In this text, Jesus comes to Jericho, a city noted for many bible stories. In addition, He is riding into Jerusalem within the week. IMAGINE JESUS -knowing all things -is about to go big! He KNOWS he will be healing people from horrible pain, YET He Himself is on His own journey of pain. He will give His life for ours.
Here comes our boy- BARTIMAEUS! V. 46. “Now, they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, BLIND BARTIMAEUS, THE SON OF TIMAEUS, SAT BY THE ROAD BEGGING. V 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!”
Let’s stop.
LOOK at these words about Bartimaeus. He is called “blind”. (How long? We don’t know.) He is said to be “begging”. In this culture, blindness means 2 things-the blind person has probably been cursed by God and he (or she) is useless to society. IMAGINE THIS. I’m not a blind beggar, but Bartimaeus’s story can touch us deeply as we consider his status (or lack thereof). WHERE AM I BLIND?
V.48″Then many warned him to be quiet; BUT HE CRIED ALL THE MORE, “SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!”V.49 So, JESUS stood still and commanded him to be called. Then, they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, for He is calling you.”
(Is it just me or does the crowd seem to change like the wind? One minute, telling (“warning”) him to be quiet and the next, helping him up & cheering him on ? I think it’s the presence of Christ. Did the crowd see their hatefulness toward blind beggers or did they just want Jesus to think they were righteous? Either way, this story is not theirs. It’s the story of the man “WHO CRIED ALL THE MORE”!)
V.50 AND THROWING ASIDE HIS GARMENT, HE ROSE TO COME TO JESUS. V.51 SO, JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM,'”WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO FOR YOU? THE BLIND MAN SAID TO HIM , “RABBONI (an Aramaic term of endearment!), THAT I MAY RECEIVE MY SIGHT.” V. 52 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.”
Time for me to clean my glasses and SEE.