Healing Bartimaeus

Mark 10:51-52- “So 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. NKJV

Divine healing is a subject that draws much debate. There are some in the Church who believe passionately in divine healing. I am one of them. Others believe it is false. But if you or a loved one has ever received healing after divine intervention, then you can agree with me that it is accurate.

Bartimaeus lived at a time when miraculous healings were a thing of his past. After all, he was a Jewish man, and therefore he knew of the miraculous encounters his people had with God. As a young boy in Timaeus’ home, he was probably told yearly of the Exodus. He was informed of the mighty miracles Moses did at God’s instruction, which eventually led to the children of Israel being released from Egyptian bondage. He was indeed familiar with how Sarah and Abraham were given Isaac, in their old age, because he was the son of promise. So many miracles, and yet, he was blind. A beggar, sitting on the side of the road. Day in and day out in his hopeless state with no help in sight.

But one day, something changed. We don’t know how Bartimaeus came to know that things were happening in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, but we are sure that he did. Word was traveling of the miracles that Jesus performed. Not sporadic miracles, but countless miracles, all because of a man named Jesus!

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. 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!”

Mark 10:46-47 NKJV

Mark doesn’t mention Jesus visiting Jericho before this event. And he doesn’t tell us that Jesus spent any time there. They went to Jericho, and they went out of Jericho. So it appears that they were just passing through the city. Mark describes the scene as being crowded with people following Jesus and the disciples. A great multitude sounds like a lot of people are leaving out the city. But as they are passing Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is in the crowd. And he knows this is his moment. His opportunity to experience what he had never dared to hope for in the past but was passing by him, a miracle!

People with blindness learn to depend on their other senses. Often sharpening their listening skills to interact with the world around them. Bartimaeus probably heard people talking to Jesus as He passed, or heard someone referring to Jesus in the crowd. One thing is sure, it got him to shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Listen to Bartimaeus’ words again, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! The fact that Bartimaeus refers to Jesus as the Son of David, His messianic title, shows that Bartimaeus understood that Jesus was the deliverer! The long-awaited Messiah, the promised deliverer, the One who could possibly show him some compassion! Have mercy on me!

Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mark 10:48 NKJV

Seriously? Someone is crying out to Jesus for mercy and those hearing him tell him to be quiet? That’s wrong on every level! Even today, when people turn to Jesus, a naysayer is always in the background telling them not to do it! I implore you to do as Bartimaeus did that day! He cried out even louder! Maybe at first, Bartimaeus was a little shy with his cries. Maybe he was trying to be dignified and didn’t want to sound like a crazy man. But when they tried to silence him, his cries had to be heard over the noise surrounding him, trying to mute him. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He cried louder than those trying to quiet him.

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

Mark 10:49 NKJV

Mark wrote that Jesus stood still! He was walking past Bartimaeus, on His way to something else, but Bartimaeus’ cries cause Him to stand still! Isn’t that something? Jesus wasn’t headed to heal Bartimaeus or to have an encounter with Bartimaeus, He was passing by Bartimaeus, and Bartimaeus stopped Him in His tracks!

There may be situations in your life that seem hopeless. The days for your miracle may appear to be in the past. Maybe, what you need has never happened before, at least to your knowledge. But you need a miracle, cause nothing else will do! It may be your time to cry out to Jesus!

Prayer takes on all forms. As simple as Bartimaeus’ words were, they got Jesus’ attention! Prayer gets God’s attention. Religious prayers don’t move you and they won’t move God. But when you pray with all of your heart, you will get His attention!

Jesus requests that they bring Bartimaeus to Him. Now the people are solicitous to him. “Be of good cheer. Rise. He is calling for you.” Were these the same people telling him to be quiet? I wonder! It would certainly fit! But it’s not important. What’s important is that Jesus tells them to bring Bartimaeus to Him! Throwing his coat aside, Bartimaeus rises and goes to Jesus!

So 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 NKJV

Jesus can tell that Bartimaeus is blind, yet He asks Bartimaeus, what does he want Him to do. Once, in the prayer line, I saw an individual in line with a leg problem. When that person got to me, I prayed for their leg without asking what they wanted. They rebuked me saying that wasn’t why they were in the line. I learned my lesson. Here, Jesus assumes nothing, asking Bartimaeus what he wants from Him!

Bartimaeus wants to see! He has been blind possibly his whole life. He says to Jesus, “That I might receive my sight!” Simple! Sincere! Faith-filled!

Jesus responds to his request by telling him to go his way; his faith has made him whole! Mark says that immediately Bartimaeus received his sight! Just like that! One minute he is sitting on the side of the road begging for his next meal, and the next minute, he encounters Jesus, now he can see!

That’s Jesus! Life can be going in one direction on a downward spiral, then you encounter Jesus and your whole life is changed. That’s what happened to me! That’s probably what happened to you!

As we have become more accustomed to getting medical treatment, we have lost our desperation for Jesus to heal us. Most people turn to Him for healing when they have tried everything else. It’s not a bad time to turn Him, I just encourage you to try Him first. Even when seeking medical assistance, pray and ask Him for wisdom in what to do. He’ll give it to you!

But sometimes, medical science, with all of its technology will not have the answer. Don’t give up and lose hope! Cry out to Jesus! More and more people are realizing that miracles are still happening! There’s healing in the Word! Wonderful Jesus!