Tag Archives: a blind man

LUKE’S GOSPEL…”PASSING BY” – 48

Bible Study, ,

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭35‬-‭43‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another ”Sunday School” story with a treasure hidden deep in its details!

We know the story of this blind man well. In fact, although he is not even named in Luke’s version, he was just another blind man whom Jesus healed…or was he? A hidden jewel in the story sets him apart. 

Let’s unpick the story. 

Jesus was on His way to Jericho. Thronged by crowds, hemmed in by an excited mob, the noise around Him must have been ear-splitting. Middle Eastern people are excitable and vocal! Despite the noise, Jesus heard something…the urgent cry of a man in need. 

A blind man heard the crowd approaching from a distance. As they came near, he learned from people in the crowd that Jesus of Nazareth was “passing by”. 

“When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 

Jesus of Nazareth! The blind man could not believe his good fortune.  Here in Jericho! Miles from Jesus’ stamping ground in the precincts of Jerusalem! What an opportunity! The blind man began to yell! Despite the din, he needed to get the attention of the man who was “passing by”. 

Jesus of Nazareth was ”passing by”. What did this mean? Was He just on His way to somewhere?

This phrase appears more than once in Scripture, not just a random expression but with a specific purpose. Let’s examine a few examples. 

Moses interceding for Israel…

“And he (the Lord) passed (by) in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,”

Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Elijah at the end of his tether…

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to “pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The disciples in peril on the lake…

“He (Jesus) saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to “pass by” them,”…

‭‭Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭48‬ ‭NIV‬

Bartimaeus blind and helpless… 

“When he (Bartimaeus) heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is “passing by.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭36‬-‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A strange expression! What does it mean?

In each of these circumstances, Jesus, (who was God manifested on earth), was about to show up…to reveal something about Himself to the person or people concerned. To Moses, He would reveal His name, mercy… to Elijah, His purpose for the depressed prophet, a new assignment…to His disciples, His presence and power over the storm…and to Bartimaeus, His power to heal. 

In each of these circumstances, God’s people were in need of revelation about Himself that would perfectly meet their need. In their distress, He came to them and, in His “passing by”, He revealed His nature and His ability to be to them what they needed at that moment.  

Passing ”by” (Greek…parerchomai) can have the meaning of “coming near” or “making an appearance”. This mans that Jesus “showed up” to meet a need in a specific circumstance. 

What a difference the presence of Jesus makes in an impossible situation! We know that He is always with us although we cannot see Him. However, when we cultivate an awareness of His presence wherever we are, whatever is happening, the most impossible situation becomes “a piece of cake”. 

To Bartimaeus, Jesus’ “appearance” was the beginning of a new life. Gone his blindness, his dependence on others, his hopeless state, even his beggar’s cloak…his badge of office…and life, for him, began again. 

No matter what, Jesus is always “passing by”. He is “making an appearance” in our distress, and turning an impossible situation into a revelation of Himself that will change despair into hope. 

To be continued…

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

Christian Life, ,

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

“He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, ‘Jesus the Nazarene is going by.’

“He yelled, ‘Jesus! Son of David!  Mercy, have mercy on me!’

“Those ahead told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, ‘Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!’

“Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, ‘What do you want from me?’

“He said, ‘Master, I want to see again.’

Jesus said, ‘Go ahead — see again! Your faith has saved and healed you.’ The healing was instant. He looked up, seeing — and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God.” Luke 18:35-43 (The Message).

This story is a wonderful illustration of how faith interacts with the power of God. Luke has not identified this insignificant blind beggar, but we know from the other gospels that his name was Bartimeus. From God’s point of view he had a name; he had an identity; he was a person of value who had a disability which made him an outcast of society, but not of God. He was worthless to people, a parasite, but not to Jesus.

To the untrained ear, the sound of his voice begging for handouts mingled with the shouts of the rest of the crowd and was lost in the din, but not to Jesus. He always hears the cry of the needy raised in hope and expectation.

