Ephphatha: Rising Above the Frustrations of Life

“Ephphatha”, from the Gospel, is a Greek form of a Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic word, meaning “Be
opened”. This word was uttered by Christ when healing the man, who was deaf and dumb, a man
frustrated by his limitations. Speaking to the Corinthians’ community (today’s Epistle), St Paul
states, “We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of
God…” What do all these people (deaf/dumb & Corinthians) have in common?
They all struggle, want life to be better and they’re convinced—or want to be convinced—that a
certain practice will make it so. These people aren’t unusual; they represent nearly all of us in one
way or another. Some of our practices are superstitious, others mental, some mostly or partially
rooted in scripture, some thoroughly godly, and others thoroughly pagan. We have rituals, habits,
tricks, routines, formulas, and all sorts of other means to influence a situation. That’s because we
feel out of control, and we’re desperate to have some semblance of mastery over our circumstances.
Mostly we’re just trying to get by in a frustrating world. Human beings are full of questions: What
does my future hold? Who will protect me and provide for me? How can I find the truth? Does
truth even exist? How can I be fulfilled? When we feel confused, we search for answers. And
when we feel beaten down—by adverse circumstances, by the forces of fate, or simply by the
unpredictable movements of everyday life—we appeal to whatever sources of help we can find.
History is littered with such appeals, from the mundane to the mystical. Trapped in the confines of
a material world, we seek access to whatever’s behind it. Something in us craves an alternative to
our very inadequate resources. We’re frustrated by our limitations, and we hunger for
supernatural help. The people around the deaf and dumb man and the people in Corinth were also
seekers of the supernatural. They had an array of incantations, spells, amulets, and other techniques
for harnessing divine power.
Paul used some of their terminology in his letters, but for a different purpose. He attributed all
power and authority to the One who was raised from the dead and exalted in heaven. God’s
people—those who humbly depend on him in faith—have access to a greater power than the world
has ever known. One of the strongest messages of this Sunday is that we don’t have to live in
frustration and futility anymore. Though we have long lived in a murky, confused, rebellious
environment—a world separated from its Creator by its own counterfeit pursuits—our connection
with our Father has been restored through the grace and the exaltation of His Son.
If you’ve ever felt like someone groping in darkness for any hint of light; if you’ve ever felt
powerless to face the assault on your life by the world around you; if you’ve ever longed for a deeper
connection with your heart’s true home; then let the powerful word of Jesus, “Ephphatha”, really
sink in. Its truths take us out of our own limitations; seat us at the right hand of the ultimate
Father. We don’t need tricks or techniques to get by. Our call for help has forever been answered.