My dear brothers and sisters, of FaithLine: “…some brought to Jesus one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He said “BE OPENED.“ IMMEDIATELY his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly…they were ASTONISHED BEYOND MEASURE, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” (Mark 7:32-35, 37) Often when we read a passage of Scripture we are drawn to a phrase that fascinates us, or that really seems to capture the spirit of the passage. For me, that phrase in this passage is, “And they were astonished beyond measure…”
The word “astonish” is a word that we should not use to describe things that mildly surprise us. The word means literally to strike with sudden fear. To be astonished is to be thunderstruck, to be jolted from one’s senses, to be overwhelmed or dumbfounded with amazement. Mark tells us that the followers of Jesus were not merely astonished, they were astonished beyond measure at the things they had seen Jesus do. They said, “He has done ALL THINGS WELL.”
FaithLine, the bible says: “Jesus said BE OPENED.“IMMEDIATELY his ears were opened…”
-Bill Stockham