Blind Bartimaeus Receives Sight

“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ The blind man said to Him, ‘Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.”—Mark 10:51-52

Imagine the scene. Jesus has his face steadfastly set toward Jerusalem. He already knows that His trial and death await Him there. There is no deterring Jesus in His purpose to go. But there are interruptions along the way.

This one occurred in Jericho, thought by many scholars to be the oldest city in the world, and the first in the land promised to the Israelites that Joshua conquered.

It is an oasis, for in its midst flows Ain-es-Sultan, a perennial spring that produces some 30,000 cubit feet of water daily. Even though the name Jericho itself means “moon,” it is a productive area because of the abundant water, the palm trees grow gracefully, and balm is gathered there from aromatic trees and used for many medicinal purposes. Herod the Great had his winter palace there. Jericho was an important town, both in ancient times and in the day of Jesus. It was a pass-through city on ancient trade routes still important during the Roman occupation of Palestine and in Jesus. Much Hebrew history was and is in the layers of centuries covering the town.

Blind Bartimaeus arrived at his place to beg early in the morning. Maybe a family member or a friend led him to the spot where he set up shop (to beg) for the day. Then he heard that Jesus of Nazareth would pass by the road. No doubt Bartimaeus geared up his courage. He called out, interrupting Jesus, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” Have you ever considered how many of Jesus’ miracles were interruptions, His working to meet needs on His way to somewhere else? What can this teach us? We are to be aware, always, of those who need a ministering touch and a deed of mercy. We are now Christ’s eyes to see needs, His hands to minister deeds, His voice to lend encouragement. A friend of mine says she prays that she might “radiate for Jesus.” Healed eyes radiate forth His light!

Jesus did not hesitate to hear and answer Blind Bartimaeus’ plea for help. “Go your way. Your faith has made you well!” Can’t you hear Bartimaeus now: “Oh, I see, I see! What beauty surrounds me. I once heard about it by word of mouth; now I see with my own eyes!” In Matthew’s account, there were two blind men begging.

Both were healed at the same time. What does it matter? One blind man, or two or many? Jesus has the power to restore sight, and those blind who asked Him received their sight, whether instantaneously or after performing whatever Jesus commanded them to do. Those blinded to God’s truth can likewise come to Jesus in faith. He will grant sight to the spiritually blind. Mark and Luke, in their accounts, tell us the healed blind man “followed Jesus on the road.” He went with Jesus!

The writer of this Christian hymn had the right ideas: “Open mine eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me!” And in yet another one: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!”

Sight restored to blind Bartimaeus meant that he could see not only the way to go but how to follow Jesus! Would he so soon see Jesus from the foot of the cross? We do not know that the blind man restored was there observing. We do know that he “followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” –Luke 18:43.

John Newton had the right idea in “Amazing Grace”: “I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind but now I see!” Today, thank God for the gift of physical sight and of spiritual insight! Both, as with Blind Bartimaeus, are gifts to us from God.