“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” Mk 10: 46 - 52
A couple of weeks back we read the record of Jesus’ encounter with a rich man (oddly he is usually the rich ‘young’ ruler thanks to Matt 19:22). Today bring us to the end of Ordinary Time, next week being All Saints, and with it we come to the final healing story in Mark as well, that of Blind Bartimaeus. After this, as we leave ordinary time we move into Jerusalem with an extraordinary time ahead of us! And what of our other passages for today?
The Jeremiah passage relates to the return of God’s people after their exile, the second exile if you’re interested, and the restoration of the covenant and the temple. Perhaps we should be looking at ‘restoration’ today. Restoration of the Temple, restoration of the covenant, restoration of sight both physical and spiritual perhaps? After all, Jeremiah prophesies regarding returning from exile (Jeremiah 31: 7 – 9):
“This is what the Lord says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, 'O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.' See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labour; a great throng will return. They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel's father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.”
And we find restoration of relationship with God from this same passage (Jer 31: 31 – 34):
"The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
And we find restoration of relationship with God from this same passage (Jer 31: 31 – 34):
"The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Here we find of course a reference to the Shema (Deut 6:4). A moving into the fullness of relationship where God is on the hearts, hands and minds of the faithful in a new and deeper way – a relationship which is more than observance. And for those who are under the new covenant we find Jesus, our great and eternal high priest, ministering before and for us. Something both stated and confirmed in the Hebrews reading.
And so we come to the Gospel reading itself. A story I have heard many times with so many different meanings. An odd name because ‘Bar’ meaning ‘son of’ is attached not to a Jewish name here but a Greek name! So is he a God fearer, a Gentile who has found JHWH or is this person merely an example, as Thimaeus was a character who delivers one of Plato’s works which places sight as the foundation of knowledge? A bit like having ‘daughter of Portia’ relating to the ‘Merchant of Venice’ Son of Timothy but in the Greek? All very interesting stuff, but what about the blind bloke I hear me ask?
Is it a story about coming to Jesus and following Him like the rich ruler? Could we say that this beggar, sitting by the road is about to have a Zachheus moment and is about to receive more than he was asking for – eternal live and a ‘follow me’ moment? Is it Bartimaeus’ faith in Jesus that Jesus is the Messiah that heals him? Is he thinking to himself that he wants the ‘Son of David’ to restore his sight?
And what does it mean for Jesus to be the ‘Son of David’? he term appears some seventeen times in the New Testament and often with amazing miracles, demonized girl (Matt 15), the two blind men (Matt 20), Bartimaeus (Mk 10). It is a recognition that Jesus is the Messiah, that He is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets and that where he is, basiliea – the kingdom of God is also.
Here we find Bartimeaus seeking to be set free from his own personal exile – his own separation from God, for as a blind beggar he was not permitted into certain company and certain places lest he defile them. His own separation from creation, for he could no longer see the beauty of it and was captive in a world of darkness, longing for the light.
He persists in calling out to Jesus, the God incarnate, despite the rebuttals and it pays off. “Cheer up! On your feet! He, Jesus, is calling you! Come on down!” So Bartimaeus jumps up, throws off his cloak, which was an encumbrance, and rushes (as quickly as a blind man can) to Jesus. An important point –no one leads, carries, drags or anything else – he comes to Jesus on his own at his own request. The kingdom of God is at hand – and the hand that reaches out to God through Christ will be healed. Healed by Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of David.
Where are you today? Where is our need for restoration? Recognising our need and who Jesus is, let’s come to Him and be healed, restored and renewed.
"When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, WILL return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."
Psalm 126
Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, WILL return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."
Psalm 126
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