Blind Bartimaeus
The story of Jesus' healing of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, just outside Jericho is found in Mark's gospel, Chapter 10.
We look at it below from the English Standard Ver.
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
Mar 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
Mar 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
There are several Spiritual teachings in the verses above, and as famed radio commentator Paul Harvey always says when presenting a historical, factual story, "in a moment, you'll know the REST OF THE STORY".
Bartimaeus was blind from birth, and in Israel's second temple period, there were many beggars. But to make begging your lifelong work and expect the public to support you as the Torah required them to, you had to meet the requirements, and have a "license to beg". One did this by going before the ruling counsel, the Sanhedren, and bringing documented proof that they were truly handicapped, and could not support themselves by honest work. When the authorities were satisfied that this person met the requirements, a "license to beg" was issued. However, it was not in the form of licenses today. There was no plastic or laminated form to carry in a wallet or pouch. In stead, the license came in the form of a cloak of a certain color or style, which the beggar was required to wear while actively begging. This showed all who passed close by, that this man had been examined by the authorities, and had met the legal requirements to be allowed to beg and receive help in his support from the public, who under Torah law, were obligated to contribute to his support.
Torah law supported giving to the needy, but nothing like today. If you were a farmer, or owned orchards or vinyards, when you harvested your crop, you could NOT harvest the corners, and if the harvesters dropped any produce, they had to leave it. Those who were poor and in need, had to arise during the harvest season and GO to the fields and glean (work) the corners and pick up any produce that had been dropped during the harvest, and this was the Lord's "welfare" system. Handicapped persons, after meeting the requirements, were issued the necessary "licenses" that showed a person to be handicapped, and that they had met the legal requirements, and could not even go and pick produce to feed themselves. By Torah law, the public was obligated to contribute to their support.
It is written:
Jam 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jam 2:15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Jam 2:16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Jam 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
The REST OF THE STORY
When one of the senses is handicapped, the others become more intense, and blind Bartimaeus HEARD the sound of the crowd as they accompanied Jesus out of Jericho, and having HEARD of the miracles and healings done by this man, began to raise his voice and call out "Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me".
The great Spiritual truth taught by the Scriptures is that FAITH comes by HEARING and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD (Romans 10:17).
Now connect the dots, for it is written:
Rom 10:13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Rom 10:14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Rom 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
Bartimaeus had HEARD the Torah preached and taught at the Temple, and he had HEARD of Jesus and the miracles he had performed, so in FAITH, he called out to Jesus, BY NAME, asking for mercy.
Is this not what each of us has had to do? To cry out, and call upon the NAME of Jesus for mercy? Such a cry did, and will always, stop Jesus in His tracks, and brings His merciful reply.
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
He has answered the heart's cry of EVERYONE who in their affliction, has called upon His name. And in the next verse, we see the FAITH that had come through HEARING about the one in whom he (Bartimaeus) had come to believe.
Mar 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Bartimaeus, upon hearing his master's call, THREW OFF the cloak of his handicap, the public mark of his disability, his "official" license to beg for his existance, as if to say "I won't be needing THIS anymore"!
And Jesus, seeing that Bartimaeus had already "SEEN" with his Spirit what his eyes could not, said to him:
Mar 10:51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
What happened next was the pronouncement of Bartimaeus' healing as a RESULT of his FAITH.
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
It is written:
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
What a powerful testimony of faith, for a poor, blind beggar was willing to give up the only security he had in the world to trust in Jesus, the "Son of David" But yet, there is MORE!
Hidden in the Hebrew name of this nondescript beggar is another wonderful Spiritual truth.
Bar is one Hebrew word for "Son" and this particular beggar was the son of Timaeus.
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
The name Timaeus means "unclean" and, as stated above, Bar means "son". So Bartimaeus' name means "unclean son".
So many of us have desired the healing of God to heal our physical defects and our Spiritual uncleanness but were afraid, and held on in fear, to the identity of our infirmity. Afraid to let go, and trust in God by faith.
Jesus dealt with faithlessness and unbelief in Mark chapter 9, where He cast out an unclean spirit in a man's son. The man asked Jesus to help IF He could. The reply cuts right to the problem.
Mar 9:19 And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."
Mar 9:23 And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Mar 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
So now you know the "REST OF THE STORY" of Bartimaeus, the "unclean son" and how he called upon the Name of Jesus, and by FAITH was sight restored to him. ALways remember without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
May God grant you the ears to hear and the courage to ACT upon your faith today, in calling upon the Name of Jesus to heal you of your uncleanness and afflictions.
