Commentary - Mark 10:46-52

Bird's-eye view

In this brief, action-packed account, we are given a living illustration of what true faith looks like. As Jesus is leaving Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, where He will accomplish our salvation, He is met by a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. This man is a picture of every man in his natural state: blind, destitute, and sitting by the road while the King of the universe passes by. But this beggar is different. He has heard of Jesus, and he has connected the dots. He cries out, not for a handout, but for mercy, and he does so using a high Christological title: Son of David.

The story shows us the contrast between the world's wisdom and the wisdom of God. The crowd, representing the forces of respectable society, tries to silence the man's desperate but faithful cry. But desperation for the right thing is a good thing, and Bartimaeus will not be quieted. Jesus stops for him, calls him, and heals him. The climax is not just the restoration of his physical sight, but the reality of his spiritual sight, which is demonstrated in two ways. First, Jesus tells him his faith has saved him. Second, Bartimaeus immediately abandons his old life to become a disciple, following Jesus "on the road" to the cross. This is a story of conversion, from blindness to sight, from begging to following, from darkness to light.

Outline

Context In Mark

This healing of Bartimaeus is strategically placed by Mark. It is the final healing miracle recorded before Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passion Week. It stands in stark contrast to the preceding incident with James and John, who, though they could see perfectly well, were spiritually blind to the nature of Christ's kingdom, jockeying for positions of glory (Mark 10:35-45). Bartimaeus, though physically blind, sees Jesus for who He truly is: the merciful King, the Son of David. His story is a living parable of the kind of subject Jesus is looking for in His kingdom. It is not the proud and ambitious, but the humble and desperate who recognize their need for mercy. This event serves as a capstone to Jesus' Galilean and Perean ministry as He now sets His face toward the ultimate purpose of His coming: to give His life as a ransom for many.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.

Jericho is the last major stop before Jerusalem. The geography is significant; Jesus is ascending to the holy city to die. He is not alone; He has His disciples and a large crowd with Him. The crowd is a mixed bag. Many are there for the show, for the spectacle. They are followers of convenience. Along comes our central character, Bartimaeus. Mark gives us his name, which means "son of Timaeus." He is doubly identified as a son, which is interesting because he is about to cry out to the ultimate Son. He is blind, which is the essential spiritual condition of every person apart from grace. And he is a beggar, meaning he has no resources of his own. He is utterly dependent. He is sitting by the road, which is to say, he is a spectator of life, not a participant. The parade is passing him by. This is a picture of utter destitution.

v. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Bartimaeus heard something about Jesus of Nazareth. He didn't see Him, but he heard. And what he heard was enough to ignite faith. His response was not quiet, polite, or reserved. He "began to cry out." This is the cry of a drowning man. And notice what he cries. He doesn't just say "Jesus." He identifies Him as "Son of David." This is a Messianic title. Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, sees more clearly than the scribes and Pharisees. He knows that this Jesus is the rightful heir to David's throne, the promised King who would come to save His people. And what does he ask for? Not money. He asks for mercy. He knows what he needs most is not a few coins, but undeserved grace from the King.

v. 48 And many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Here is the world's reaction to genuine faith. "Be quiet." Don't make a scene. Don't be so fanatical. The crowd is an obstacle to faith. They are the guardians of a bland, respectable, status quo religion that has no room for desperate cries for mercy. They wanted to keep the beggar in his place, on the side of the road. But true faith is not easily deterred. The rebuke of the many only fueled his desperation. "He kept crying out all the more." His faith was persistent, even obnoxious to the world. He repeats his confession and his plea: "Son of David, have mercy on me!" He will not be silenced, because he knows that the one person who matters is passing by, and this is his only chance.

v. 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.”

The cry of faith stops the Son of God in His tracks. Jesus was on His way to die for the sins of the world, but He was not too busy to stop for one blind beggar. This is the heart of our Lord. He commands that the man be called. And notice the immediate change in the crowd's tune. One moment they are rebuking him, the next they are his encouragers. "Take courage, get up! He is calling for you." The world is fickle. They follow power. When Jesus gives the man his attention, suddenly the man is worth their attention. Their words are true, however. When the Master calls, it is indeed a reason to take courage.

v. 50 And throwing off his outer garment, he jumped up and came to Jesus.

This is the response of faith. It is immediate and unencumbered. The outer garment was likely all this beggar owned. It was his shelter at night, his mat, his everything. He throws it off. He is not going back to his old life. This is an act of radical abandonment. He is done with begging. He "jumped up," showing his eagerness, and "came to Jesus." He didn't hesitate. He didn't ask questions. The King called, and he came.

v. 51 And Jesus answered him and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”

Jesus' question might seem obvious, but it is profound. He wants Bartimaeus to articulate his faith. He wants us to ask for what we need. It forces us to name our desperation. Bartimaeus's response is beautiful. He addresses Jesus as "Rabboni," a term of great respect, meaning "my great teacher" or "my master." And his request is simple and direct: "I want to regain my sight!" He knows what he needs, and he knows who can provide it. He wants to see. This is the desire of every soul awakened by the Spirit of God. We want to see the King in His beauty.

v. 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

Jesus' declaration is key. "Your faith has saved you." Now, we must be careful here. It was not the faith itself, as some abstract power, that saved him. Faith is the instrument, not the agent. It was Christ who saved him, and faith was the empty hand that received the gift. Faith is looking away from yourself and to Christ. Bartimaeus did that, and Jesus honored it. The result was immediate. He regained his sight. The physical healing was instantaneous, a sign of the spiritual reality. And what does he do with his newfound sight? He doesn't go back to his old town or his old life. He "began following Him on the road." He becomes a disciple. This is the mark of true conversion. New sight leads to a new walk. He is now on the road to Jerusalem, on the road to the cross, on the road of discipleship. He has been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the Son.

Application

This story is our story. We are all Bartimaeus. We are born blind, sitting by the roadside of life, begging for scraps of meaning and pleasure. The world, and often a dead religion, tells us to be quiet, to manage our sin, to not make a fuss. But the gospel comes to us as a rumor at first, that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

The application for us is threefold. First, we must recognize our blindness and destitution. We cannot come to Jesus as long as we think we can see just fine on our own. Second, we must cry out for mercy, and not be deterred by the crowd. Our culture wants to shut us up. We must be like Bartimaeus and cry out all the more, confessing that Jesus is the Son of David, the only King who can show mercy. Third, when Jesus calls, we must throw off our beggar's cloak, that collection of filthy rags that represents our old life and our self-righteousness, and come to Him without reservation. And having been given our sight, we are not to wander off. We are to follow Him on the road, the path of discipleship, all the way home.