They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. 47 On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.” 50 He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 51 Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” 52 Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
As Jesus leaves Jericho, He is near the final stage of His journey to Jerusalem. Mark places this healing just before Jesus enters the city where He will suffer, die, and rise. The story of Bartimaeus therefore comes at an important moment. Jesus has been teaching His disciples about suffering, service, and the true meaning of following Him. Now a blind beggar shows what faithful response to Jesus looks like.
Mark identifies the man as “Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus” (v. 46). “Bar” is an Aramaic element meaning “son of,” so Bartimaeus means “son of Timaeus.” Mark gives this man unusual personal detail. He is blind, poor, seated by the roadside, and dependent on others for help. Yet when he hears that Jesus is passing by, he understands something essential about Jesus.
Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me” (v. 47). “Son of David” is a messianic title. It points to the promised king from David’s line, the one expected to shepherd and restore God’s people (2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 132:11; Ezek. 34:23-24). In Mark’s Gospel, this is a striking public confession. The blind man recognizes Jesus more clearly than many who can see Him with their eyes.
The crowd tries to silence him, but Bartimaeus keeps calling out (v. 48). His faith is persistent. He knows his need, and he trusts that Jesus can help him. His prayer is simple: “Have pity on me.” It is the prayer of a person who brings his need honestly before the Lord.
Jesus stops and says, “Call him” (v. 49). The same crowd that tried to silence Bartimaeus now tells him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you” (v. 49). The words are brief, but they carry the heart of the scene. Jesus hears the cry of the one in need sitting by the roadside. He calls him closer.
Bartimaeus responds at once. He throws aside his cloak, springs up, and comes to Jesus (v. 50). When Jesus calls, Bartimaeus comes. Jesus then asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (v. 51). This question recalls the question Jesus had just asked James and John: “What do you wish me to do for you?” (Mk. 10:36). James and John asked for places of honor. Bartimaeus asks for sight. His answer is direct: “Master, I want to see” (v. 51).
This contrast helps us understand the passage. The disciples have been struggling to understand Jesus’ way. Bartimaeus, though physically blind, approaches Jesus with faith, humility, and a clear desire for healing. His request is simple and humble: he asks to see.
Jesus answers, “Go your way; your faith has saved you” (v. 52). Bartimaeus immediately receives his sight. His healing is physical, but Mark also presents it as a sign of discipleship. Bartimaeus receives sight and follows Jesus “on the way” (v. 52). In Mark, “the way” points to the road of discipleship, and here it leads toward Jerusalem, where Jesus will give His life for the salvation of sinners. In the early Church, “the Way” also became a name for the Christian life, the path of following Jesus (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14).
Earlier in Mark, another blind man was healed in stages (Mk. 8:22-26). Here Bartimaeus receives sight immediately. The placement matters. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, Bartimaeus becomes a living sign of the sight every disciple needs: to recognize Jesus, trust Him, and follow Him.
Bartimaeus begins the scene seated by the roadside. He ends it following Jesus on the way. His faith moves from prayer to action. He cries out to Jesus, comes when Jesus calls, receives mercy, and follows Him. That remains the shape of Christian discipleship: to call upon the Lord, listen when He calls, receive His mercy, and walk in His way.
Lord Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us. Open our eyes to see You more clearly, give us courage when You call, and help us follow You faithfully on the way that leads to life. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Mark 10:46-52; notes on Matthew 9:27-31 and Matthew 20:29-34.
- Hahn, Scott, and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010, 85-86.
- Casciaro, José María, gen. ed. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008, 203.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990, 619, §68.
- Aguilar Chiu, José Enrique, et al., eds. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018, 1008.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid OP, and Donald Senior CP, eds. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, with a Foreword by Pope Francis. London: Bloomsbury, 2022, 1269.
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