And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
We can only imagine how isolating such a condition would have been in days before standardized sign language, and how limited would have been the ideas he could communicate or the feelings he could express. Yet at least we see that he had people who cared for him enough to bring him to Jesus. They had a sense of how much he could benefit from the ministry of Jesus even if he couldn't express his need to them so in so many words. Indeed, without hearing it would have been quite difficult for the man himself to have any sense of who Jesus was or what he was about unless he saw an obvious physical miracle first hand. But there is no indication of this in the text. Still, he allowed his friends who cared for him to bring him before Jesus. The way they begged Jesus to lay his hand on him was something that the deaf man was probably able to interpret. His friends who cared for him were asking Jesus for help.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
The deaf man allowed himself to be led by Jesus, most likely at least partially because of the sincere concern of his friends that brought him to that point. The trust he had in has friends was now poised to become trust in Jesus himself, but it couldn't just happen automatically. He was meant to have an intimate one-on-one experience of Jesus himself. And the experience he had began in way that would not need ears to interpret. Jesus made a connection with him that was physical and visceral. He touched the very places in which healing was needed. As he did so, the abundant life with which Jesus himself was filled surged into the deaf man, preparing him so that when Jesus commanded, "Ephphatha!" his body itself responded and obeyed. It was best for the marvelous miracle to occur away from the cacophony and sensory overload of the crowd. It was even better to occur away from the friends who had led him to the point. His newly healed sense of hearing could thus receive the words of Jesus as the first and central words, and only after that of others.
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
It was a twofold miracle performed by Jesus. He not only gave the man the ability to hear, but also the ability to speak. It seemed that it wasn't the gradual transition we might expect but that he immediately "spoke plainly". We might imagine that after so long without the ability to express himself he would have had much to say. But it is likely the what was first and foremost in his heart that he desired to express was that which the rest of the crowd joined him in exclaiming, "He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak".
In our own lives it is often the case that Jesus is able to work best when he can bring us away from the crowds in order to have a more focused encounter with him. Rather than in the normal routines of work and relaxation, a different context helps prepare us to pay him the deeper attention that makes us good recipients of his power. This isn't to say we have to go on retreat every time we find ourselves in need. But it does speak to one reason why retreats tend to be potent with potential for Jesus to work. At least it indicates why we should carve time for Jesus in our schedules which is reserved for him alone, and not shared with other concerns, such as we are able.
If, as Bede said "he is deaf and dumb, who neither has ears to hear the words of God, nor opens his mouth to speak them" then we all at times qualify as in need of healing. Our friends can help us by interceding with Jesus for us. But if we want to grow in our ability to hear Jesus and to speak his word we need to let him make a connection with us as he did for the deaf man, not just once, but regularly.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
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