When Hearing Becomes Seeing

Introduction

There are times near my house that it gets quite foggy. Highway 421 is a road that gets quite busy. There have been many times when it has been so foggy that I will approach the road, roll down my window and listen for vehicles coming just in case I cannot see them. There is one problem, there are more and more vehicles coming up the road that do not make engine noises. I have to listen very carefully! I have learned in that experience that if my vision is impaired, I have to listen in a more effective way in order to safely pull out, even if the car coming up the road does not have an engine that makes noise.

Jesus encountered a man that was blind, but he obviously had a keen sense of hearing. We see this story in Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46–52 NIV84

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The Setting (vs. 46)

I want you to notice the setting of this story.

The Place

The place is Jericho. The Old Testament city of Jericho had been largely abandoned. Herod the Great built a new city south of the old one. It was known as the “city of fragrance”- abounding in balsam, cyprus, honey, roses and many other fragrances. A blind man begging would have been a common sight outside the city. Jesus and His disciples had been journeying from the region of Judea and come to the area of Jericho.

The People

The people in this story of course were Jesus and the disciples. However, the Bible indicates that there was a large crowd following Jesus. As they traveled, it appears that the disciples were constantly asking Jesus questions. In fact, just before the get into Jericho, James and John had just asked Jesus to let one of them sit on the right and the other sit on His left when they got to glory (Mark 10:37). The rest of the disciples were indignant when they heard this. Jesus gives the disciples a lesson on serving and reminds them,

Mark 10:45 NIV84

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

It was on the heels of this conversation that they encounter Blind Bartimaeus.

The Person

Blind Bartimaeus was the Son of Timaeus. Interestingly similar accounts are in Matthew and Luke. Matthew has him with another blind man but doesn’t name him. Luke has only one blind man mentioned outside of Jericho, but also doesn’t name him. Mark however, names him and tells us who his daddy is. Perhaps he was known by name and was prominent because was in the same spot on the side of the road. Being blind, he could only beg. Interestingly, the words we have in this verse for blind and begging are the same. It is the Greek word tuphlos. It’s root meaning is “mentally blind.” Typically, the blind beggar would be interested in the passers-by to generate money. However, somehow, Bartimaeus overheard from the crowd just who was passing by.

The Sound (vs. 47)

I am told that when someone cannot see with their eyes, they must learn how to see with their ears.

Hearing the Commotion

With a lard crowd passing by, there had to be multiple sounds. The sounds of feet stepping on the cobble stones, multiple conversations with different people, children laughing, children crying, animal noises, many beggars hollering for attention. Somehow, in all that commotion, Bartimaeus heard the Jesus was in the crowd. By the way, what do you do when you hear about Jesus? Do you rejoice and worship? Do you let it fall into the rest of the commotion and clatter?

Striving for Attention

We do not have any idea how long Bartimaeus had been blind. I can imagine that a life of darkness would cause one to be very afraid. The fear of the unknown often stops many people dead in their tracks. One would have to call out for help not knowing whether that cry would produce help or ridicule. Somewhere along the way, Blind Bartimaeus stopped being afraid about what could go wrong and got really excited about what could go right! In all the commotion, Bartimaeus somehow heard that Jesus was passing by.

One must understand that the name Jesus was a very popular name in that day. However he gets the word that this is Jesus of Nazareth. One interesting point here is that the word translated into Nazareth is actually Nazarene which means “anointed one.” This recognition led Bartimaeus to pray for intervention.

Praying for Intervention

He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” It is important to see what Bartimaeus is doing here. He is naming Jesus as the Messiah!

Isaiah 11:1 NIV84

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Jews had long recognized this the prophecy of the Messiah. At first, one might think that Bartimaeus was just naming names, but we will see in the next verse that he does it again, indicating to me that he knew what he was doing it the name Jesus, Son of David was intentional! His plea is that Jesus would have mercy on him. Isn’t that the plea that we need every day? That the Lord would have mercy on us! Do you approach Jesus as the Messiah? So many folks have Jesus being a good teacher and a good man, but do we see Him as our Messiah? As our Christ?

