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Oct 24, 2021

Let Me See

Let Me See

Passage: Mark 10:46-52

Speaker: Rev. Michael Pestel

Series: Win-Win

Let Me See Mark 10:46-52 by Rev. Michael Pestel

Without the support system, the tools, and living in the circumstances of 2000 years ago, you and I might end up like Bartimaeus: sitting on the roadside; hoping for kindness and mercy from strangers; praying for a miracle. 

The story of the blind beggar in Jericho is recorded in three gospels in the Bible: Mark, which we are looking at, but also Matthew and Luke. Mark, by far the shortest of the three books, is the only one that mentions the name of the blind man, Bartimaeus. The other two renditions of this story treat him as he would have been treated by those around him – nameless. 

“Bar” -> son, Timaeus -> of Timaeus.  

“…Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.” (Mark 10:46) 

“Let me see” to “I can see!” That’s the miracle here for Bartimaeus. And it came about through the gift of being perfectly present. Perfectly present Jesus makes it possible for Jesus to hear and see this Bartimaeus, to heal him. Perfectly present Bartimaeus is able to cry out like no one is listening, run like no one is watching, plead for help like no one is judging. 

There’s an abstract lesson to this story, about “seeing” beyond physical eyesight, seeing from the spirit. These abstract lessons happen often with the Jesus healing stories. The physical healing is a visual representation of spiritual healing/development Jesus wants for us.

Jesus, son of David, saw Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. Oh, I forgot to tell you, this is good, what Timeaus means. Timaeus means “honor.” Jesus, an honored son of David, saw Bartimaeus, another son of honor. 

The chapter to this story closes like this, setting the stage for whole new chapters: “At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way.” (Mark 10:52) May we be seen and heard, may we be healed, may we see and hear, may we follow Jesus on the way.