Jesus' words as he healed this deaf and mute man have been recorded in their original Aramaic form (Ephphatha) and the translation given after that - “be opened.”
The New Testament was primarily written in Greek. Jesus would have predominantly spoken Aramaic, but most of his spoken words were recorded in Greek. So why were some of his
words, such as this one, recorded in their original Aramaic?
Scholars generally agree that wherever the Greek New Testament reverts to Aramaic, a specific word or phrase was particularly precious and full of meaning to the early church. They wanted to retain these original words. They loved to repeat such words and recall Jesus saying them. It put them in close touch with their roots as a community of faith. This isn’t a translation of
the words Jesus would have spoken. He would have used this exact phrase: “Ephphatha.”
Often, in those first years of Christianity, when a loved one was sick, friends and family may have been tempted to lapse back into the old habits of hopeless despair and overwhelming fear, with endless weeping and wailing. But because of Christ, such despair and fear were now unwarranted - and they wanted to remind themselves of this truth, even when
they didn’t necessarily feel it themselves.
And so, this Aramaic phrase that Jesus himself likely spoke has been remembered and cherished in times when despair and fear overwhelmed early Christian communities. When loved ones got sick and people needed hope, Jesus’ words, “Ephphatha”, were repeated and used to uplift and encourage. They reminded God’s people of the miraculous healings that Jesus performed and the blessings available to
them.
Does it encourage you to consider that Jesus may have said this exact phrase - “Ephphatha” - and to understand its meaning: “be opened.”? Perhaps Jesus is inviting you to open yourself to a personal touch of healing or a new way of seeing yourself and those around you.
Reflections by Rev Joe Taylor
