of the book,
- and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity,
- and out of darkness.
Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
- and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
The Promise Fulfilled To Israel (A sign of The Messiah)
The Deaf Hear
Mark 7:31-37 The most detailed account
Mark 9:20-27 Deaf & Mute spirit cast out.
There are ten times that the mute are healed and not associated with also being deaf.
Healing the multitudes – the deaf not identified specifically.
Matthew 15:29-31 is likely the same time & place as Mark 7 without the record of the deaf ears being opened.
Ears Opened!
Mark 7:31-37
- 7:32 Deaf and spoke with difficulty
- 7:33 Jesus takes him aside privately,
- Put his fingers in his ears,
- Touched his tongue with saliva.
Note the similarity to John 9:6 (spittle).
- 7:34 A deep sigh and says “Ephphatha!“
- 7:35 Ears “opened”,
- “string of his tongue was loosened”,
- “spoke plainly”
- 7:36 They cannot keep a secret!
- 7:37 The outcast respond:
- “He has done all things well;
- “He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Be His Voice or Hear His Voice
Romans 10:14
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
How will they believe in Him
whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear without a preacher? Hebrews 3:7
Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE”
Hebrews 4:7
He again fixes a certain day, “Today,”
saying through David after so long a time
just as has been said before,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,”
“DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”