Blind Bartimeaus

Mark 10:46–52 NRSV

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Bartimaeus is the final healing story of Mark

Jesus confronting the physical blindness of the man, and the spiritual blindness of his followers

Jesus journeys to Jerusalem, undaunted by the blindness of his followers, blindness cannot stop the work of Christ.

Jesus, Son of David — Bartimaeus sees Jesus as the kingly leader promised to restore Israel, like David, from David’s line

Three weeks of questions from Mark’s gospel

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

When we do enter the Kingdom, can we be up front?

Won’t you please have mercy on me?

Each question gets progressively more risky, more intimate. The first is about following the law. The second is about being, in my opinion, seen for our faithfulness. And the third is a desperate plea for help.

What does Bartimeaus teach us?

Jesus is ready to hear our questions and respond. But how we come to our questions, the state of our heart and the motivation behind them, is of the utmost importance.

We saw that the rich young man had to leave downtrodden because his question about receiving the way of Jesus is met by the stark reality of how much it costs.

We see the disciples stand at odds with two of their members, James and John, because the motivation behind their request seeks glory and position.

It is finally with Bartimaeus that we witness the true healing that comes from when we approach Jesus in innocence and, even, desperation.

You see, for the rich man, there is no answer that will heal the soul divided between things of God and material wealth.

For the disciples, there is no answer of standing in the Kingdom, because the way of Jesus’ kingdom is one of downward movement, not upward promotion.

The last shall be first, the first, shall be last.

We can also see from Jesus’ interaction with Bartimaeus that it is through deep vulnerability and connection that healing comes. When Bartimaeus releases the outcome of his healing and cries out with abandon, being even sternly warned to be silent, Jesus listens.

We can learn something about persistence here, as well. Bartimaeus has checked his pride and social standing at the door. Because he is in such great despair and need, his tactics go beyond what is accepted decorum.

Again, though, why doesn’t Jesus respond in the same way in the two previous stories?

At the heart, we can see that Jesus’ response to Bartimaeus comes because it is in the lives of the unlikely, the least of these, the beggar and the blindman, that Jesus chooses to demonstrate his power to heal. It’s also safe to argue that Jesus does have compassion for the rich man and for James and John and all his disciples, but these are the ones you would expect him to promote and give a place and heal and show wonders through, right?

But a blind beggar? Why?

We live in a world where who you know and what circles you run in can get you what you want. What’s on your resume and where you’ve worked can get you into some pretty great places and access to resources in ways that others could only dream of.

Wouldn’t it make more sense for Jesus to give the rich man or his immediate followers some sort of reward? Wouldn’t it likely be a better return on investment — reward the disciples for being faithfully by your side. Show the rich man the way in to the Kingdom, he’ll make a great example and probably help fund the ministry. Get the right people with the right assets into the right places and watch things take off.

But that is not the way of God’s kingdom.

Not to say there is no place for the rich man or no place for ones who are most faithful. Certainly, we can also belong and serve in the kingdom. God’s family is wide enough for us all. But this story of the blind beggar highlights the orientation of Jesus’ compassion and how it squarely focuses on the ones who are the poorest, the most estranged, the ones who can do nothing but cry for mercy.

How does Bartimaeus respond? How is it different than the disciples or the rich man?

Bartimaeus’ response differs from these precursors in his willingness to make a radical change.

Again, let’s go back to the rich man. How did he respond to Jesus’ teaching about leaving behind all that he had and giving his riches away to the poor and then following along the road? Well, he hangs his head and wanders off disappointed.

Then let’s think of the disciples, James and John and the rest. How do they respond when Jesus tells them they must drink the cup with him, must go to sacrifice and leave their positions of power behind? They end up grumbling with the rest of the disciples, jilted because Jesus doesn’t give them what they want.

But Bartimaeus is different.

I love how Mark tells the story here, because he gives us a really visible action to see Bartimaeus’ devotion and response. Let’s go back to vs. 47-51

Mark 10:47–51 NRSV

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.”

Whereas the rich man and the disciples ask boldly, their stance in questioning Jesus is one of power and privilege. I can picture them standing before Jesus, arms crossed, boldly asking for what they want. AND that’s fine — Jesus does respond to them all with practical ways they can receive this fullness of life. BUT, it’s Bartimaeus who shows us what faithful action in the Kingdom looks like.

