My family attended two Baptist churches in Danville that were unusually, yet refreshingly, filled with a love for those who are disabled. We saw the deaf, for which a sign language interpreter was provided. We also saw those with some sort of mental handicap, and those with a wide range of physical challenges. During the services we would see the hands of the deaf moving in communication; uncontrollable body movements in those with physical impairments; and outbursts of laughter or strange sounds from those with a mental issue. Before moving to Danvillle, I actually pastored a church where both the blind and deaf attended services.
Joni Eareckson Tada says, “The fact that disabled people hang in there does something for Christians . . . They [themselves] may feel like a burden to others, but God thinks the opposite. He thinks it’s necessary for others to take care of the disabled . . . They do more for one’s spiritual well-being than can be imagined.” (1) The manner in which the disabled help believers is by challenging them to be more authentic in their Christian faith and love; and in today’s message, we’ll see how a blind man was able to challenge the disciples and a crowd of people who were following Jesus.
Jesus Treated All People with Dignity (vv. 46-49a)
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. 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!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
We read here that Jesus came to teach in Jericho; and as He was departing with His disciples and a multitude of people, He passed by blind Bartimaeus who was sitting near the roadside begging. The crowd, accustomed to his daily panhandling, had probably hoped to pass by without any commotion; but they were quickly disappointed as Bartimaeus cried aloud to Jesus to have mercy on him for his physical condition. He was known as an all too familiar nuisance, and an embarrassing sight in front of visitors; therefore, the crowd quickly snapped at him to be silent.
So, why was Bartimaeus sitting outside the city walls? The answer can be found in Lamentations. In Lamentations chapter 4, read about the prophets who sinned against the Lord that “they wandered blind in the streets . . . They cried out to them, ‘Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, do not touch us!’ When they fled and wandered, those among the nations said, ‘They shall no longer dwell here’” (Lamentations 4:14, 15). Bartimaeus, in a similar manner, was forced to live outside the city walls, and was considered unclean because of his blindness. Perhaps, some even thought his blindness would rub off on them.
Not only was he considered unclean, but he was viewed as being strange. When people saw him they thought, “Oh no, it’s blind Bartimaeus again; the annoying guy who’s always pestering people for money.” All too often when we meet someone with a condition that we don’t understand, we put them in a box and label them as “strange,” and see them as being of little value to society. This is the way people with disabilities are often treated; those with physical and mental handicaps.
The multitude demanded that Bartimaeus remain quiet, as though he was unworthy of speaking to Jesus. Technically, all people are unworthy to approach Christ, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” ((Romans 3:23). However, the Bible declares the good news that “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, [for] by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). Even when we had the stench of death upon us – spiritual death, that is – Jesus approached us with an outstretched arm and called us unto Himself.
Jesus sees all who are searching for mercy and forgiveness in Him as actually being worthy to call upon His name, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). The Christian music group Mercy Me, in expressing how people are seen in the eyes of Christ, declared, “You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His. You’re beautiful!” (2) All people, including the physically handicapped and the mentally challenged are beautiful to Jesus; and all people, including the disabled, are seen as worthy in the eyes of Christ.
Robert M. Hansel says, “The ones who are challenged, need to be heard. To be seen not as a disability, but as a person who has, and will continue to bloom.” (3) Jesus saw Bartimaeus as a person who could bloom! In fact, He saw him as being very valuable. His name, as verse forty-six implies, means, “son of Timaeus.” The real meaning of Bartimaeus’ name comes to light as we look closer at his father’s name. Timaeus means, “honored” (4) and “highly prized.” (5) Therefore, Jesus saw Bartimaeus as a lost and valuable treasure waiting to be found, which explains His reaction to this blind man’s desperate plea for help.
We read that “Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called” (v. 49). Jesus ceased conversing with His disciples and the crowd, put off His travel itinerary, took time out from His busy schedule, and spoke with Bartimaeus, because He saw him as important and valuable; and in doing so, Jesus ascribed to him dignity and worth.
Jesus Saw People’s Spiritual Needs (vv. 49b-52)
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 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.” 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.
When most people looked at Bartimaeus they could only see his outward traits, such as the habit of his daily begging; or perhaps his dirty garments stained from sitting on the ground day in and day out; or maybe his lack of hygiene and personal grooming, as he couldn’t see to take care of himself. Jesus looked past his outward appearance to see his inner beauty and value, and to recognize his deep spiritual need. Bartimaeus was “physically blind,” but ironically most people in the crowd were “spiritually blind.” They could not see past the dark veil over their heart to view Bartimaeus’ true inner being and worth. The apostle Paul said,
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:16-17).
Paul emphasized the need to be careful about regarding people according to the flesh, or their outward appearance. Why? Because they’re more than mere flesh; they are spirit. The resurrection allowed people to recognize that Jesus was more than just flesh, as He became the model for the transformed life; a life made new by the power of the resurrection. Each and every person in the world has the potential to surrender to faith in Jesus Christ, and thereby become a new creation.
