Mark 10:46-52. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, March 29, 2020.
Today, we have the story of Blind Bartimaeus being healed. There are two issues at hand in this story that I would like to get out of the way up front.
First, the Gospel of Matthew relates this story and says that there were two blind men. It does not name them, but the story is obviously the same as this one. Some may point to this as a contradiction, but that would be superficial. Where there are two men there is also one. Mark chooses to focus upon a particular individual and even names him. Perhaps Bartimaeus was well known at the time of the writing. Matthew doesn’t focus on the individual, but rather the dynamic of healing blind men. So, this should not be pressed as an error, only a difference in the focus of the eye witnesses.
Second, Luke records this miracle as happening when Jesus comes into Jericho, but Mark has it happening as Jesus leaves Jericho. This is more than a difference in focus, and seems to create a contradiction. Surely, both statements can’t be true, a person may think.
A detective often has to deal with various eye-witness testimonies that may appear to contradict each other, even after weeding out false evidence. The detective uses the art of questioning witnesses to ferret out what exactly they saw and didn’t see. In this way, testimony that appears contradictory can often be explained. Of course, we are unable to go back and question Mark and Luke, or, better yet, Bartimaeus. Archaeologists have pointed out that there existed an Old Jericho (the city rebuilt on the rubble of Joshua’s famous battle), and a New Jericho that had been built up near it. Herod had several palaces built there. We see this dynamic even in our cities today. Large projects, like international airports, require large spaces that would require the removal of vast historical areas. This is why we see municipal districts that develop around a large project outside of a nearby city. Thus, it is quite possible that Jesus leaves Old Jericho and heads towards New Jericho. This would satisfy that Jesus is both leaving Jericho and going towards Jericho at the same time. Of course, this is not completely satisfactory because it is simply a theory. We can’t verify it by asking the witnesses. Thus, this becomes a situation that is not technically contradictory, and yet we don’t know exactly how Luke and Mark’s testimonies overlap.
With that all said, our story challenges us with the reality that there are times of spiritual opportunity in our life. It is as if God Himself were walking by us. In those moments, there are things that He wants to do for us, but we must want them. We must be seekers, knockers, and askers. Let’s look at our story.
It has been common throughout history for those with physical disabilities to present themselves to society for charity. We basically call this begging. No one really wants to be reduced to such a humbling and humiliating place, but sickness, disease, and genetic problems are common in this fallen world. It is easy to blame God for these things. However, He did not bring these things into existence. They are the results, or effects, of the Fall, and our rebellion against the Creator. There was a beggar outside of Jericho, which is the last city on the Jordan plain before heading up into the hills towards Jerusalem.
Again, we remind ourselves that we are close to a week out from the crucifixion of Jesus. He is actually on his way to give his life as a sacrifice, a ransom, for the sins of the world. Yet, he stops at Jericho, among many other places, on his trip. By the way, Mark does not share the story of Zacchaeus, the wee little man, but that story (from Luke’s Gospel) happens on this day as well.
A large crowd is around Jesus, and, when Bartimaeus is told that Jesus is near, he cries out. Let’s look at what he cries. First, he uses a title of Jesus that is used to refer to the Messiah, “Son of David!” It is possible he has been told that Jesus is the Son of David, or he may have come to that conclusion by himself. Many passages in the Old Testament promised that one of the seed of David would sit on his throne forever, and bring peace to Israel and the earth. Isaiah 35:5 says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” Yes, this can be applied metaphorically, but it is intended to also be literal. You could say that the literal becomes the proof of the metaphorical meaning. Perhaps scriptures like this are in the mind of Bartimaeus as he cries out. He believes that Jesus is the Messiah, and if he is the Messiah, then it is possible for his eyes to be healed! He has faith in Jesus.
In the second part of his cry, Bartimaeus begs for mercy. This is a man who knows how to beg; he has had to beg for a living. He has learned to be persistent and press his need. He can’t let this opportunity pass without trying. On this day, there is a man who can do something for him far better than plopping a coin into his hands or bowl. He begs for mercy. “Have mercy on me!”
Mercy is a beautiful word. It is different than justice. You never hear anybody begging for justice upon themselves. We tend to beg mercy for ourselves and justice upon others. Justice is something that we can lay claim upon. It is what we or another person deserves. He has to do with setting right what is morally wrong between us. Mercy, however, is the cry for something that we don’t deserve. It lays claim upon the character of the person we implore. To ask mercy of a merciless man is folly, but to ask mercy of Jesus, to ask mercy of God our Father, is to ask mercy of One who is full of mercy. You should take time to read and meditate on Psalm 145, but I will put some of its verses here.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. 6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. 7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
We are told that the crowd warns him to be quiet. The word “warn” is basically a rebuke, and they are basically telling him to quit making a scene and shut-up. In contrast to the great mercy of God, whom Jesus perfectly represents, is the crowds who couldn’t care less about this man. Like a surging sea, the crowd is always crashing this way and that way, but generally it never crashes in the direction that God would have it go, except when He intervenes to accomplish His purposes.
There are many things that can get between us and the mercy of God. People are one of the biggest obstacles. It can be a large group, like this crowd, but it can also be an individual or series of individuals. Regardless, they don’t care for your soul. This causes you to despair and walk away from the mercy that God wants to give to you. Listen friend, God has made mercy available for you, but you must want it bad enough not to listen to the merciless crowds, and those merciless individuals that you have encountered. The song comes to mind:
“No man careth for my soul!,” thus cry the millions.
