Reflectionary on Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52 - My Paraphrase

46 Jesus and the disciples went to Jericho, and as they departed the city, a large crowd followed them. Blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting on the side of the road, begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout (croak) loudly, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many admonished him to be silent, but he shouted out even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus came to a stop and commanded him to be called, and they called the blind man, saying to him, “Have courage, rise up, he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he arose and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you desire me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I might receive my sight.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you whole.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

My Scattered Thoughts on Mark 10 and the Readings from Job

“Seeing is Believing (as in Job)” or is it “Believing is Seeing (as in Mark)”

Job - has nothing
Bartimeaus - has nothing

Job - calls out to God
Bartimeaus - calls out to Jesus

Job sees God
Bartimeaus sees Jesus (even before he is healed)

Job “repents” and his relationship with God is restored
Bartimeaus believes and follows Jesus on the way

Bartimeaus is just “the blind man” to everyone but Jesus, who acts as though he doesn’t even see anything wrong with the man. “What do you want me to do for you,” he asks,
as if he cannot see the man’s sightless eyes. Or maybe Bartimeaus’ insight is so amazing that Jesus cannot imagine him in terms of being blind.

Seeing is also a metaphor that John uses extensively in his gospel, particularly chapter 9.

The term “rabboni” is used only twice in the Bible - here in Mark 10 and once in John 20 - both times it is an expression used by a person who truly sees who Jesus is.

The Thoughts of Others

Chris Haslam in “Comments” Here Mark gives tells us the name of this “blind beggar”. Bartimaeus makes a politically charged statement: Jesus is “Son of David” (v. 47), King of the Jews, and Messiah. Elsewhere, Jesus orders silence on the matter, but not here: his time is approaching. For the first time, a sane person immediately proclaims Jesus’ true identity.

Lindy Black in “Sermon Nuggets” for Pentecost 21 B. Charles Osgood tells the story of Bob Edens. Blind for fifty years, laser surgery restored his vision. Edens spoke of how he marveled at the variety of vision you and I take for granted: the countless shades of green in his lawn. the way the light shone in the windows of his home. The flight of birds. Osgood concludes, “Once Bob Edens could not see the way we see; now we cannot see the way Bob Edens Sees.”

“Opening blind eyes: a revisioning of Mark 8:22-10:52″ (an article by Marie Noel Keller)

“A Nuerologist’s Notebook: To See or Not to See” by Oliver Sacks in The New Yorker.

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