Ephphatha

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

EPHPHATHA . An Aramaic word, found in the Greek text of  Mark 7:34. We there read that Jesus said to a man who was ‘deaf and had an impediment in his speech, Ephphatha ’ (ἐφφαθά). The Evangelist appends a Greek translation of the word: ὅ ἐστιν διανοίχθητι, ‘that is, Be opened.’

There are two Aram. [Note: Aramaic.] words of which ἘΦΦΑΘά may be a transliteration: (1) אָפַתַּח; (2) אָפִחַח. The former is a contraction of אִחְפַחַּח Imperative Ithpaal; and the latter is a contraction of אִחְפְחַח Imperative Ithpeal of the verb פּהַח ‘to open.’ In Greek MSS [Note: SS Manuscripts.] , א3 [Note: designates the particular edition of the work referred] D [Note: Deuteronomist.] present ἑφφαθά, which is certainly Ithpeal, whereas ἑφφαθά may be Ithpaal. Jerome gives Ephphetha , and some Latin MSS [Note: SS Manuscripts.] give effetha, ephetha , and even effeta . Wellhausen in his Com. on  Mark 7:34 prints ἑφφατα, but apparently without MS authority.

The form ἑφφαθά, when compared with its Aram. [Note: Aramaic.] equivalent אחפתח, presents several interesting peculiarities bearing on the dialect spoken by our Lord. (1) We note the disappearance of the guttural ח. We know that in Galilee and Samaria the gutturals were much neglected, or even interchanged; and they are often ignored in transliterating Semitic words into Greek. Thus we find Μεσσίας from משִׁיחָא; Βηθεσδά from בֵּיחחֶסִרָּא; γἑεννα from נֵּיחִנֹּם; Σίμων from שִׁמְעוֹן (side by side with Συμεὡν, where the ε does duty for ע. (2) We note the assimilation of ח to פ, giving ἑφφαθά for ἑθφαθά; or in Aram. אָפחַח for אִחְפחַח. This is quite in accordance with a rule in Palestinian Aramaic, that frequently, and especially with the labials כּ, מ and פ, the ח in the passive prefix חא is assimilated to the first radical (Dalman’s Aramaische Grammatik , p. 201). (3) It is noteworthy that we have the repetition of the aspirate letter φ. According to Hebrew analogy, אָפּחַח ought to give ἑτπαθά, inasmuch as the daghesh always indicates the harder and not the aspirated form of the letter פ. We infer, therefore, that in the Semitic language, which lies behind our Greek Test., there was a deviation from Hebrew rule as to the daghesh . If Heb. had been the basal language of the Gospels, we could not have had such forms as Βαρθολομαῖος from בַרתּוֹלמַי and Βηθφαγή from בִּיחפָאני. The aspirated forms ח and ם after a closed syllable would be intolerable. The daghesh forte is also singularly treated in Ματθαῖος from מַחִּי,א and Ζακχαῖος from וַכָי (4) The appearance of ε in ἐφφαθα may possibly indicate that the dialect spoken by our Lord used the Syriac prefix אָח eth with passive forms, and not אח ith , as is found in Palestinian Aramaic; in other words, used Ethpaal for Ithpaal.

As to what is the subject of the verb διανοίχθητι, ‘ Be thou opened,’ there is room for difference of opinion. It may be the mouth , as in  Luke 1:64 (so Weiss, Morison), or the ear , as in Targ. [Note: Targum.] on  Isaiah 50:5 (so Bruce, Swete); or it may be the deaf man himself who is addressed. One door of knowledge being shut, the man is conceived of as a bolted chamber: ‘Jesus said to him , Be thou opened.’

Literature.—Zahn, Einleitung in das NT i. 1–24; Kautzsch, Gramm. des Biblisch-Aramaisch , § 5; Dalman, Aram . [Note: Aramaic.] Gramm. 201 f., 222; A. Meyer, Jesu Muttersprache , 52; Meyer, Bruce, Swete, etc., on  Mark 7:34.

J. T. Marshall.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

EPHPHATHA .   Mark 7:34 , where Jesus says to a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ The word is really Aramaic, and if we transliterate it as it stands we obtain eppattach or epp e thach . Both these forms are contracted: the former for ithpattach , the latter for ithp e thach , which are respectively second sing, imperative Ithpaal and Ithpeal of the verb p e thach , ‘to open.’ Some Gr. MSS present ephphetha , which is certainly Ithpeal, whereas ephphatha may be Ithpaal. Jerome also reads ephphetha .

It is not certain whom or what Jesus addressed when He said ‘Be opened.’ It may be the mouth of the man as in  Luke 1:64 (so Weiss, Morison, etc.); or the ear , as in Targ. of   Isaiah 50:5 (so Bruce, Swete, etc.); or it may be the deaf man himself . One gate of knowledge being closed, the man is conceived of as a bolted room, and ‘Jesus said to him . Be thou opened.’

J. T. Marshall.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This is more of Syriac than the Hebrew language. It comes from Pathach, to open. The Evangelist hath explained it,  Mark 7:34. Whenever we read this miracle of the Lord Jesus, shall we not beg the Lord to say to us, as to this poor man, that all our spiritual faculties may be opened at his sovereign voice, and all unite in his praises?

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Be opened, a Syro-chaldaic word, which our Savior pronounced when he cured one deaf and dumb,  Mark 7:34 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

An Aramaic word, signifying 'Be opened.'  Mark 7:34 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Mark 7:34

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

 Mark 7:34

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ef´a - tha , ef - a´tha ( Ἐφφαθά , Ephphathá ): Aramaic word used by Christ ( Mark 7:34 ), the 'Ethpa'al imperative of Aramaic pethaḥ (Hebrew pāthaḥ ), translated, "Be (thou) opened"; compare  Isaiah 35:5 . The Aramaic was the sole popular language of Palestine (Shurer, History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ , II g , 9) and its use shows that we have here the graphic report of an eyewitness, upon whom the dialectic form employed made a deep impression. This and the corresponding act of the touch with the moistened finger is the foundation of a corresponding ceremony in the Roman Catholic formula for baptism.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Ἐφφαθά , a Graecized form of the Syro-Chaldee imperative הַפָּתִח or אַפְּתִח , strictly אֵתְפָּתָח , meaning Be Opened, as it is immediately interpreted), an exclamation uttered by Christ in curing the deaf-mute ( Mark 7:34).