“et suspiciens in cælum, ingemuit, et ait illi : Ephphetha, quod est, Adaperire.”
“And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.”
“And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).”
“Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!””
“and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.”
Ephphetha, a Syriac word. Jesus Christ, in the cure of this man, uses many and various actions; but as of their own nature they are no ways equal to such a cure, they shew: first, that the cure was miraculous; and secondly, the virtue, which his divinity communicated to his sacred body. (Bible de Vence) — We must not suppose that our Saviour here groaned on account of any difficulty he experienced in working this miracle, but only from commiseration for the man, whom he was about to heal; as likewise to shew, how very difficult is the cure of those who are spiritually deaf and dumb by sin. He was affected in a similar manner when he raised Lazarus to life, to shew with what difficulty a man, dead and buried in sin by evil habits, can arise from that miserable state. (Denis the Carthusian)
Verses 31-37 Here is a cure of one that was deaf and dumb. Those who brought this poor man to Christ, besought him to observe the case, and put forth his power. Our Lord used more outward actions in the doing of this cure than usual. These were only signs of Christ's power to cure the man, to encourage his faith, and theirs that brought him. Though we find great variety in the cases and manner of relief of those who applied to Christ, yet all obtained the relief they sought. Thus it still is in the great concerns of our souls.