Everyone is worthy of hearing the gospel, for Jesus came to die for the entire “world” (John 3:16). Even if someone appears physically or mentally challenged, or even incapable of understanding the message we preach, we must not write the person off, for he might just surprise us! We read that Bartimaeus “rose up” (v. 50) in response to Jesus’ invitation; however, he did more than simply rise. The Latin Vulgate says he “sprung up.” (6) I would like to have seen the surprised faces of the crowd, as they observed this blind man jumping up without hesitation of falling, and then running to Jesus!
The entire verse says, “And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus” (v. 50). Therefore, as he jumped up, he also tossed aside his garment. McGarvey and Pendleton, in The Fourfold Gospel, say that this was his outer garment called a “pallium,” which was like a shawl thrown over the shoulders. They also state, “It probably represented more than half the beggar’s wealth, but he valued his eyesight more than it, and cast it aside because it hindered him in reaching Jesus through the crowd.” (7) Matthew Henry said,
He cast away everything that might be in danger of throwing him down, or might in any way hinder him in coming to Christ . . . Those who would come to Jesus, must cast away the garment of their own sufficiency, must strip themselves of all conceit . . . and must free themselves from every weight, and the sin that, like long garments, doth most easily beset them. (8)
We read next that “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’” (v. 51). Jesus prompted Bartimaeus to confess his need aloud. The Bible teaches that an individual cannot be healed without confession of his spiritual need. Romans 10:9-10, for example, states, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
In verses 52, we read, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight.” Bartimaeus’ faith in Jesus is what led to his healing. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” In an occurrence too difficult to comprehend, Bartimaeus had a spiritual need that manifested itself outwardly as a physical disability. However, by God’s grace, and through his faith in the power of Jesus Christ, Bartimaeus was both physically and spiritually healed.
How many people today are wandering through life spiritually blind, because they have never confessed their faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ? John Newton, in an all too familiar hymn, said, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.” (9) Many people say that “seeing is believing,” as though it’s one’s sight that leads to faith. However, the Bible teaches that “believing is seeing,” for it’s one’s faith that leads to salvation from sin and results in spiritual sight. Hebrews says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
We then read that Bartimaeus, “Immediately . . . followed Jesus on the road” (v. 52). He didn’t take his healing for granted and go his separate way; and he didn’t obtain his “fire insurance,” vacate the premises, and live as recklessly as he wanted from that point forward. Bartimaeus devoted himself to following Jesus, which is what God expects from all who come to saving faith in Christ. Paul said, “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Time of Reflection
All who observed the faith of blind Bartimaeus were challenged to look at themselves and consider their own life. They were prompted to ask, “What is my disability, and am I using it as an excuse to sit complacent in one spot? What is hindering me from jumping up in response to Jesus, and what thing of worldly value do I need to cast off? What sins do I need to confess in order to receive my sight, and acquire salvation and spiritual healing?”
Perhaps at one time or another you already confessed your faith in Jesus Christ. Such was the case with many of the disciples who were present on the scene. They were probably led to ask themselves, “Am I willing to follow Jesus to the end, or will I desert Him somewhere along the way?” You too must ask, “Have I followed Jesus wholeheartedly, or do I have one foot still in the world? Did I get my fire insurance and run, or am I committed to following Jesus daily?”
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Jesus is knocking on the door to your heart. Perhaps He’s asking you to receive Him as Savior and Lord for the very first time; or maybe He’s asking you to walk down the road of commitment to Him. I challenge you today to jump in faith to the call of Christ, and come and be healed!
NOTES
(1) Joni Eareckson Tada, “Christian Quotes for Those Living With Disabilities, Pain or Suffering,” Daily Christian Quote: dailychristianquote.com/dcqdisability.html (Accessed June 23, 2011).
(2) Mercy Me, “Beautiful,” (INO/Columbia, May 4, 2010).
(3) Robert M. Hansel, Disability Quotes: www.betterworld.net/quotes/disabilities-quotes.htm (Accessed June 22, 2011).
(4) “Timaeus,” Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timaeus (Accessed June 22, 2011).
(5) “Timaeus,” lexicon number G5090, Blue Letter Bible: www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5090&t=KJV (Accessed June 22, 2011).
(6) John Gill, John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible, Bible Study Tools: www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/mark-10-50.html (Accessed June 23, 2011).
(7) J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel, Bible Study Tools: www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/the-fourfold-gospel/by-chapters/mark/mark-10.html?p=9 (Accessed June 23, 2011).
(8) Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Power Bible CD.
(9) John Newton, “Amazing Grace,” The Baptist Hymnal (Nashville, TN: Convention Press, 1991), Hymn #330.
