Bartimaeus Meets Jesus

Mark 10:46-52 New King James Version

Mark 10:46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.

Realities of the Road:

1. Create faith by hearing God’s Word (Mark 10:47; Mark 3:7-8; Romans 10:17).

a. Mark 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

i. Since Jesus (Gr. Iēsous; Hebr. Yĕhôšû‘a; see on 1:1) was a very popular Jewish name, he was identified by his place of origin.[1]

b. Mark 3:7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea

c. Mark 3:8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.

d. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

e. Mark 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

i. Mark 11:9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

ii. Mark 11:10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

2. Christ’s followers can hinder, rather than help, people coming to Christ (Mark 10:48a, Mark 10:13-14).

a. Mark 10:48 Then many warned him to be quiet;

i. Mark 10:13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

ii. Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

3. Don’t let people keep you from Christ (Mark 10:48b-49).

a. Mark 10:48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

b. Mark 10:49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

4. Don’t let your past keep you from Christ (Mark 10:50).

a. Mark 10:50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

i. The cloak was the bedroll of such a helpless beggar and his throwing it away suggests that he believed that he would need it no more, that he would be healed.[2]

ii. The “cloak” (10:50) is an outer garment, used as a coat in cold weather and as bedding at night, and possibly might have been spread before him for use in his daytime begging if he had no pouch. On the narrative level, the act of casting it aside may signify his forsaking dependence on anything else and trusting only in Jesus.[3]

5. Cultivate a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Mark 10:51).

a. Mark 10:51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

i. Rabboni - an honorific title for a teacher of the Jewish Scriptures, implying an important personal relationship—‘my teacher.’ [4]

6. Confess your need to Christ (Mark 10:51-52).

a. Mark 10:51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

b. Mark 10:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

7. Continue to follow Christ (Mark 10:52b).

a. Mark 10:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

i. While we hear nothing of his subsequent discipleship, the fact that Mark records his name and his father’s name suggests that he became a familiar character in the disciple group.[5]

ii. The following “on the way” contrasts dramatically with his former sitting “along the way”[6]

[1] Schnabel, E. J. (2017). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary. (E. J. Schnabel, Ed.) (Vol. 2, p. 256). London: Inter-Varsity Press. [2] Hurtado, L. W. (2011). Mark (p. 178). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. [3] Keener, C. S. (2014). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Second Edition, p. 156). Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press. [4] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains(electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 415). New York: United Bible Societies. [5] France, R. T. (2002). The Gospel of Mark: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 422). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. [6] Lane, W. L. (1974). The Gospel of Mark(p. 389). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.