Mark 10:46-52 records the incident of Jesus, healing the blind man Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus was sitting on the side of the highway begging and when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was in his vicinity, he began to shout for Jesus, calling him the Son of David, to have mercy on him. While many rebuked him to hold his peace (quieten down), he shouted all the more, so much so that he stopped Jesus on his tracks. Jesus stopped and commanded that he be called. When Bartimaeus is told that Jesus called him, he leaves his garments and rose and came to Jesus. Jesus questions him as to what would he want Jesus to do for him and Bartimaeus, who had been addressing Jesus as the son of David, recognized him as Lord and requested that he receive his sight. Jesus said, “Go your way, your faith has made you whole”, and immediately Bartimaeus received his sight, but instead of going his way, he followed Jesus in the way.
All of us, like Bartimaeus were once blind in our minds to not see the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). We sought the beggarly things of this world from the highway side that led to destruction. When we came to hear of Jesus, we cried out to him to have mercy on our souls and Jesus stopped for each one of us, and commanded that we be called. Leaving behind our filthy rags of our own righteousness and rising, we came to Jesus to hear him ask us – What would you like me to do for you? In our repentance, we recognized him as Lord and he responded “Go your way, your faith (believe in Jesus) has made you whole (righteous)”. But now the question that remains is, since then, did we go our own way or like Bartimaeus follow Jesus in his way – The way of the Most High God, after we received our sight?
Points to ponder:
Are you/I still by the highway side or are you/I on the way of the Most High – following Jesus Christ?
Mark 10:46-52 (KJV)
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
