"Your faith has healed you" - Mark 10 46-52 explained - Blind Bartimaeus is healed by Jesus

Holy Gospel of Jesus according to Saint Mark, Chapter 10  Versus 46 - 52 says how blind Bartimaeus was healed by his faith in Jesus Christ. Let's go through the verse by verse meaning of this wonderful passage. May the great comforter , the Holy Spirit guide us. Click Mark 10 : 46 - 52 to read the passage.

Mark 10 : 46  

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging.

 

During the time of Jesus, the ancient site of Jericho which was 24 kms from Jerusalem was largely abandoned. In old testament Joshua 5:13-6:27 describes the Fall of Jericho.  Joshua 6: 26 says "At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho ...". From that time Jericho was abandoned. After 1400 years , Lord Jesus manifestation of God in human nature visits Jericho to deliver it.

Mark 10 :47 

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Versus 47 says "When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth...." that means Bartimaeus was familiar with name of Jesus. He believed that Jesus can heal him. May be he was waiting on that road side for days and months. His hopes were not lost, he believed in God's time of deliverance and he patiently waited for that. When the right time came, he recognized it and began to shout for God's mercy. Here Bartimaeus urges us to show patience while we pray and don't loose the faith out of disappointment.


Mark 10 : 48 

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many factors may block us from seeking Gods love. We have to surmount all woes that prevent our union in God. Our sin blocks God's grace on us. Isaiah 59: 2 says "But your wrong-doings have kept you away from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear. ".
If we truly seek God follow what St Paul says in Ephesians 4:22-24 " to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
In the middle of all miseries and sorrows, frustrations and dejections, Beleive in God, pray for His mercy and deliverance from the bondages of sin.

Mark 10 :49 

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."

Is anything impossible to God?....is it NO?...Sorry....There is one thing that Jesus cannot do...What is that???
He cannot ignore the cries from the heart. If you really seek God, He will come to you and call you. Remember the story of Zacchaeus, the tax-collector from Jericho ( Luke 19:1-10 ).

Mark 10 : 50 

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

Cloak represents comfort..a comfort of sin...Ask yourself how may cloaks you have...You may be a good person before society ... really what are you?...How you behave in your family?...In day light you pretends to a good man and in darkness you are after all pleasures that world gives you... Blind Bartimaeus asks you to throw away your covers and walk toward Lord to seek His mercy and forgiveness. Surely he will touch you.


Mark 10 : 51 

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

In 2 Chronicles Chapter 1 : 7-13, Yahweh asks King Solomon a similar question "Ask what I shall give you.". For this, king pleads for wisdom and knowledge to rule God's chosen people. God blessed him with wisdom, knowledge, riches, wealth and honor than any one on earth. Now coming back to Bartimaeus, Jesus asks him "What do you want me to do for you?" and he prays to heals his blindness. Similarly we should ask Lord to heal our blindness as we cannot see even though we have good eyes. The blindness in us prevents us from seeing sufferings of poor around us. Our sight is limited to our spouse, children and family and it is purely selfish. We cannot please God with such an attitude. We have to contend this type of blindness in us. Ask Him to give the real sight so that we can do things that can make our Lord proud of us and He will say "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Mathew 25:40)



Mark 10 : 52 

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Bartimaeus has received what he have asked for...his sight is restored...Now he can see trees, birds, men, animals everything....But when he receives the real sight...he is not following the world but Jesus Christ...This should be a retrospective for each one of us who claims to be christian. One question should always bounce in our hearts... Who to follow... world or Jesus???


 Thanks to Rev Fr Paulose Parekara
(Taken from his homily delivered at Manjummel CRC 51th Gospel Festival )