Psalm 34:1-8
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 O magnify the LORD with me,and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD, and was saved from every trouble. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.
Mark 10:46-52
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. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 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.” 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 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.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
This final healing story, in the book of Mark is right before the Passion section begins and because this story is so brief (and a seeming repeat of a previous healing story), it could really go easily unnoticed. It's like all the other healing stories in Mark where there's an urgent plea by someone (or one of their relatives on their behalf). Jesus always responds to the plea, does the healing and then the healed (and any family) as well as Jesus and the Disciples, go on their way. And we've already briefly looked at another healing of the blind man in Chapter 8, so why are we looking at this one? Why does Mark put in another one just two chapters later? Well, Mark has a purpose, I believe, and it's subtle, but it's worth looking into deeper.
On the surface, this is ‘just’ another healing story; a miracle story; one from which we can all take hope, especially when we or one of our loved ones, is in need of healing. But that's only part of what God wants us to see through the eyes of Jesus, the disciples and Bartimaeus. In Mark's ‘economy of words’, Bartimaeus hears Jesus ‘voice and immediately knows who he is. Bartimaeus clearly knows Jesus is not just a prophet with some power and a couple of followers. Jesus is: uniquely qualified, as the Son of David, which also carries a Messianic claim, and therefore carries lots of power.
Bartimaeus implicitly and explicitly trusts this Son of David, Jesus, has the power and the authority to heal him. Naturally, the disciples and the others relegate Bartimaeus as a nuisance, not worthy of Jesus’ time and try to silence him. ‘Me thinks it's the disciples who were blind. And, by the way, that mindset and that claim will repeat itself in the next chapter, with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Remember that story? The people start shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” And remember what the crowd’s response is? Luke expounds on Mark’s version 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” But I'm getting ahead of myself and we're going to look at that story…but not ‘til April.
But there is another tie, another foreshadowing in the Bartimaeus text that is really, really subtle. You can blow right by it. The minute that Jesus stops and calls forth Bartimaeus, what does Bartimaeus do? He throws off his cloak, the only thing that he owns, that he uses to garner food and money and he casts aside. Why? Because he completely trusted Jesus. He trusted that Jesus would heal him, which of course he does. Bartimaeus can leave behind his old life, for a life as a follower, as a disciple of Christ. The text doesn't say that Jesus heals Bartimaeus and Bartimaeus then runs around touting that he's been healed, because of his new eyesight. No. Instead, the text reads, “Immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.”
Again, as I mentioned earlier in the sermon, we all need healing and hope stories, especially when we are unwell. Being ‘unwell’ happens in a lot of ways. Perhaps the deeper message in this text is that we also need this story to remind us that we need healing of our own… blindness, spiritual blindness. These are the places in which we are still unwilling or unable to trust God, even though God is active and moving in our lives. Spiritual blindness is not trusting that God to sees us, to hears us, to heals us and even to calls us to a deeper faith and a deeper sense of discipleship.
Scholar Pheme Perkins says that the ‘throwing aside of the cloak’ is a metaphor for discarding the old self, the old life, an old identity which is devoid of Christ. That's when we live in spiritual blindness, as if we are on our own, doing all these things on our own and God is over there in section 7 helping other people. Bartimaeus is throwing aside his cloak just like the disciples when they encountered Jesus. What did they do? They left their nets. They left their boats. They left their fishing poles. They left their tax collecting businesses to put on a new garment.
You probably know that in the early, early days of the Church, men and women would be baptized separately. They would take off all of their old clothes and discard them. And then they would put on a white gown symbolizing the newness of a life in Christ. A new garment. A new life. And a new identity because of Christ. That's what Bartimaeus did. It's not just a healing story, my friends. It is a move to changing how we live our lives.
Now we also have an immediate opportunity to discard our cloaks and, if you forgive the cute metaphor, there's a box down the hall where all of the old cloaks can go for our coat drive. I have a red winter coat. It's warm because it’s filled with down. I haven't worn it in three years, because when I put it on, I look like the Michelin Man! And someone introduced me to this new concept of what they call this packable down. I lost 30 pounds just wearing the packable down, but that red coat--it's still in my closet! Why? Who knows! I need to throw aside that cloak and all the other cloaks that I've been hanging onto that no longer serve me.
But Bartimaeus is telling us far more than just that we are in need of healing. We are also in need of throwing away our old selves and putting on the cloak of Jesus Christ. Even though it’s easier said than done! But once we do that, it can not only change our lives, but our relationships, how we serve the church, how we serve the community, how we interface with people. It’s helpful especially when we have to have difficult conversations, painful conversations or when our friends and family are not on the same page with us about how to do the dishes or who to vote for.
I love the way Elaine read Psalm 34. Maybe it's the pink mask--but she read it with so much enthusiasm and I want to read it again because I think this is probably what Bartimaeus was saying once he got healed. He got rid of his old cloak and he started following the One who was worth it. I’m going to read it from the version, the Message.
I bless God every chance I get. My lungs expand with His praise. I live and breathe God. And if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy. Join me in spreading the news. Together let's get the word out. God met me more than halfway. He freed me from my anxious fears. Look at Him. Give Him your warmest smile. Don't hide your feelings from Him. When I was desperate, I called out and God got me out of a tight spot. God's angels set up a circle of protection around me when I pray. Open your mouth and taste and see how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him.
May it be so. Amen.