See Again (Mark 10:46-52)

 

See Again (Mark 10:46-52)

 

“My teacher, let me see again.”

A man is struggling with blurred vision, so he decides to visit an eye clinic. He walks in the building and says, “My vision is blurry, I may need glasses.”

The associate says, “Oh, you need glasses for sure!”

The man says, “How can you know that without testing me?”

The associate answers, “Because this is a bank.”

 

Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho and met a blind man named Bartimaeus. His name means son of the unclean. He was likely an outcast in Jericho, left to beg in order to survive. As Jesus made his way out of Jericho on his ascent to Jerusalem, Bartimaeus began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The title Son of David is a messianic title. Israel’s hope in messiah is tied to God’s promise to King David. God was moved by King David’s desire to build The Lord a temple in Jerusalem. So God sent the prophet Nathan to share the news that The Lord will establish with David and His house an everlasting covenant to always have one of his descendants upon the throne to lead Israel in covenant faithfulness.

 

Disease and infirmities like blindness were stigmatized in first century Palestine. When the blind man Jesus healed in John 9 is dragged before the Pharisees to investigate his healing, they refused to believe that God would use Jesus, a known sinner in their opinion. When the man born blind challenged their prejudice against Jesus, they slandered him.

 

“You were born completely in sinfulness, and yet you presume to teach us?” So they threw him out of the temple. (John 9:34) Even Jesus’ disciples wondered whose sin was to blame for the man being born blind. The assumption was that if one is unhealthy, God must have been offended by the sins of either the unhealthy individual or a close relative.

 

Bartimaeus was not born blind, but rather lost his sight later in life. He wishes to have his sight restored. He wants to see again.

 

The preceding chapters in Mark illustrate how Jesus’ disciples do not see. They are blind to kingdom concerns, and they are blind to the value of those they encounter. They drive off little children. They try to protect Jesus from the crowds, but Jesus doesn’t want them to keep the needy and helpless at bay. He came for such as these.

 

When Jesus wishes to feed the multitude in a deserted part of the country, the disciples cannot see how that is even remotely possible. They witness a miracle. Christ fed the 5000 with only 2 fish and 5 loaves, but they do not comprehend the meaning of gathering 12 baskets of leftovers.

 

Peter sees that Jesus is the messiah, but he cannot see how Jesus’ death would serve Israel. Jesus promises that some of his disciples will see the Kingdom of God come in power. Peter, James and John see Jesus transfigured before their eyes in blinding white clothing with Moses and Elijah. They experienced a foretaste of heaven, but they could not see that what they experienced was a foreshadowing of the kingdom to come. They had questions about Elijah. Peter wanted to build huts for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. He didn’t understand what he was experiencing. He couldn’t see.

 

The reason some could not see was because of unbelief. I’m reminded of the scene in Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. Luke Skywalker is being trained by Jedi Master Yoda. Luke had crash landed his X-Wing Starfighter in a swamp. Yoda told Luke to use the force to lift the starfighter from the muck. Luke tried and failed. In self-defeat, he grumbled to Yoda, “You want the impossible.” Using the power of the force, Yoda lifted the X-Wing from the bog and set it on solid ground. Luke exclaimed in wonder, “I don’t believe it!” And Yoda replied, “That is why you fail.”

 

How big is your faith in God’s ability? When Martha met Jesus at the tomb of her brother Lazarus, Jesus witnessed her pain. Jesus wept himself. But I suspect that Jesus wept more for the people there, than for Lazarus. Death had already spoken in their minds. They said to Jesus, “If only you had been here, Lazarus would’ve been saved.” They thought it was too late for Jesus to do any good. They could not see how Jesus might help Lazarus.

 

Jesus said to the father of a demon-possessed son, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23) The father cried out, “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!”

