Jesus healed deaf and mute people throughout His ministry in ways that show His incredible compassion and power. These healings reveal Jesus’s heart for those who struggle to communicate and hear in our world.

In my last post, I talked about the New Testament words for healing and how they reveal different aspects of Jesus’s healing ministry. In this post, I want to examine how Jesus healed people who were deaf and mute.

Communication is a basic human need. When a person cannot hear or speak, they face incredible challenges. Jesus understood this and made healing deaf and mute people a priority.

I have been legally blind since birth and paralyzed since 2013. I understand a little of what it’s like for your body to not work right. The accounts of Jesus healing deaf and mute people show that He can restore any part of our bodies that isn’t working.

The Isolation of Deaf and Mute People

Before we look at specific healings, we need to understand what life was like for deaf and mute people in Jesus’s day. Unlike today, there was no sign language, hearing aids, or special accommodations. A person who couldn’t hear or speak was cut off from most of society.

They couldn’t participate in synagogue worship because they couldn’t hear the readings. They couldn’t work most jobs because communication was essential. Many would have to beg for survival, depending on the kindness of others.

The religious leaders of Jesus’s day often viewed deafness and muteness as signs of sin or divine judgment. Deaf and mute people were seen as unclean and excluded from temple worship. They lived on the edges of society, forgotten and overlooked by most people.

When Jesus healed deaf and mute people, He wasn’t just restoring their physical abilities. He was giving them back their place in society, their ability to worship, and their opportunity to work and provide for themselves.

Jesus Heals Many Deaf and Mute People

There are often selected and said short statements where Jesus tells a lot more than what He did. Once such place happens in Matthew 15:29-31. It says that Jesus was healing people that were brought to Him: demon possession is included along with the sicknesses.

We cannot know or imagine how much Jesus did for so many people. We see Him healing the deaf and mute people that were brought to Him. We will never know how many people He healed of deafness and muteness. Many of them are affected by demons who act out and making them deaf and mute people.

Jesus Heals A Deaf and Mute Man

Jesus was in the region of the Decapolis, a region where many Gentiles lived, and people brought to Him a man who is deaf and had a speech impediment (Mark 7:31-37).

Mark uses specific Greek words here that help us understand this man’s condition. These words explained that he was deaf and had difficulty speaking because he could not hear properly. This wasn’t complete muteness, but his speech was probably garbled and hard to understand.

Jesus takes the man away from the crowd. He doesn’t heal him to impress the crowd. He puts His fingers in the man’s ears and touches his tongue with His own saliva. It sounds gross to us today, but think of it as Jesus using His divine saliva to free the man’s tongue.

It’s also strange that Jesus puts his fingers in the man’s ears. It is as if He is pulling out whatever obstruction kept this man from hearing. Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Be open.” Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he began to speak clearly.

The people were amazed, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” This healing fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 35:5-6).

Jesus Heals Mute People Oppressed by Demons

Several times in the Gospels, Jesus healed people who couldn’t speak because of demonic oppression. One time, people brought Jesus a mute man who was demon-possessed (Matthew 9:32-34). When Jesus cast out the demon, the man immediately spoke. The people were amazed. The Pharisees couldn’t discount the miracle so they claimed Jesus did it by the power of demons.

Matthew 12:22 tells us about another time Jesus healed a man who was blind and mute because of a demon. When Jesus delivered him, the man could see and speak. This complete restoration amazed everyone.

At another time, Jesus healed a boy who had a spirit that made him mute and death (Mark 9:14-29). The demon would also cause seizures and try to kill the boy by throwing him into fire and water. There’s a lot to unpack here so let’s take a closer look.

One theme we see is faith. The disciples cannot cast out the demon because they are unprepared. They’re not prayed up and ready to do battle to cast it out. Spiritual issues can cause physical qualities. We must have the faith to cast out demons and make people wzll.

Faith also affects the father of the boy. He says to Jesus, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us.” Jesus challenges the man, “If You can?” Sometimes we forget Jesus’s power to do all things for us. He can do all things.

Jesus says that all things are possible for those who believe. Let us be the people who believe God for great things every day. When Jesus cast out the evil spirit, the boy was completely healed. Just as demons can cause much havoc in a person’s life, faith can move mountains and change our health and situations.

These accounts show us that sometimes physical problems like deafness and muteness can have spiritual causes. Jesus addressed both the physical symptoms and the spiritual bondage. He brings complete freedom and restoration.

The Significance of Jesus Healing Deaf and Mute People

When Jesus healed deaf and mute people, He was fulfilling messianic prophecies from the Old Testament. Isaiah prophesied, “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book) (Isaiah 29:18). He again prophesied, “Then the ears of the deaf shall be opened…and the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:5-6).

These healings proved that Jesus was the Messiah. They showed that God’s Kingdom was breaking into the world through His ministry. Where there had been silence and isolation, Jesus brought communication and community.

The healing of deaf and mute people also reveals Jesus’s heart for those who are overlooked by society. He sees the forgotten ones and cares about their needs. No one is too isolated or too damaged for Jesus to heal and restore.

Jesus Can Heal You Too

If you are dealing with hearing loss, speech difficulties, or any other communication challenges, Jesus cares about your situation. The same power that opened deaf ears and loosed mute tongues in the Gospels is available today.

Maybe you’ve dealt with hearing problems for years. Perhaps you’ve lost your voice due to illness or injury. Or maybe you’re struggling with speech difficulties that make communication hard. Jesus understands your frustration and wants to help you.

Don’t let anyone tell you that your condition is permanent or hopeless. The same Jesus who healed the deaf man in Decapolis and others can do the impossible for you. Trust in Jesus’s power and compassion. He wants to give you physical healing and complete restoration of your life and relationships.

Praying for Your Healing

Lord Jesus, I bring my brother and sister to You who are struggling with hearing loss, speech difficulties, or any communication challenges. You know how isolating and frustrating these conditions can be. I ask You to touch their ears and open them to hear clearly. Loose their tongues so they can speak with clarity and confidence. Whether their condition is physical or has spiritual roots, You have power over it all. We believe in Your healing power and place our trust in You alone. Thank You for seeing us and caring about every detail of our lives. In Your mighty and compassionate name, Amen.

Up Next

We have seen how Jesus healed deaf and mute people throughout His ministry. Next, I want to explore how to keep your faith in God’s healing promises as you’re waiting for your miracle.

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