GOSPEL MEDITATION #211
Mark 10:46-52
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
- Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
- Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
- Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
- Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
- Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
- Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
- Note: Matthew has two blind men, Luke has the event taking place west of Jericho as opposed to east in Matthew and Mark. Interesting to speculate on the differences.
- Pilgrims by the thousands on their way to Jerusalem via the Jericho Road. On this road the good Samaritan came to the rescue of a man badly beaten by robbers. (Luke 10:25)
- Bartimaeus was doing what hundreds were likely doing—asking alms from the pilgrim–which was traditional.
- Bartimaeus was hearing reports that Jesus was on the road and heading his way. Amongst the crowd were likely some who thought Jesus might announce himself as Messiah.
- Though there were efforts to quiet the blind man, he refused to shut up and rather became even more persistent.
- He identifies Jesus as Messiah (Son of David) and believes Jesus can heal him. His cry, “have mercy on me” has been echoed down through the ages.
- Jesus called Bartimaeus to himself. We get out word “phone” from the Greek word for call. There is a major theology attached to the word call. See Romans 8:30.
- Jesus ask Bartimaeus what he wants and once he hears the request, without a touch or even a mention of anything like “be healed” Bartimaeus was healed.
- Jesus tells him to “go you way” but Bartimaeus does not do so. Rather, he joins the crowd and follows Jesus, apparently, into Jerusalem.