Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak." Mark 7:31–37 (RSV)
Koine Greek is the language of the New Testament. Greek was the international language of the Roman world, much like English is today. Jesus may have known Greek, but His tongue was Aramaic, a dialect of Hebrew. Jesus' disciples most likely spoke Aramaic as well.
They knew enough that if they were going to get the Gospel to as many people as possible, Greek was the way to go. The very earliest manuscripts we have of the Gospel are written in Greek. Here is the first challenge to understanding Scripture with the goal of preaching. Lutheran pastors learn Greek to read the New Testament in the language in which it was written.
We translate Greek to English, aware that it was most likely translated from Aramaic to Greek at the Church's dawn. The translator has decisions to make as Greek words and phrases become English. What word in English best echoes the meaning in Greek? Some words easily go from Greek to English. Others are complex as you try to capture the nuance of the word.
The phrase,' and looking up to heaven, he sighed,' appears simple enough. The word for 'to sigh' in Greek also translates, 'to groan, sigh, or grumble.' Groaning and grumbling are harsher to our ears, causing us to wonder why Jesus would groan or grumble as He healed the man.
One of the dangers we fall victim to as we read Scripture is the notion that everything was easy for Jesus. He is the Son of God. He could command legions of angels to attend Him. We only focus on His divine nature. We forget that Jesus is also True Man. He is human. Humans grow weary. Who hasn't been overwhelmed by the challenges and demands of life?
Everywhere Jesus went, crowds gathered, pressing on Him crying out for healing, for bread, for a resurrection, for casting out a demon, and dozens of other demands. How many came because they believed Jesus is the Messiah we cannot say. We can say that many who came were there for what they could get from Jesus. Many of those who came to Jesus would also be among those screaming for His death.
Our redemption is costly. The suffering on the cross is horrific in itself. The struggle to breathe and the unrelenting pain is intended cruelty. Jesus cries out to the Father in desolation. The cross is but the beginning. Jesus carries with Him all the sin, the ugliness, the sickness, and brokenness of our human race.
He sighed, groaned at the demand of healing one man. Can you even begin to imagine what He endured on the cross? Jesus bears it all in His flesh and spirit. Jesus, True Man, takes on the death of all creation. The depths of His groans of agony is a horror no one would consent to face.
Jesus receives it all for us. His suffering is for the whole of humankind, for all creation, so when we groan under the weight of sin and death, we might know they have been defeated.