Today, we will go visit my dad’s grave. This is the first Father’s Day after his death. At dad’s funeral I said, “Dad was not perfect, but he was forgiven.” That thought reminds me of the twelve disciples, Jesus is training. Jesus gives them their last object lesson before their six month crash course in Discipleship is complete. Mark covers the last six months of Jesus’ ministry to his disciples in Mark 8-10. The healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus is Jesus last miracle before entering Jerusalem in 11:1
First in this final object lesson, we see Blindness, both physical and spiritual. The “and” in 10:46 connects this miracle with Jesus’ previous discipleship lessons in his previous three predictions of his death.
1. Disciples deny themselves (8:34-38). Bartimaeus denys himself in 10:50.
2. Disciples serve others even the most significant (9:36). Bartimaeus is an insignificant begging blind man that people walk past and don’t even acknowledge. He is like the beggar holding sign at the busy intersection that we don’t look at or acknowledge.
3. Disciples humble themselves (10:42-45). Bartimaeus humbles himself and cries out for mercy in 10:47.
All this happened as Jesus and his disciples are leaving Jericho for the one day uphill journey (Jerusalem is 3500 feet above Jericho) to Jerusalem, which is the final destination of Jesus journey and discipleship training. This journey is uphill in more than one way. In Jerusalem, their discipleship will be tested. Some of them will deny their mentor and Savior. On the difficult last leg of the training, they come across Bartimaeus who is physically blind. He reminds us that all sinners are totally and spiritually blinded by Satan according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:3. Bartimaeus could not see the sun rise and sinners cannot see “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). The disciples were spiritually blind as to whom Jesus was and who they were to be as disciples. Jesus has been compared to a patient special education teacher, who relentlessly works with students who just can’t grasp the lessons.
Next, we see the Healing of the Blindness. Bartimaeus hears a commotion and asks what is going on and the crowd tells him that Jesus of Nazareth is passing through. Remember, Nathaniel asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Bartimaeus has more insight than the crowd and cries out to “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me.” Bartimaeus alone recognizes Jesus as the true Messiah predicted in 2 Samuel 7. Bartimaeus reminds us of blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby who wrote so many doctrinally deep hymns.
When blind, begging, and insignificant Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus, Jesus not only stops himself but the parade following him. He then called the blind man to come to him. Homeless Bartimaeus “cast away his garments” and came to Jesus. He abandoned his few possession. Contrast this response to Jesus with the rich, young ruler not long ago who was unwilling to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus. The blind beggar was more noble than the upwardly mobile millennial.
Jesus then asked the blind beggar the same question he asked James and John in 10:36: “What will you that I should do?” The status seeking disciples who had been under Jesus training for three years gave the wrong answer. The poor beggar, just wanted a very basic necessity of life: his sight. With this humble response, Jesus healed and saved Bartimaeus at that same time. Jesus, said, “Your faith has made you whole or saved. The Greek word for “whole” is σέσωκέν and can mean to deliver physically or spiritually. This same word was just used when the disciples asked Jesus “who then can be saved” in 10:26. Jesus had just taught how difficult it was for rich people to get saved. Jesus said it was easier for a 1300 pound camel to pass through the eye of a sowing needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The bewildered disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ reply was filled with hope. “With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (10:23-27). The same word is used by Paul in Ephesian 2:8-9: “For by grace are you saved through faith.”
Lastly, we see the Following of Jesus that results from salvation. Bartimaeus immediately started following Jesus. In the beginning, Bartimaeus was “beside the way” (10:46) as an unsaved bystander but after faith in Christ and having his eyes opened, he was a follower “on the road,” 10:52. This is what Jesus’ disciples needed to do. Below is a contrast of a helper and a servant by Thomas Constable. Bartimaeus became a servant.
Contrasts between a Helper and a Servant
A Helper A Servant
A helper helps others when it is convenient. A servant serves others even when it is inconvenient.
A helper helps people that he or she likes. A servant serves even people that he or she dislikes.
A helper helps when he or she enjoys the work. A servant serves even when he or she dislikes the work.
A helper helps when the circumstances are A servant serves even when the circumstances are convenient. are inconvenient.
A helper helps with it is personally satisfying. A servant serves when it is not personally satisfying.