In our daily devotions, we are looking at the supernatural acts of the Lord Jesus. Today, we come to the healing of blind Bartimaeus:
46Then 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. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road (Luke 18:46-52).
As Jesus was leaving the city of Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road in a good spot to beg. When he heard the commotion of a large crowd passing by, he asked who it was. He must have heard about Jesus at some point because when he was told it was Jesus of Nazareth, he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Notice that he did not call Him Jesus of Nazareth. The title Son of David referred to the Messiah (Messiah is the Hebrew word for Christ; it means God’s Anointed One).
Faith and desperation surged within him as he shouted out to Jesus. Some on the outskirts of the crowd couldn’t hear the Master teaching over the beggar’s cries. They rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but they couldn’t silence Bartimaeus. A different Greek word is used the second time in verse 48, translated as "he shouted all the more.” The term used is krazō, which means to scream or shriek. Additionally, the tense of the original Greek reveals that he persisted in shouting and screaming. He would not be silenced! The image we get is of a man overwhelmed with emotion. There’s desperation in Bartimaeus’ voice. He had this one chance, and he wouldn’t let Jesus pass by without doing everything in his power to have his need met.
Bartimaeus’ heart was in his approach, and his plea was filled with energy and fervency toward Christ. The ability to call out and remain undistracted by people and things is vital for a prayer life that receives answers from God. Jesus encountered a man in great need, and He would not pass him by. When Bartimaeus expressed his condition to the Lord, the immediate response was, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you” (v. 42). The blind man's eyes opened to see Jesus, God in human form! Wouldn't that be amazing? One day, our physical eyes will close for the last time, and our spiritual eyes will be opened to behold the same sight of the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you know Him! We will behold His loveliness and majesty, and all the pain of this life will be gone. What an incredible day that will be! Keith Thomas
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Taken from the complete study in the Gospel of Luke, Study 49, A Blind Beggar Healed, found in the All Studies box on the Home Page.
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