Mar 10:46-52 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mark 10:46-52: 10:46-52 The healing of blind Bartimaeus is the last healing miracle recorded in Mark. This event and the healing of the blind man in 8:22-26 form bookends around this section (see Mark Book Introduction, “Literary Features”). It is also a bridge to Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem as Israel’s Messiah in 11:1-11 . Bartimaeus’s confession ( Jesus, Son of David ) prepares the reader for the confession of the people upon Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem (11:10 ). 10:46 they reached Jericho: The journey Jesus began in 10:1 was nearing its conclusion. Jericho was the last major city in the Jordan River Valley before Jerusalem. It may be the oldest continually occupied city in the world. In Jesus’ day, it was no longer located on the much smaller site of Old Testament times (Tell es-Sultan) but had been moved and greatly enlarged. The road from Jericho up to Jerusalem was steep, with a difference in elevation of about 3,000 feet (about 1,000 meters). • The large crowd following Jesus might have been fellow pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for Passover, but they certainly show Jesus’ great popularity and charisma. • A blind beggar ... was sitting beside the road: This was a good location for collecting alms from religious pilgrims going to Jerusalem.

Summary for Mark 10:46-52: 10:46-52 ^a The healing of blind Bartimaeus is the last healing miracle recorded in Mark. This event and the healing of the blind man in 8:22-26 ^b form bookends around this section (see Mark Book Introduction, “Literary Features”). It is also a bridge to Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem as Israel’s Messiah in 11:1-11 ^c. Bartimaeus’s confession (Jesus, Son of David) prepares the reader for the confession of the people upon Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem (11:10 ^d). 10:46 ^e they reached Jericho: The journey Jesus began in 10:1 ^f was nearing its conclusion. Jericho was the last major city in the Jordan River Valley before Jerusalem. It may be the oldest continually occupied city in the world. In Jesus’ day, it was no longer located on the much smaller site of Old Testament times (Tell es-Sultan) but had been moved and greatly enlarged. The road from Jericho up to Jerusalem was steep, with a difference in elevation of about 3,000 feet (about 1,000 meters).

• The large crowd following Jesus might have been fellow pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for Passover, but they certainly show Jesus’ great popularity and charisma.

• A blind beggar ... was sitting beside the road: This was a good location for collecting alms from religious pilgrims going to Jerusalem.
Summary for Mark 10:47-48: 10:47-48 ^g Bartimaeus heard: Jesus’ great fame had spread to Jericho, even as it had spread to Gentile areas (3:8 ^h).

• Jesus, Son of David: Mark does not explain how Bartimaeus knew of Jesus’ Davidic ancestry. Perhaps he knew that Jesus was the Messiah. The blind man, however, did not here associate this title with political or military goals as did the vast majority of people in his day. Instead, Bartimaeus focused on the fact that Jesus was concerned with bringing God’s Kingdom to the poor, maimed, lame, and blind, and he requested mercy and healing (10:51 ⁱ)—which was in harmony with Jesus’ own understanding (cp. Luke 4:18-19 ^j).
10:50 ^k threw aside his coat: Bartimaeus’s response is best understood as simply a spontaneous act of joy and anticipation rather than as a symbolic casting off of his old way of life or leaving all to follow Jesus.
10:51 ^l Bartimaeus’s request, I want to see! revealed his faith, without which he might simply have asked for alms. The reports he had heard about Jesus enabled him to cry out for the miracle of sight.
10:52 ^m The man’s faith was rewarded, and he was healed (literally saved; see 5:23 ⁿ, 28 ^o, 34 ^p; 6:56 ^q; Matt 9:22 ^r; Luke 8:48 ^s). The healing was performed without touch, in contrast to the healing of the blind man in Mark 8:22-26 ^t. Bartimaeus followed Jesus (see also 1:18 ^u; 2:14-15 ^v; 6:1 ^w; 8:34 ^x; 10:21 ^y, 28 ^z, 32 ^aa) down the road (cp. 1:2-3 ^ab; 10:32 ^ac).