 

We’ve discussed other obstacles to seeing like idolatry. The disciples made their insider status with Jesus an idol in their hearts. Their pride became an obstacle to seeing. They tried to run off people trying to bring their little children to Jesus. Jesus helped them to see that the Kingdom of God is to be received like little children. They tried to stop a man from driving out demons in Jesus’ name, because he wasn’t one of them. They could not see that he was doing good. They only saw that he wasn’t part of their group.

 

What gets in the way of me seeing, is my own pain. When I’m hurting physically or emotionally, then I’m focused on my self. This is an almost automatic response to pain for all of us. Pain demands attention. I have to remind myself that my pain isn’t the only thing going on. Jesus teaches us to turn our hearts outward toward the needs of others. It’s hard to see when we are focused on ourselves.

 

James and John wanted positions of power and authority in the Kingdom of Jesus. They wanted to sit at his right and left in His glory. When they approached Jesus, he asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” It’s the exact same question that he asked Bartimaeus. But Bartimaeus has the better request. “Help me to see again.”

 

When I read that Jesus came to Jericho, I wondered if there was any connection at all to Jericho’s fame. We all know Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down. I actually found quite a few parallels to the healing of Bartimaeus.

 

Joshua sent spies to Jericho. They were protected by a prostitute named Rahab. All Jericho had heard the news of how Israel had fled Egypt and the power of Pharaoh, how their God had split the Red Sea, and how The Lord had handed over the Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, and their lands. Jericho was terrified by the news. Just as Rahab had heard of Israel and their God, Bartimaeus had heard of the miracle working Jesus. Rahab believed the Lord was handing over Jericho to the Hebrews, so she arranged for her safety. Bartimaeus believed Jesus could restore his sight.

 

The generation taking possession of the Promised Land were born in the wilderness. Their parents failed to have their sons circumcised while in the desert. As Joshua prepared Israel to take possession of Jericho, He had all the men circumcised.

 

The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” (Joshua 5:9) The men of Israel were spiritually prepared to embrace their new life in the Promised Land. They cast off their families’ painful history as slaves in Egypt. In the same way, when Bartimaeus learned that Jesus was calling to him, he cast off his cloak. The cloak was an outer garment to protect oneself from cold and wet weather. But for a poor blind beggar, it may have been his only protection. He may have been homeless. Whatever the case, Bartimaeus cast off his cloak and ran to Jesus, symbolizing his new refuge under Jesus’ protection. He cast off his life as a blind beggar and embraced his new life as a grateful follower of Jesus.

 

 

 

The walls of Jericho came crashing down at the loud shouts of the Israelites. Different walls came crashing down in our story today. Bartimaeus shouted for mercy from the Son of David. Even as the people tried to silence his cries, Bartimaeus kept on shouting out for Jesus. Social barriers came tumbling down when Jesus welcomed the blind beggar. The crowd softened and led Bartimaeus to Jesus.

 

The final connection between the story of the fall of Jericho and the healing of Bartimaeus is Rahab herself. She was an outcast just like Bartimaeus. She was unclean because of her profession. But she was saved from the destruction of Jericho. She asked for mercy and was given mercy. She became a part of Israel, even though she was not born Jewish. She eventually married Salmon of the tribe of Judah. Salmon was born 10 generations after Abraham. He married Rahab the prostitute of Jericho. Rahab bore Boaz. Boaz was the great-grandfather of King David. If you read Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, Rahab is mentioned. Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho who protected the Hebrew spies, is an ancestor of Jesus, Son of David. Rahab became a part of Israel. Bartimaeus became a disciple of Jesus.

 

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling for him, he threw off his cloak and jumped to his feet. The same word used to describe resurrection describes Bartimaeus’s rising swiftly to his feet. A mini resurrection is occurring. Hope is bringing life.

 

The next time you’re in need remember to cry out to Jesus, for He hears our every prayer. Cry out and keep praying. You may not yet see, but God is at work in your life, in everything. So be of good cheer, take heart. The Master is calling you! Rise in His power and follow Him.