Bible Study series: Mark 10:46-52. Evidently Bartimaeus reported his healing to Mark’s community. That’s why Mark knew his name.
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Scripture: Mark 10:46-52
46 They were going into Jericho. As he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, sat by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me!” 48 Many people rebuked him to be quiet. But he cried more loudly, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call for him!” So they called for the blind man, saying, “Take courage! Get up! He’s calling for you!” 50 He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 51 In reply, Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabbi, that I may see again!” 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly he saw again and followed him on the road. (Mark 10:46-52)
Comments:
46:
Jericho is on the road going east to west to Jerusalem. Jesus was leaving the hill country east of the Jordan River and heading toward Jerusalem. Jericho is along that main road, and he was leaving it.
Luke says Jesus was entering Jericho and Mark here says that he was leaving. Some critics seize on the differences and gloat. Weaker disciples get crushed.
But there are answers.
The best explanation is that there were two Jerichos: one was the old town made up partially of ruins, and the other one was nearby and built up. Matthew, under Jewish influence, refers to the old town Jesus was leaving, while Luke, under Hellenistic influence, refers to the new town Jesus was entering. I like this explanation (Carson’s commentary on Matthew).
At that link you will find fuller commentary on the differences.
The main thing is not to let your faith become so brittle that it snaps in two when these differences emerge. It does not matter in light of the main message of this passage, which is that Jesus healed a blind man. Keep the main thing the main thing.
See these posts in a fifteen-part series on the reliability of the Gospels:
13. Are There Contradictions in the Gospels?
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels (celebrate the countless numbers of similarities in the arc of the storyline!)
15. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Conclusion (start here for summaries of each part with links back to them)
‘Total’ Inerrancy and Infallibility or Just Infallibility? (my view of Scripture)
Jericho was a busy town on a busy road, so Bartimaeus chose a good spot.
Why do we know Bartimaeus’s name in Mark’s Gospel but not in Matthew’s (20:29-34) Luke’s (18:35-43) versions? The simplest and likely best answer is that Bartimaeus was part of Mark’s and Peter’s community originally. They met and talked to him. It is amazing to think of a blind man, now healed, who surrendered to the Lordship of the resurrected Jesus and was glad to be part of the small Christian community.
Peter, usually considered to stand behind Mark’s Gospel, explains what Bar (son of) Timaeus means.
Let’s speculate a little. Many Jews took Greek or Latin names just to fit in to the larger culture, and Timaeus is a Greek name. The fact that Timaeus did this may indicate that he was a respectable member of society. So it is extra poignant that Bartimaeus was reduced to begging on the busy road going up to Jerusalem. He had fallen far in society. His father must have grieved that his son had to be a beggar. We’ll never know, of course, but if his father was respectable, then he should have taken care of his son. On the other hand, Timaeus may have been embarrassed of him and told him to go beg for money. But what if Timaeus died young and the family rejected Bartimaeus? Anyway, all this background is speculative, so let’s return to the text.
47:
Bartimaeus heard the commotion that was beyond the ordinary. It was a bigger crowd, for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem leading up to Passover. Excitement filled the air. He naturally asked what all of the noise meant. Someone in the crowd must have informed him that Jesus was passing by. He had had heard about him. Healers / teachers who get results get attention.
The fact that Mark wrote Jesus of Nazareth indicates the point of view of the audience along the road. (A demon used the place name or hometown in 1:24.) It is interesting that the crowd knew him as a Nazarene, an insignificant village up north. Galilee, you see, was not as holy as the south, because the south had Jerusalem and the temple! Galilee had too many unclean Gentiles!
“son of David”: this is the first time that the phrase is used in Mark. It signifies the Messiah. Jesus allowed the blind man to shout it out because Jesus knew that he was going to die a few days later. There’s no sense hiding his Messiahship completely. But a short time later, Jesus will correct the label “Son of David” (Mark 12:35-37), because it is accurate as far as it goes, but it was deficient. It’s like calling Jimmy Carter Mr. Governor. He was a governor of Georgia in his day, but it better to use his fuller title: Mr. President. Jesus was the Son of David, and Matthew’s genealogy proves it (1:6), and so does Luke’s genealogy (Luke 3:31).
