Lexical Summary mogilalos: Mute, speech-impaired, or speaking with difficulty Original Word: μογιλάλος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance having an impediment in his speech. From mogis and laleo; hardly talking, i.e. Dumb (tongue-tied) -- having an impediment in his speech. see GREEK mogis see GREEK laleo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom mogis and laleó Definition speaking with difficulty NASB Translation spoke with difficulty (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3424: μογγιλάλοςμογγιλάλος (from μόγος (others μόγος, cf. Chandler § 366) one who has a hoarse, hollow voice, and λάλος), speaking with a harsh or thick voice: Mark 7:32 Tdf. edition 2, Tr text; but the common reading μογιλάλος deserves the preference; cf. Fritzsche at the passage, p. 302f. (Etym. Magn. (under the word βατταρίζειν).) STRONGS NT 3424: μογιλάλοςμογιλάλος (on its accent cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 101), μογιλάλον (μόγις and λάλος), speaking with difficulty (A. V. having an impediment in his speech): Mark 7:32 (not Tr text). (Aët. 8, 38; Schol. ad Lucian, Jov. trag. c. 27; Bekker, Anecd., p. 100, 22; the Sept. for אִלֵּם, dumb, Isaiah 35:6.) Strong’s Greek 3424 marks a unique New Testament term applied to a single individual who struggled to form words. The rarity of the word accents the particular attention Scripture gives to Christ’s compassionate dealings with the disabled and to His authority over every human limitation. Biblical Setting: Mark 7:32 “Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.” (Mark 7:32) The twofold impairment—deafness and severely hindered speech—portrays a life closed off from normal fellowship. The man hears nothing and can articulate little; in first-century society this often resulted in social isolation. The petitioners plead for a mere touch, demonstrating faith that Christ’s physical contact is enough to reverse entrenched affliction. Connection to Isaiah’s Messianic Vision Isaiah prophesied, “Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the mute tongue will shout for joy” (Isaiah 35:6). Mark’s narrative echoes this promise both verbally and thematically: the same Greek root appears in the Septuagint at Isaiah 35:6 to describe the mute (κωφοὶ, μογιλάλων). By choosing this seldom-used word, Mark presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s eschatological restoration—God’s kingdom breaking into history through the Messiah. Christ’s Method and Pastoral Care After withdrawing the man from the crowd (Mark 7:33-35), Jesus: 1. Uses sign-language-like gestures—fingers in ears, spitting, touching the tongue—meeting the man on his level of perception. The intimate, sensory engagement demonstrates that healing is not mechanical but relational. Ministry to the disabled, therefore, should likewise combine prayerful dependence on God with personal identification and dignity-affirming contact. Theological Implications 1. Total Authority: Christ commands sensory organs and they obey, testifying to His divine sovereignty over creation’s flaws. Historical Reception Early church fathers saw in this miracle a typology for Gentile inclusion. The man from the Decapolis represents nations long deaf to divine revelation; Jesus’ touch predicts the gospel’s spread beyond Israel (Mark 7:31-37 follows the Syrophoenician episode). Medieval commentators emphasized Christ’s sigh as a token of His humanity and sympathy with sufferers. Reformers highlighted sola fide, noting the friends’ intercession parallels believers’ role in bringing the helpless to Christ. Practical Ministry Lessons • Intercession: Those with communication barriers need advocates who will “bring” them to Jesus through prayer and practical help. Related Passages for Study Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22; Romans 10:14-17. |
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