“No man careth for my soul!” O, hear their plea!
Won’t you give your life today to spread the Gospel,
So that Christ can save their soul and set them free?
Bartimaeus doesn’t give up, and neither should you. He cries out to Jesus again over the top of the crowd and all of their resistance, and Jesus hears him! O how many voices both external and internal are ripping at you constantly, telling you to shut-up, telling you to quit, telling you that there is no hope for you? Don’t let the lies of the crowd in your life crowd you out of God’s inheritance for you.
In contrast to the crowd, we have Jesus who is ever merciful. Praise God for Jesus! Jesus tells the people to call the man and so the suddenly become very helpful to the man. Rise up! Jesus is calling you. At this point, Bartimaeus throws off his outer cloak and approaches Jesus. More than likely, he is ridding himself of this “begging cloak” in order to look more respectable before Jesus. Yet, it seems to also represent how all of us must spiritually approach Jesus. We must cast off the rags of our own righteousness and beg of him a truly white cloak of his righteousness. This is the only way that we can come before God the Father, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. How many things we must cast aside in order to have what we need from Jesus!
Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants, and the answer to that question seems to be fairly obvious. Yet, Jesus asks it. The man had asked for mercy, which is a general request, but Jesus wants him to give voice to the specific need that he has. Now, we must never put the things that we desire above Jesus. If we have to choose, then we must always choose relationship with Jesus over the top of things that we may want. Jesus also had to make such a decision as he approached the cross. In his humanity, he did not want to die on a cross, but this was the plan. It could not change. Thus, he chooses relationship with the Father, and all who would believe upon him, over the top of avoiding the cross.
This can put us in a point of tension. Some people will not pray for specific things because they think it is not spiritual to do so. They somehow see it as beneath a true believer of Jesus. They basically teach that we should pray for God’s blessing in general and leave everything up to Him. This may sound terrifically spiritual when we hear it. The problem is that it contradicts the Word of God. All throughout His Word, He challenges us to come before Him with our request. We are told, “You have not because you as not…” Thus, only praying for blessing in general is a mere posing, and pretentious pride. Jesus heals, period. Yes, he doesn’t heal everybody that we pray for, but he is still the fountain of healing. If we don’t seek him, knock on the door of heaven, and cry out to him for a particular mercy then we may never receive it. This tension that we live in is the tension between being persistent because you know your God is merciful, and yet trusting His answer, be it “Yes,” or “No.” What do you really want? And, are you seeking God for it specifically, and trustingly?
Bartimaeus calls Jesus “Rabboni,” which basically means, “my Lord.” He hasn’t really been a follower of Jesus and a disciple on his travels, but he still dares to call Jesus his Lord. Even if you don’t know Jesus today, he really is your Lord and savior. He is the Lord of lords, and the King of kings. To those who will own him as their king, He will come forth as a healing and delivering savior. He does not reject those whom the Father brings to him.
Then, Bartimaeus simply asks for his sight. We are not told the back story of his plight. Was he born blind? Did he have an accident? How long has he been so? There is always a great story behind all who come to Christ. Maybe you do not feel that your story is quite as grand as a blind man receiving his sight, but it is a great story nonetheless. In fact, in a way all of us come to Christ begging for our sight. Oh, Jesus, this world has blinded me to the truth and I don’t know what I can trust. Help me to see so that I can know the truth and be set free! How bold of Bartimaeus to ask for such an impossible thing. Let me have my sight!
Jesus tells him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” We should stop and recognize that what the man has done up to this point happens because he has faith in Jesus. Do you have faith in Jesus today? Maybe you had it yesterday, but some things have happened to rob you of your faith. Our prowling enemy, the devil, is always looking to rob us of our faith in Jesus. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and receive anything from Him. Ultimately, we need our sins forgiven. Natural sight is useless, if I don’t see that Jesus can set me free from my sins. In the miracles of Jesus, there is always a spiritual parallel that it points towards. We need our spiritual eyes opened to the plight of our sin and the mercy of Jesus to forgive us of our sins. The healing of this blind man was to give hope to others that Jesus was the true light sent from the One who created eyes in order to open the eyes of people spiritually. Oh, Church, let us not be blinded by this world! Let us see the light of Jesus and have a faith that conquers all the obstacles in our path!
So, what is the result of this miracle, or any miracle for that matter? All of the miracles of the Bible beg the question, “What did they do with that miracle?” We are told that his eyes immediately opened and he received his sight. What a moment that must have been. Jesus had told him to go his way. In other words, you are free to go wherever you want to go. Is it possible that some who were healed by Jesus later fell back away from him? It happens even today. There are people who have had great things done in their life by God, but they are no longer following Him. They have learned to rationalize the events and “deconstruct” them into mere reductive coincidences. How tragic.
It is not enough to get something like a healing, financial help, a job, or wisdom about a decision from God. If I don’t persevere through this life and remain in relationship with my heavenly Father then it is only a sad trinket that I can’t carry into the after-life.
We must not serve God in order to get things from Him. Otherwise, we will one day part with Him when a cross stands in our path, and He is on the other side bidding us to follow. However, let us never forget that the God we serve is the God of miracles. A fringe benefit of following the Lord of Heaven is that He is merciful and there is no telling when He might say, “Your faith has made you well!”