Mark Vol. 2 - Week 14 (10:46-52)
Mark 10:46-52
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Mark 10:46-52
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Mark 10:46-52 〰️ Mark 10:46-52 〰️
All through Scripture, we read of this redemptive arc, where the Lord approaches His children and simultaneously draws us closer. The author of Genesis speaks similarly of Abraham, saying, "Abram believed the Lord, and [God] credited it to him as righteousness." (Gen. 15:6). After the Lord approached him, Abraham believed, and God initiated salvation. We see this similarity in this week's passage, as the blind man, Bartimaeus, hears of Jesus walking by and cries out to Him. Interestingly, he asks Jesus to "have mercy" on him. It's unclear whether this refers to giving him sight or saving his soul, but in v47 and v48, Bartimaeus says, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" In a previous story in Mark 8, Jesus heals a man after more than one "attempt," displaying the gradual revelation of who Jesus is. Until that point in chapter 8, there was still this lack of clarity among Jesus' followers about who He was. Here, however, Jesus has taught and spoken quite openly about His purpose and mission on earth: to die a sinner's death on our behalf. Now, Jesus has talked about this three times (as we discussed last week), and it should be obvious to those around Him that He's the Son of God in human form (fully God and fully man) with the authority and power of the Lord. Now, Jesus merely speaks, and the man is healed: "Go," Jesus said, "your faith has saved you" (v52). Bartimaeus' faith in Jesus meant gaining physical sight and, more importantly, salvation from Jesus.
Bartimaeus' use of the title "Son of David" very well could signify his understanding or faith that Jesus was more than just a good teacher or healer, but truly the Messiah. In the Gospel of Mark, Bartimaeus is the first person to refer to Jesus as "Son of David." If we turn back to 2 Samuel 7:8-16 and Isaiah 11:1-5, we read of the Messiah coming from the line of David. How is it that this blind man knew Jesus to be the Messiah from the line of David, the man the whole nation had been waiting for? We'll touch on this again when we jump into our Advent series beginning in December, but there was a heavy cultural significance that came with this title. We sometimes like to rag on the disciples for being a little slow to get it, but they knew who He was at this point. They asked to be seated next to Him in glory (Mark 10:35-37). They knew who Jesus was but didn't know the cost of following and walking in His footsteps.
As we piece this together with next week's passage in Mark 11, we can tell that it was pretty much common knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah (Mark 11:9-11), but as with anything, some still didn't believe. The nation of Israel had waited hundreds of years for their Messiah, their Redeemer, to come and rescue them. No doubt, many lost hope or didn't even believe that the Messiah would ever come. Those who were around and did not yet believe very likely could have recoiled at hearing the name "Son of David" ascribed to this "prophet," Jesus. But Bartimaeus knew. He knew what he heard about Jesus and believed He was and is the Son of God, the one who would save His people. This is the caliber of faith that Jesus was probing for in Mark 10:13-16. This child-like faith takes Jesus for who He is, not searching for "evidence" or "proof," but believing He is who He says He is.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
What was Bartimaeus' response after being healed by Jesus?
Verse 48 says, "Many warned him [Bartimaeus] to keep quiet." Why is it easy for us to sometimes overlook individuals while following Jesus?
Why do you think Bartimaeus said, "have mercy on me"?
Read 2 Samuel 7:8-16 and Isaiah 11:1-5. What do you think it meant for Bartimaeus to call Jesus "Son of David"?
How might we approach Jesus with this kind of faith? How do we respond when we receive healing from the Lord?