Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

 

Mark 10:46-52

 

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.   And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”   And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

The Blind beggar has a name, this is how Mark describes him; “Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus”.  Not only does he have a name, but he was also someone’s boy, and Timaeus had hopes and dreams for his son, as you do for your child.

It is early on a Sunday morning, and my hope was to be sleeping, but God needed me to deal with this blind man, for my actions and thoughts are often like some in the crowd.  I do not ask his name, I may drop a coin in his lap, but I gave him a name, not the one his dad and mom gave him, he is the blind man by the road.  If only I would have engaged him, what might I have learned about faith?

If we stop for a moment and listen to the Bartimaeus’s of our day, they might become someone of great worth.   We just do not have time,  we're leaving our Jericho, let him be another person's problem.   Or is it that unlike the Lord whom we claim to be His followers, yet we do not do as Jesus did.  He stops, and called him and ask how can I be of help to you, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

We miss not only the blind man’s name, but we also miss his understanding of who Jesus is; for he refers to Jesus as the “Jesus, Son of David”.  That is a messianic designation, when Bartimaeus hears it was Jesus passing by he was not about to allow a crowd to keep him quiet.  As I read this account, I cannot help but wonder what is wrong with us, why are we so quiet in the crowds of our lives.

When Jesus called, Bartimaeus not only got up, but he threw off his coat and jumped up and came to Jesus.  When Jesus asked him this question; “What do you want me to do for you?” he responded, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  Did you get that Bartimaeus once had sight?   The Scripture does not give us insight into his mother or dad, but I can only imagine how often they prayed to the Father for this miracle.  As the great newsman stated now the rest of the story; And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

 

That brings me to this point, it is now 4:11 on this Sunday morning and I am so glad the Father awoke me very early for I needed to understand many things that have seem to escape me in this busy life, things of great importance!

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice