Markus 7:33

7:33 After Jesus ¹  took him aside privately, away from the crowd, he put his fingers in the man’s ²  ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue. ³ 

Markus 10:37

10:37 They said to him, “Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.”

Markus 10:39

10:39 They said to him, “We are able.” ⁴  Then Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I experience,

[7:33]  ¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:33]  ² tn Grk “his”; the referent (the deaf man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:33]  ³ sn After spitting, he touched his tongue. It was not uncommon in Judaism of the day to associate curative powers with a person’s saliva. The scene as a whole reflects Jesus’ willingness to get close to people and have physical contact with them where appropriate. See W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 267 n. 78.

[10:39]  ⁴ sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.