It is said that no one is as blind as he who will not see. I suppose that is true for many people walking around in the world today whose eyes work just fine, yet they cannot seem to see that the way they are living their lives is sinful and not as God wants us to live.
Our story today is about a blind man, in fact it is about two blind men but Mark only chose to speak of one, Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus could see nothing with the physical eyes with which he had been born, yet he could see things on a spiritual level that others were blind to. This man was blind physically, but he had 20/20 spiritual vision.
As I see people from day to day I wonder how many of them know they are blind. Their eyes work fine, they don’t have seeing-eye dogs or a white cane, but yet they do not see the plan God has for them. Though they can see the world around them, they cannot see the truth of God’s love and plan for their lives.
So who was Bartimaeus?
Bartimaeus is of Aramaic origin and it means “a certain blind man.” It also means “son of Timaeus.” According to Mark we know he had a father whose name was Timaeus, meaning “highly prized.”
He Was Blind – Bartimaeus wasn’t born blind. We know this because the word that he uses when Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” is anablepo, which in the Greek literally means “to see again.” Bartimaeus is a man with the name of honor, but is in a condition of shame – an outcast in society – looked down upon no one would have even stooped so low to bring Bartimaeus to Jesus.
He Was a Beggar – Because of his physical condition, Bartimaeus was prevented from finding and performing a job in order to earn a living. Bartimaeus was totally dependent upon the generosity of others in order to survive. In that time period beggars kept very close control over their possessions. Beggars were even known to steal from each other as means of getting items they needed themselves. When Jesus called him, Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside (which served as a public declaration that he was leaving his former life behind) and began following Jesus on the way immediately after he received his sight. It took a short process for “the blind man” to see Jesus, but just to see the Lord was all Bartimaeus asked for, and so received. This account of Bartimaeus’ healing is also interesting because, apart from Peter’s, it is the first recognition of the true identity of Jesus by a human being; rather than from a demon. It is also the first instance of someone calling Jesus by his messianic identifier “Son of David.”
His Healing Was Different – While an earlier healing required a process and spit as an ointment (Mark 8.22-26), Bartimaeus’ healing was instant and only required his faith. Jesus didn’t say that Bartimaeus would see if he promised to follow after him and put money in the bag each week. Instead, Jesus simply said, “Go! You are healed!” That faith saved him. He who was blind saw, and the first thing he saw was the face of Jesus. And he did go, just as Jesus said, but it was to follow Jesus along the road.
Why did Jesus heal the blind in so many different ways? Jesus obviously took the individual, the moment, and the surroundings and he utilized the most relevant teaching tools available to suit the situation. He used things that people related to or were common and familiar – I think to show that faith, His power and His miracles were accessible to everyone and that faith was the underlying factor of importance not the means by which His miracles came to pass.
What could Bartimaeus see?
He Recognized Who Jesus Was – Apparently, Bartimaeus had heard about the miracles performed by Jesus. He must have heard about the lepers, the lame, the demon possessed, even the dead that Jesus had touched and made whole again.
He Realized What Jesus Could Do – Bartimaeus had faith that Jesus could help him.
He Recognized Who Jesus Really Was – As Jesus was walking by him, Bartimaeus heard who it was that was passing and called out to Him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). By calling Jesus the “Son of David,” the blind man was affirming his belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
When Bartimaeus came to Jesus, he was asked a very important question and his response was one of pure faith. He trusted Jesus to heal him and then, the impossible happened; the blind man received his sight it was restored to wholeness at the word of Jesus. When I say “whole” I mean he was made into a new man, he did not just receive his sight but he became a new man altogether. We need to understand that when Jesus said “hath made the whole” that this phrase literally means “has saved you.” Bartimaeus got far more than physical healing that day, he also got spiritual healing as well.
Can you imagine how Bartimaeus felt when he saw for the first time? Or how a new Christian feels when their eyes are opened by the saving grace of God? It reminds us that when salvation comes into our life, that there will be a desire for the things of God. The saved person will want to walk with the Lord in holiness.
In conclusion, I am reminded of a story about a Christian and a Communist sitting on a bench watching the world pass by. As they watched, a poor, drunken beggar walked by dressed in rags. The Communist pointed to the beggar and said, “Communism would put a new suit on that man!” The Christian responded, “Maybe so, but Jesus Christ can put a new man in that suit.”
Do we have eyes to see what Jesus can do for us?
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