Mark 10:46-52 The Insight of Blind Bartimaeus

Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church

From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text

Jesus’ Ministry Travels

Introduction

Approaching the end of Jesus earthly ministry

First part was Him establishing His purpose for God’s people - that He/the Son of God, has come to save His people from their sins

Now He is focused on the work He must do at the Cross

He continues to teach God’s will

He continues to address the cost of discipleship

He continues to explain His mission to save His people

He continues to prepare His followers for what will happen in Jerusalem

He continues to press on toward Jerusalem

Today: Jesus performs His last miracle before entering Jerusalem

Pray

Mark 10:46–52 ESV

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 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!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Pray

Introduction

An account of one of the Lord’s miracles - a very vivid account of spiritual things

This is not some history lesson that doesn’t matter to us

This is a picture of something very important to every Christian

An example of strong faith

As Jesus was leaving Jericho, He encountered a blind man named Bartimaeus

Mark 10:47-48 “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!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””

Bartimaeus was blind in body but not in his soul - The eyes of his understanding were open

Saw things that the Jewish leadership, the Scribes and Pharisees, never saw at all

He saw that this Jesus of Nazareth, who grew up in rural Galilee, was the Son of David - the Messiah that had been prophesied by the prophets

He had seen none of the mighty miracles - had not seen people raised from the dead, had no seen people with incurable illnesses healed by a touch. His blindness prevented this

He had heard the reports of the Lord’s mighty works and he believed them. Didn’t care they were hearsay

He believed from all, that this was the Saviour, and He could heal him

This is why he said “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

We should work and pray that we might have such precious faith

We can’t see Jesus with our eyes either, but we have the reports of His power and grace, His willingness to save, written in the Bible

We have the great promises from His own lips, written down for our encouragement

We need to trust those promises and put our faith in Christ without question

We can believe with confidence in His words and believe what He seeks to do for all sinners - that He will do it

What is the beginning of faith? Bartimaeus teaches us Believing on Christ and continually leaning on His word.

What is the first step we take as a Christian, but to plead, like Bartimaeus, “Jesus have mercy on me?”

What is the daily plea of a Christian, but keeping up that same spirit

1 Peter 1:8 ESV

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

An example of perseverance in the face of opposition

Mark 10:48 “And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””

Bartimaeus refused to stop - He knew it was now or never for him

While the others did not appreciate the misery of blindness, Bartimaeus did

Others didn’t think it was worth the trouble to be healed, but Bartimaeus did

He didn’t care about the rebukes from Jesus followers, he didn’t care about the ridicule that his aggressiveness brought on him

He “cried out all the more” and so received his heart’s desire

Anyone who wants to be saved needs to pay attention to Bartimaeus’ conduct

Like him, we shouldn’t care what others think and say when our eternal souls are at stake.

We will always encounter people who tell us it is too soon, or too late, that we are pushing too hard, that we don’t need to pray or read our bible so much, to worry so much about salvation

We can’t pay attention to such people - like Bartimaeus, we need to cry all the more: Son of David, have mercy on me!

Why is it that people are so timid and half-hearted when seeking Christ?

Why are they so easily discouraged in coming near to God?

Answer: They don’t appreciate the gravity of their own sins - the sickness in their own hearts and the disease in their own souls - their own peril

Once someone realizes their own guilt, and the trouble they are in, as it is in reality, they will never rest until they gain the pardon and peace of Christ

Like Bartimaeus

they must know their own diseased condition

they must persevere, like Bartimaeus, until they are finally healed

An example of the influence that gratitude to Christ should have on us

Bartimaeus did not go back home when he received his sight

He did not want to leave the one who showed him such mercy

He immediately dedicated his new power of sight to Jesus, the one who cured him, and followed Jesus in “on the road” (in the way)

Christ ought to have this effect on everyone who receives His mercy

As a follower of Christ, our gratitude should make us a follower of Christ and urge us on to holiness

Freely saved, the Christian should give himself freely and willingly to the service of Christ

2 Cor 5:14 “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;”

This should be true for all Christians today

The one who brags of a relationship with Christ, who does not follow Him in his life, is a liar, and is ruining his own soul

Rom 8:14 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Bringing it home

Have we had our eyes opened by the Holy Spirit?

Are we able to see sin, Christ, holiness, and heaven in their true light?

Can we say: one thing I know, that while I was once blind, now I see?

If so, we know the things we are reading by experience - if not, we are on the wide road that leads to destruction, and we have everything to learn

The Gospel

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 10:9 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Prayer requests

Questions