We look at it below from the English Standard Ver.
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
Mar 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
Mar 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
There are several Spiritual teachings in the verses above, and as famed radio commentator Paul Harvey always says when presenting a historical, factual story, "in a moment, you'll know the REST OF THE STORY".
Bartimaeus was blind from birth, and in Israel's second temple period, there were many beggars. But to make begging your lifelong work and expect the public to support you as the Torah required them to, you had to meet the requirements, and have a "license to beg". One did this by going before the ruling counsel, the Sanhedren, and bringing documented proof that they were truly handicapped, and could not support themselves by honest work. When the authorities were satisfied that this person met the requirements, a "license to beg" was issued. However, it was not in the form of licenses today. There was no plastic or laminated form to carry in a wallet or pouch. In stead, the license came in the form of a cloak of a certain color or style, which the beggar was required to wear while actively begging. This showed all who passed close by, that this man had been examined by the authorities, and had met the legal requirements to be allowed to beg and receive help in his support from the public, who under Torah law, were obligated to contribute to his support.
Torah law supported giving to the needy, but nothing like today. If you were a farmer, or owned orchards or vinyards, when you harvested your crop, you could NOT harvest the corners, and if the harvesters dropped any produce, they had to leave it. Those who were poor and in need, had to arise during the harvest season and GO to the fields and glean (work) the corners and pick up any produce that had been dropped during the harvest, and this was the Lord's "welfare" system. Handicapped persons, after meeting the requirements, were issued the necessary "licenses" that showed a person to be handicapped, and that they had met the legal requirements, and could not even go and pick produce to feed themselves. By Torah law, the public was obligated to contribute to their support.
It is written:
Jam 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jam 2:15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Jam 2:16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Jam 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
The REST OF THE STORY
When one of the senses is handicapped, the others become more intense, and blind Bartimaeus HEARD the sound of the crowd as they accompanied Jesus out of Jericho, and having HEARD of the miracles and healings done by this man, began to raise his voice and call out "Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me".
The great Spiritual truth taught by the Scriptures is that FAITH comes by HEARING and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD (Romans 10:17).
Now connect the dots, for it is written:
Rom 10:13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Rom 10:14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Rom 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
Bartimaeus had HEARD the Torah preached and taught at the Temple, and he had HEARD of Jesus and the miracles he had performed, so in FAITH, he called out to Jesus, BY NAME, asking for mercy.
Is this not what each of us has had to do? To cry out, and call upon the NAME of Jesus for mercy? Such a cry did, and will always, stop Jesus in His tracks, and brings His merciful reply.
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
He has answered the heart's cry of EVERYONE who in their affliction, has called upon His name. And in the next verse, we see the FAITH that had come through HEARING about the one in whom he (Bartimaeus) had come to believe.
Mar 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Bartimaeus, upon hearing his master's call, THREW OFF the cloak of his handicap, the public mark of his disability, his "official" license to beg for his existance, as if to say "I won't be needing THIS anymore"!
And Jesus, seeing that Bartimaeus had already "SEEN" with his Spirit what his eyes could not, said to him:
Mar 10:51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
What happened next was the pronouncement of Bartimaeus' healing as a RESULT of his FAITH.
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
It is written:
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
What a powerful testimony of faith, for a poor, blind beggar was willing to give up the only security he had in the world to trust in Jesus, the "Son of David" But yet, there is MORE!
Hidden in the Hebrew name of this nondescript beggar is another wonderful Spiritual truth.
Bar is one Hebrew word for "Son" and this particular beggar was the son of Timaeus.
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
The name Timaeus means "unclean" and, as stated above, Bar means "son". So Bartimaeus' name means "unclean son".
So many of us have desired the healing of God to heal our physical defects and our Spiritual uncleanness but were afraid, and held on in fear, to the identity of our infirmity. Afraid to let go, and trust in God by faith.
Jesus dealt with faithlessness and unbelief in Mark chapter 9, where He cast out an unclean spirit in a man's son. The man asked Jesus to help IF He could. The reply cuts right to the problem.
Mar 9:19 And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."
Mar 9:23 And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Mar 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
So now you know the "REST OF THE STORY" of Bartimaeus, the "unclean son" and how he called upon the Name of Jesus, and by FAITH was sight restored to him. ALways remember without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
May God grant you the ears to hear and the courage to ACT upon your faith today, in calling upon the Name of Jesus to heal you of your uncleanness and afflictions.
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