What does Mark 7:32 mean?
The last time Jesus and the Twelve were in this area, the crowd drove them away (Mark 5:17). Now the villagers and farmers rush to greet Him, hopeful He will heal a deaf man."Deaf" is from the Greek root word kophos and means dull of hearing. The word often encompasses the state of being unable to speak, as well. "Speech impediment" belies the speculation that the man is completely mute. The Greek root word mogilalos means that either he speaks with difficulty or others find him difficult to understand. Either way, the description suggests he was not born deaf.
That the people ask Jesus to lay hands on their friend indicates that the disability may have been caused by trauma. They, at least, did not believe it to be due to demon possession like the mute man in Matthew 9:32–34. When Jesus heals physical ailments, He typically touches the victim (Mark 1:31; 5:23; 6:5; 8:25). When He frees people from demons, He does so with the power and authority of His words (Mark 1:25; 5:7–8).
It appears that the locals like or respect this man. Like the crippled man who was let through the ceiling (Mark 2:1–12) and the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22–26), they bring him to Jesus. Neither the man with a legion of demons (Mark 5:1–13) nor blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46–52) received such a courtesy. Fortunately, even when we don't have friends to lift us up to God, He hears us where we are.