The passage says he threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

Do you feel the earnestness here? The blind man throws off his cloak and moves swiftly to Jesus — while his blindness should still be getting in his way…Mark says he throws the cloak off. What if this is a literary device, showing us the resilient, active movement of blindness to site, covered up to uncovered, far off with cries of despair to drawn in close, with the intimate restoration of sight.

This is the way of the Kingdom of God, where simple, heart-wrenchingly good news comes to the one who deserves it least, but who responds with the most joy and action.

What do you want me to do for you?

Let’s pause there and wonder at this question for ourselves.

Jesus asks us, “what do you want me to do for you?”

How do you respond?

Do you know what you need to say?

As you consider your response, notice what motivates you. Is there desire for specific healing? Is there hope for a renewed sense of purpose and mission? Do you want more, more responsibility, more access, more glory?

As we work through each of these stories, I want to witness how Jesus provides for each of the requests. I want to see how the rich man comes back, having learned to let go of what he possesses to find the way of life in the Kingdom. I want to watch the disciples learn to stand in their positions at the right and left of Jesus’ throne, not because they were given their request, but because through service and compassion, they are considered the greatest in the Kingdom. For their love and their faithfulness, they receive their portion, the cup to drink, and they drink it down to the dregs, being filled with the heart of Christ to share with the world and spread the good news.

And finally, I want to see the Blind man walking the road with Jesus, no longer overshadowed by failing sight, no longer shrouded along the side of the road, but now fully in the Way with Jesus.

And I want to see us boldly asking Jesus for what we need and living expectantly in the grace of his way. I want us to seek Jesus’ healing and support boldly, not because we deserve it, but because by naming our needs and speaking to Jesus of the intimate longings of our hearts, we come closer to who God has made us to be, vulnerable, hungry, hopeful, and faithful.

It can be easy to get lost in these stories and lose sight of what they mean for us today. We are, often, like Bartimaeus, spiritually blinded to the good work God will do in us, if we only ask.

When I try to distill down the wisdom of these texts, I have to think about how I would communicate the meaning here in the simplest way. How would I tell my child about the good news here? What does it mean for the ones among us who are hurting the most or least familiar with the ways of the world or those who are perhaps simply unaware that Jesus is ready to hear our cries when we are in need?

To my son, I would say this: Jesus is teaching us all to speak up for what we need. Boldly. Tell God what you need. What you long for, what needs healing — speak to Jesus of these things.

Jesus hears your cries and knows your heart. Jesus knows what answers you need, what direction will lead you closer in. Trust in this. Trust that the answers to these questions, they don’t always lead us in the direction we think they will, but they are good and God is faithful.

To the blind man, it is his heart and longing that makes him well — Jesus says, it’s his faith. Bartimaeus boldly asks, clearly knowing that he is in the presence of the promised Messiah. It is an ask of faith — not of privilege, not of expected results. It is faith that makes him well.

Why didn’t the disciples get regarded for their faith? Why didn’t the rich man receive life for his faithful keeping of the law?

I’ve found that I can often mask my own desires for what I think I need get in the way of actually trusting in God’s loving providence. It’s pretty easy to get in the mode of trusting that we’ve done enough or said the right things. But that leaves no room for God’s grace nor blessing.

Bartimaeus is regarded as faithful and is healed — why? Because of his deep faith, even in opposition to the practical realities of decorum or position. Faith goes beyond this, into the realm of audacious hope.

Today, we hear the question for ourselves — Jesus answers your cries with “What do you want me to do for you?”

What do you need to boldly ask of Jesus? Where is your heart in it? What motivates you? Are you ready to jump up and follow him, even before receiving what you’ve asked for?

This is the final healing story of Mark’s gospel. From here, we move into the story of Jerusalem, Holy Week, and the Passion. Mark has laid out three distinct stories of people asking Jesus for things. Each response shows us an angle of how Jesus’ love engages with our different stories and perspectives. Who are you in these stories? What kinds of questions do you need to ask?

And what will you do when Jesus responds to you? Will you get up and go with him? Or will you be held back?

I pray that we will be a people who boldly ask Jesus for what we need AND that we would be a people who respond by faithfully letting go of whatever we must to turn, stand up, and follow him.