What Bartimaeus lacks in eyesight he makes up for in insight! He had heard enough of the teachings and readings at the temple that helped him understand that there was something different about Jesus! Through his ears he could see that Jesus could have mercy on him! However, the crowd, including the disciples told him to hush.

The Silencing (vs. 48)

Many rebuked him to be quiet.

Rebuked to Be Quiet

I think that would be like us as a church proclaiming Jesus then hushing people when they started asking questions about Him. Have you ever been told to be quiet about something that you knew was right and that you knew you had to speak about it? Often we commit the sin of silence. We need to speak up and speak out and we cave in to the request of others to hush and not rock the boat. We start being politically correct instead of morally right. But what does blind Bartimaeus do? He has made up his mind to reckon to be heard!

Reckoning to be Heard

So again, he shouts out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Sometimes when we are told to be quiet, we need to get louder! Sometimes when we are told not to bother, we need to bother! Sometimes when we realize that truth is all we have, we need to proclaim it and shout it from the mountaintops no matter who is telling us to hush! Bartimaeus gives us an example of being courageous and persistent. Bartimaeus gives us an example of calling on the Hope of Jesus in our darkest hour. Bartimaeus gives us an example of

Proverbs 3:5 NIV84

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Bartimaeus gives us an example of pursuing Jesus no matter what deters us! Again, we see Bartimaeus realizing Jesus as the Messiah!

Realizing the Messiah

Do you know that Bartimaeus was the first person outside of the disciples to address Jesus in this Messianic way? Peter was the first to call Him the Christ.

Mark 8:29 NIV84

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

Then Jesus forbids His disciples to speak to anyone about this:

Mark 8:30 NIV84

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

So how did a blind man make that connection?

Maybe he overheard the scroll of Jeremiah being read and had the insight to recognize Jesus for who He was.

Jeremiah 23:5–6 NIV84

5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.

We can call Him Messiah, the Lord our Righteous because He is. He is indeed our Redeemer and our Savior.

The Savior (vs. 49-52)

One of the most beautiful characteristics about Jesus is that He took time with people, especially those the crowds tried to keep away from Him!

Stopping to Listen

The cry of the poor and powerless stopped the Son of God in His tracks. Mark 10:49 tells us that Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” Y’all ready to have church? The crowds my tried to silence a blind man that was different from the, but Jesus rewarded the fruit of the persistence of Bartimaeus! When Jesus shows that it is a good thing for a blind man to be persistent, the attitude of the crowd changes too!

They tell him, “Cheer up!” The meaning behind those words are to be of good comfort and of good courage. Isn’t odd that these were the same people that were telling Bartimaeus to be quiet?

Bartimaeus did not stop to think or question that, but the Bible says he threw off his clock and jumped to his feet to come to Jesus.

What do you need to throw off to come to Jesus?

Hebrews 12:1 NIV84

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do?” Bartimaeus without hesitation says, “Rabbi, I want to see!”

Speaking to Understand

We need to speak clearly to Jesus that which burdens us! Bartimaeus spoke boldly! What a real, honest answer, not to be rich or superhuman, but so be simply human and have the ability to see. Are you boldly coming before Jesus with the desires of your heart? By the way, before this encounter with Bartimaeus, remember the discussion that Jesus was having with James and John? James and John were asking for extraordinary glory and all Bartimaeus wanted was ordinary health! I wonder how that affected James and John. Later we see that it must have because James wrote:

James 1:6 NIV84

6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Jesus immediately gave Bartimaeus his sight. He was no longer Blind Bartimaeus but now he was believing Bartimaeus!

Sending as a Disciple

Bartimaeus was free from his blindness and followed Jesus down that road.

“Jesus has transformed Bartimaeus from a beggar beside the road to a disciple on the road.” James R. Edwards

Do you see, pun intended, what has happened here? Before we cry out to Christ, we are spiritually blind. We cry out to Him, Jesus, Son of God, the Messiah, have mercy on me!” Jesus hears our cry because the Bible says,

Romans 10:9–10 NIV84

9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Faith saved him. Persistence drew him closer to Jesus.

What is your spiritual blindness?

What is holding you back from calling on the Name of the Lord?