Only Mark records Jesus Christ's healing of the deaf-mute man, a unique case among the many healings performed in the Decapolis region where throngs brought their sick to be healed by Him. Matthew generally refers to these healings, but Mark specifically highlights this man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Deafness can isolate and exclude the sufferer from society, and while this man was not born deaf—since he could speak, albeit with difficulty—his condition limited him greatly. His difficulty in speaking suggests he was not completely mute, and after Christ's touch, he could speak plainly. His deafness was absolute; he could hear nothing, which put him in danger and restricted his ability to communicate, especially in a time when aids for the deaf were nonexistent. The relationship between his inability to speak and his deafness illustrates the challenges of communication, as humans learn to speak by hearing. If a person becomes deaf later in life, he will speak better than one born deaf or who loses hearing as a child.