Bartimeus was tiresome; he refused to be put off by the heartless people around him who ordered him to shut up. Why should he? He had a sudden hope and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity to be freed from his blindness be lost because of other people. Instead of keeping quiet, he yelled all the louder. It’s no wonder Jesus heard him! He didn’t hear his voice as much as He heard his heart.

Isn’t that just like Jesus! The gospels record many similar incidents — Jesus responding to a heart cry. The outer covering of the crying heart didn’t matter to Him — lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, blind, lame, sick, deaf, rich, poor, Pharisee or sinner; He heard and responded to them all.

The interaction between the blind man and Jesus was very simple — no long prayers, no beating about the bush, no reasoning or explanations, just a simple question, ‘What do you want from me?’ and an equally simple response, ‘Master, I want to see again.’

Interaction over, transaction done! ‘Go ahead — see again!’  

How tragic that we, in the tradition of those who have gone before us, are perpetuating the terrible distortion of the gospel, which we call Christianity. We have turned this simple exchange between Jesus and us into a rigmarole, with religious paraphernalia, elaborate rituals, and teachings that twist and distort the simplicity of a partnership with Jesus in submission to Him and in the company of His redeemed people. 

When I watch some of the goings-on on so-called Christian TV, sadly I ask myself, ‘Is this why Jesus came?’ and my heart bleeds for the people who are sucked into the deception and who are missing out on the beauty and simplicity of a union and communion with Jesus that shifts all the weight of living onto His shoulders.

Jesus sternly rebuked the disciples for getting between Him and the little children whom mothers had brought to Him for His blessing. Being drowned with a millstone around their necks was a better option than to hinder anyone from coming to Him, He said. What about the leaders who mindlessly perpetuate all the nonsensical practices that take ordinary people’s attention away from Jesus? He came to set us free, not to tie us up in endless deviations from His pure and simple truth.

My plea to the people of God is this: Don’t let people shut you up and keep you away from getting close to Jesus. All that matters is that you and He keep interacting so that you can walk close to Him in the confidence that you are hearing and listening to each other.

He will do the rest!  

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – “I WANT TO SEE!”

Bible Study, ,

“I WANT TO SEE!”

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. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing 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. Mark 10:46-52

What did it mean for Bartimaeus to be noticed by Jesus? It seems that the only time he was ever noticed was to be silenced or to be chased away. His calls for mercy produced irritated voices telling him to shut up but he refused to be silenced. This was his one chance in a lifetime and he was not going to miss it. Jesus might miss it  in the din of excitement the crowd was making.

What did Jesus hear?  If the noise was anything like the din our indigenous people can make, there was no way He could have heard him with His natural hearing. Bartimaeus must have surely been on the edge of the crowd. He would not have risked getting mixed up with pushing, jostling people. But in the midst of the din, Jesus’ ears caught the cry for help. His heart connected with the desperate call and He stopped. “Bring him to me,” He commanded.

The attitude of the people changed dramatically. Instead of trying to shut him up, they now became patronising. Instead of ignoring him and treating him like scum, all eyes were on the blind beggar. Notice the reporter’s comment, “Throwing his cloak aside…” Why did he do that? Didn’t he need it any more or was it a symbolic act? Was he tossing aside whatever got in his way of getting to Jesus?

His cloak was his beggar’s licence to beg. When he threw it away, it was an act of faith in Jesus’ willingness to heal him. He would no longer need it when his sight was restored.

Willing hands now guided him through the path the crowd had opened up for him. Perhaps he knelt reverently in the dust, sightless eyes looking expectantly into the Master’s face. He heard the gentle voice, “What can I do for you?” and, without hesitation he responded, “I want to see.” Jesus only spoke, nothing else. No touch, no spit, no mud as at other times. “Go! Your faith has made the connection.” Instantly the darkness vanished, the mist cleared and he stared into the most loving, compassionate and gentle eyes he had ever seen. He was smitten forever. He not only saw but he SAW and he followed. Never did he want to be parted from Him again.