Bartimaeus: Mk 10,46-52
This healing of a blind man comes after the climax of Jesus' teaching about discipleship (10,45) and before the arrival in Jerusalem (11,1). It has therefore a key place in the Gospel.
Bartimaeus is the last of the "little people" of this Gospel. They are those who make just one brief appearance in the story and show they have a true faith in Jesus.
The efirst healing of a blind man, 8,22-26, took place in two stages. Here the healing is simple and immediate. The two healings form a bracket around the central section of the Gospel, Jesus' journey or way from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem. As we have seen, Jesus has been predicting his fate as well as teaching about true discipleship. This came to its climax in the preceeding verse, 10,45, as we have seen.
Being both a beggar and one who is blind, Bartimaeus would have been a complete nobody. As we would expect, the overtones of blindness here would be spiritual as well. Baritmaeus needs the sight of faith.
In Greek (though not rendered by most translations), Bartimaeus is sitting "by the way" (10,46). Given the prominence of the way as a theme in the preceeding chapters of the Gospel, this is an immediate alert for us.
Jesus is leaving Jericho, his next stop therefore will be Jerusalem (11,1). Both the disciples and a crowd are with him, though it is the crowd which takes part in this story.
In verse 47, then, Bartimaeus crys out for mercy through Jesus. He calls him "Son of David".
The crowds rebuke Bartimaus, verse 48, and try to silence him, as crowds do.
Bartiameus however is not put off, he just cries more loudly until Jesus hears him. Again he calls Jesus "Son of David".
In Verse 49 therefore, Jesus calls the crowd to call the man.
And the crowd changes its tune, as crowds do: "Courage, he is calling you." Verses 49 and 50 are special to Mark.
Leaving aside his cloak is a notable detail: it is the most important item owned by Bartimaeus because it keeps him warm at night (Ex 22,26). So he casts aside his most precious garment.
In verse 51, Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants and the reply is a simple "I want to see" - both physically and spiritually.
Verse 52 therefore sees the faith of the man rewarded, his total trust in God.
Having been "by the way", Baritmaeus now follows Jesus "on the way". He has become the complete disciple. This is the way that leads to Jerusalem and the cross.
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The Sunday Gospel: 30th Sunday OTThe Jersualem Bible like many translations misses the significance of Bartimaeus moving from being "by the way" to being "on the way". Bartimaeus is said to be by the roadside and following Jesus along the road. (NAB and NRSV do have "on the way" in verse 52.)
The Jeremiah reading may have been chosen because of the reference to the blind and the lame. Bartimaeus is following Jesus on the way which leads through the cross to the resurrection. This oracle of salvation looks to that final moment of restoration, the resurrection of the dead. The choice of the Jeremiah passage therefore looks beyond the immediate issue, the cost of discipleship, to that final restoration. This is given focus by the psalm, ps 125: Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. Which makes a good setting for the story of Bartimaeus.
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