Mark 10:46-52
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Bartimaeus was a blind man...He was sitting by the roadside begging...He had on a cloak, when he begged...He somehow heard, knew or noticed that Jesus was coming and going to walk by him...Bartimaeus had faith in Jesus, the Son of David...Bartimaeus knew he had the chance to be healed of his blindness, because Jesus was there, and he would literally be with him...For once and for all, he would be able to see...He not only talked to Jesus (in trying to get His attention), but shouted at Him...Bartimaeus shouted to Jesus to have mercy on him...Many that heard blind Bartimaeus shouting, tried to quiet him down...This did not stop Bartimaeus, and he shouted all the more...Jesus stopped when He heard the commotion of Bartimaeus...Jesus' followers told Bartimaeus to cheer up, get on your feet, He is calling you, specifically...Bartimaeus threw his beggar's cloak aside, and jumped to His feet...
Jesus ask Bartimaeus what was it he wanted Him to do for him...Bartimaeus said "Rabbi, I want to see."...Jesus said "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road...
Jesus healed Bartimaeus immediately...Bartimaeus had a need...He was blind...But if having a trouble, or a suffering, or just having a need is enough to move God, then there would never be a trouble in this world, nor any suffering in this world, and no blind people would live in our world...
Having a need in this world does not get that need healed or filled...Bartimaeus had his blindness for many years...Bartimaeus would have known that Jesus could heal, and had healed others...He knew that Jesus is merciful...Bartimaeus twice asks Jesus to have mercy on him...He doesn't just talk to Jesus, but he shouts to Jesus...As Jesus' friends and followers rebuked Bartimaeus, he shouts all the more... Bartimaeus had a faithful attitude...He wanted to be healed...He was ready for this...He shows by throwing his beggar's cloak aside, he wanted and was ready to be healed (sometimes we are not quite ready to be healed, and we hold off change)...He knew there would be change with his new found sight...Bartimaeus knew, also, that once He had Jesus attention, he would be healed...He had the faith, he would let go and let God heal his eyes...
We can learn from the beggar Bartimaeus...He came to Jesus blind...He came shouting, and full of faith...We must be ready to be healed, we must throw our beggar's cloak aside...He did not back down in trying to move Jesus to heal his eyes...Bartimaeus' faith, his persistence, his readiness, and his belief truly that Jesus could heal him made him see...