Mar 10:49 | KingComments | STEP | His service leads Him to Jerusalem. In each of the first three Gospels, His last journey to Jerusalem begins with this delay in Jericho to heal a blind man. On the way to Jerusalem they come to Jericho, the city of the curse. The Lord is surrounded by His disciples and a large crowd. Yet Mark turns our attention to that one blind beggar, sitting there by the road. This man is the Lord’s concern. This blind Bartimaeus sees nothing with his physical eyes, but his spiritual eyes see all the more. He has heard about the Lord Jesus. Now he hears that He is near him. He does hear about Him as “Jesus the Nazarene”. To the crowd He is just a man from Nazareth. But Bartimaeus sees more in Him. He calls to Him, that He may have mercy on him. He calls upon Him as the “Son of David”. We hear this name for the first time in this Gospel. By calling this name, Bartimaeus shows that he believes in Him as the Fulfiller of all the promises made concerning His kingship over Israel. Here is a heart that searches for God and such a heart sees everything ( ). He knows he is blind, he acknowledges his condition and desires to see. He who has insight into his own condition begins to see. There are always people who want to silence the voice of someone who asks the Lord for help. There are even many here. This makes it clear that there is no faith among the crowd. For Bartimaeus the opposition is a reason to shout even louder. If we act in faith, we will always meet reproaches. But resistance does the opposite of what it is intended to do. It always works to express the authenticity of faith. The Lord always stops for those in need. He tells them to call the blind. This happens while they also encourage Bartimaeus. These people know the Lord and testify of Him when they bring others to Him. In the same way, we too may bring someone to Him. Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak because it is a hindrance to get to the Lord quickly. The cloak is a picture of one’s own righteousness that is a hindrance to go to Christ. This own righteousness has always been the hindrance for the people ( ). Faith runs parallel with the will of the Lord. Just as He previously asked James and John what they wanted Him to do ( ), He now asks Bartimaeus. But with him He sees faith and answers it. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us ( ). The result is there immediately. With this He proves that He is the Messiah ( ). The first person Bartimaeus sees is the Lord. The Lord says to him that he may go, but Bartimaeus stays with Him and follows Him “on the way”, that is the way to the cross. The Lord has never claimed anyone He has healed, as if the blessing He has granted would create a right for His own benefit. We see this with the possessed ( ), the daughter of Jaïrus ( ), the young man at Naïn ( ), and the countless others healed by Him. The twelve He did call have not been healed by Him.

‏ Mark 10:49

Healing a Blind Man

His service leads Him to Jerusalem. In each of the first three Gospels, His last journey to Jerusalem begins with this delay in Jericho to heal a blind man. On the way to Jerusalem they come to Jericho, the city of the curse. The Lord is surrounded by His disciples and a large crowd. Yet Mark turns our attention to that one blind beggar, sitting there by the road. This man is the Lord’s concern.

This blind Bartimaeus sees nothing with his physical eyes, but his spiritual eyes see all the more. He has heard about the Lord Jesus. Now he hears that He is near him. He does hear about Him as “Jesus the Nazarene”. To the crowd He is just a man from Nazareth. But Bartimaeus sees more in Him. He calls to Him, that He may have mercy on him. He calls upon Him as the “Son of David”.

We hear this name for the first time in this Gospel. By calling this name, Bartimaeus shows that he believes in Him as the Fulfiller of all the promises made concerning His kingship over Israel. Here is a heart that searches for God and such a heart sees everything (Pro 28:5b). He knows he is blind, he acknowledges his condition and desires to see. He who has insight into his own condition begins to see.

There are always people who want to silence the voice of someone who asks the Lord for help. There are even many here. This makes it clear that there is no faith among the crowd. For Bartimaeus the opposition is a reason to shout even louder. If we act in faith, we will always meet reproaches. But resistance does the opposite of what it is intended to do. It always works to express the authenticity of faith.

The Lord always stops for those in need. He tells them to call the blind. This happens while they also encourage Bartimaeus. These people know the Lord and testify of Him when they bring others to Him. In the same way, we too may bring someone to Him.

Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak because it is a hindrance to get to the Lord quickly. The cloak is a picture of one’s own righteousness that is a hindrance to go to Christ. This own righteousness has always been the hindrance for the people (Isa 64:6).

Faith runs parallel with the will of the Lord. Just as He previously asked James and John what they wanted Him to do (Mk 10:35), He now asks Bartimaeus. But with him He sees faith and answers it. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1Jn 5:14). The result is there immediately. With this He proves that He is the Messiah (Isa 35:5). The first person Bartimaeus sees is the Lord.

The Lord says to him that he may go, but Bartimaeus stays with Him and follows Him “on the way”, that is the way to the cross. The Lord has never claimed anyone He has healed, as if the blessing He has granted would create a right for His own benefit. We see this with the possessed (Mk 5:19), the daughter of Jaïrus (Mk 5:43), the young man at Naïn (Lk 7:15), and the countless others healed by Him. The twelve He did call have not been healed by Him.