The Life of Christ

Mt. 1:5-6 : Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.

SECTION 113

Mk. 7:31 And, again, He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.

Decapolis, the confederacy of Ten Cities, was wedged between the Tetrarchies of Philip and Antipas 32 .

• This area was essentially Gentile territory; their ancient monuments show tribute to Zeus, Hercules, Dionysus, and other Grecian divinities.

• They were subject only to the Syrian Governor.

• Even though Jesus was still within the territory of ancient Israel, this district was essentially heathen, even though they mingled with those who were completely Jewish.

Mk. 7:32-34 And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they entreated Him to lay His hand upon him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34 and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35 And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.

After the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman was delivered, the doors then opened to healing other Gentiles; this man becomes the next.

• Up until now Jesus has never been so demonstrative with His healing touch.

• In this case He put His finger into the man’s ear and applied His own saliva to the man’ s tongue.

• In addition, when Jesus looked up toward heaven, He gave a deep sigh, something never done before.

This healing style is much more elaborate than any performed upon the children of Israel .

• It may have been to prove to the heathen mindset that this wasn’t just magic; His acts were filled with symbolism.

• The finger in the ear was to make a way for the sound; the saliva upon the tongue was to lubricate the tongue.

SECTION 114

Mk. 8:1-2 In those days again, when there was a great multitude and they had nothing to eat, He called His disciples and said to them, 2 “I feel compassion for the multitude because they have remained with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat.”

32 Ibid, 45

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