Son of David was a popular Messianic title; it reflects the future age when the eyes of the blind would be opened and the ears of the deaf would be unstopped and the lame would leap like a deer (Is. 35:5:5-6). Jesus was ushering it in right now, in part. Later in his ministry he will correct the popular view and say that if the Messiah really was David’s son, then why does David call him Lord (Matt. 22:41-46)?
3. Titles of Jesus: The Son of David and the Messiah
In Greek the word mercy can be a verb, so it could be translated as “Pity me!” Or we could invent a verb: “mercify me!” But that translation is too awkward. Let’s not do that.
In any case, the Greek implies that he cried out with a loud voice. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. The phrase “have mercy” is one verb in Greek. In English we can’t properly say, “Compassion me!” or “Mercy me!” Instead we have to say, “Show me mercy!” or Have mercy on me!” But in Greek you could. Mercy is a verb. It takes action. However, we can say, “Pity me!” And some translations go for it.
48:
You have to like Bartimaeus. He shouted out his need for mercy, and when the crowd told him to keep quiet, he shouted even more loudly (or literally “rather much” or “much more”). He would not be put off by the crowd. Is the crowd pulling you away from Jesus and his meeting your need? Or will you cry out to him even more loudly when the crowd tells you to keep quiet?
The crowd rebuked them. The verb could be translated as “scolded,” “warned,” “censure.” The crowd probably said something like: “Quiet, you! The Lord is in a big hurry! He doesn’t have time for the likes of you!” They were the self-appointed watchdogs of Jesus’s ministry, telling people to schedule an appointment.
But the man was having none of it. He cried out even much louder. His need was greater than their censure. What about you? Is your need greater than social decorum? Are you willing to break down society’s walls to get to Jesus?
49:
But Jesus stood still and stopped the whole movement and crowd and twelve disciples because through the noisy crowd and irritating dust, Jesus heard a sound. A blind man named Bartimaeus cried out for mercy. Then the crowd changed their mind. They suddenly encouraged him and told him to get up. Crowds can support you if you’re persistent, but don’t depend on them in the final analysis or at the end of the day. Thankfully, Jesus ignored the self-appointed watchdogs of Jesus’s ministry schedule and stopped.
50:
Bartimaeus’ response was perfect and wonderful and eager. He threw off his ratty, old cloak and leaped to his feet and made his way towards Jesus. Some members of the crowd must have cleared a path and stuck out their hands to guide him to the Messiah.
51:
Then Jesus asks a seemingly needless question. What do you want me to do for you? Really? The question was so obvious that it seems absurd to us today and probably to the crowd back then. The question is open-ended. Jesus sometimes has to know that people mean business. Recall that in John 5:2-9, Jesus healed only one man by the pool of Bethesda, when it was crowed with people. Jesus asked a similar question: “Do you want to be healed?” He made an excuse and did not answer him instantly. Believe it or not, people sometimes like their illness. They get attention. But not Bartimaeus. He answered Jesus instantly.
“see again”: the verb could be translated, depending on the context, as follows: “Look up” (the main meaning), “regain one’s sight,” “receive sight,” or “become able to see.” Or here I chose “see again.”
1. Titles of Jesus: Rabbi and Teacher
France: “There seems no difference in effect between [Rabbi] and the ‘heightened form’ (BAGD) [Rabbouni].” My comment: if one form is heightened, then how can they be equal? There may be a difference.
52:
“faith”: Believing (verb) and faith (noun) is very important to God. It is the language of heaven. We live on earth and by faith see the invisible world where God is. We must believe he exists; then we must exercise our faith to believe he loves us and intends to save us. We must have saving faith by trusting in Jesus and his finished work on the cross.
True acronym:
F-A-I-T-H
=
Forsaking All, I Trust Him
Word Study on Faith and Faithfulness
“healed”: The verb sōzō (pronounced soh-zoh) means “save, rescue, heal” in a variety of contexts, but mostly it is used of saving the soul. All of it is a package called salvation and saved.
See v. 26 for links.
In any case, I like Mark’s streamlined account of their response. He followed Jesus. Perfect.
The members in the crowd who rebuked them must have slinked back into the crowd out of embarrassment.
GrowApp for Mark 10:46-52
1. The crowd tried to keep Bartimaeus down. Have they done the same to you? How did you respond?
2. When you called out to Jesus for any need, how did he answer you? Tell your story.
RELATED
10. Eyewitness Testimony in Mark’s Gospel
2. Church Fathers and Mark’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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