Spit

Mark 7:31-37

³¹ Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. ³² And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³ And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. ³⁴ And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶ And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷ And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

The prophet Isaiah foretold the miracles of a coming Savior 700 years before Jesus arrives in the flesh. Isaiah’s words ring true as Jesus heals a deaf/mute man of his affliction and the people make the connection.

Isaiah 35:4–6

⁴Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

⁶then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

This miracle is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. One, Jesus has ventured into Gentile territory once again and He is most definitely reaching out to those who are not a part of Judaism. He is willing to save everyone. Two, Jesus uses spit as a part of the healing process. If you’re like me, you want to say “ew”. But, there may have been some reasons He chooses this path.

As far as “spitting” is concerned, commentators advance several sociological explanations. It can be seen as a folk remedy, especially desirable if done by a famous person; it may be a means of warding off the “evil eye”; it may be a concrete means of communication with the deaf man, a visible sign of support. Perhaps the best approach is that of Billerbeck, who observes that, according to the Talmud, human spittle was seen as a healing agent. He then suggests that the man is aware of the understood connection between spittle and healing and that Jesus uses this connection; he puts his spittle on the man’s tongue, and in so doing “gives the man to understand that he ought to await healing from him who stands before him.” Whatever the explanation, one should notice that Jesus moves beyond spitting, as it were—that it is not the spittle itself that occasions the healing but Jesus’ Word.

Voelz, J. W. ©2013. Concordia Commentary: Mark 1:1–8:26. (p. 488). St. Louis, MO: CPH.

Whatever the reason behind Jesus' use of the spit, we can understand that Jesus’ Word is the healing agent in this scene. The man is now free to bring His praises before the God who healed him. Isaiah promised that God would come and save us and Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. This man received not only help in this life, but a touch from the Savior who opens the doors to Heaven. And Jesus may have told him and those watching not to share the story, but once again, the people can’t keep quiet because the lame will leap and mute will sing for joy.