Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Let's look at some geography in today's reading! Tyre was a port city off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, about 40 miles north of Capernaum. Sidon, also on the coast, was 26 miles further north. Both cities were inhabited by Canaanites influenced by Greek culture. The area is often called 'Syrophoenicia' because it was administered by Syria for the Roman Empire. The Decapolis though is much further south to the east of the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and the river Jordan, and was an area controlled by ten independent Greek city-states.

Prior to his visit north Jesus had been followed round Galilee by the crowds as well as his opponents. At first he moved to the Decapolis to escape and had healed a man from Gerasa (one time capital city of the Decapolis), but the people had begged him to go. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but His last words to the man were he should tell his friends what God had done for him. (Mark 5.1-20).

Jesus now heads north presumably to spend time alone with his disciples. Having visited Tyre he could not perhaps ignore the second port city of Sidon - which had originally been allocated to the tribe of Asher as part of Israel.

Why does Jesus return to the Decapolis? It seems the people might now be more receptive after the first miracle. The healed demoniac had done his job in spreading the news of Jesus Christ. So it is here that he heals the deaf-mute - subsequently spreading the good news again among the Gentiles.

Lord Jesus Christ,
who walked the dusty roads
of Israel and its neighbouring lands
to teach the disciples,
to preach to the people,
and to heal the sick,
may we not forget that
it was always part of the plan
for the Good News eventually to
spread to the Gentiles
around the world.
Amen.