Very often the Lectionary that we use for the Sunday Scripture readings displays an editorial choice made by the translators. We have an instance of such in this Sunday’s Gospel reading. Our Lectionary says that when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was near “he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.’” (Mark 10:47)
One might think that Bartimaeus was a pitiful creature who hoped his laments would move Jesus to offer help. Quite the opposite is true. The Lectionary says that Bartimaeus ‘cried out.” This is a somewhat watered-down version of what Mark wrote. The Gospel actually says that Bartimaeus shrieked, or screamed, at Jesus; he demanded Jesus’ attention and aid.
Mark doesn’t paint a picture of a pitiful blind man. Rather, Mark describes Bartimaeus as a shrieking, demanding and obnoxious pest. When I read the Gospel’s description of Bartimaeus I realized that I had met him.
In the late 1980's I lived in Washington, DC for a few years. At the time, there was a very large population of homeless people living in the District. At night they slept in the city parks. During the day they hung around the tourist destinations in order to beg from the tourists.
The residents of Washington had learned to ignore the presence of the homeless. As a result, the only opportunity that the homeless had for begging was from tourists. The homeless would position themselves along sidewalks and near public areas, and shout loudly at passers by. Some of the tourists would run in fear, while others would respond to the requests for money.
During those few years that I lived in the District I met Bartimaeus hundreds of times. Bartimaeus was a homeless, blind beggar who had grown accustomed to disturbing and annoying others in order to get them to pay attention to his plight. Bartimaeus was the sort of person whom most of us would prefer not to see, nor be seen with. Isn’t it interesting that Mark’s Gospel presents Bartimaeus to us as an example to be imitated?
Despite his afflictions, and his annoying demeanor, Bartimaeus is an example of an ideal disciple. There are, I think, at least three reasons for this. The first, and most obvious, is that the blind Bartimaeus was able to see who Jesus truly was.
When he learned that Jesus was near he did not scream “Jesus, miracle worker, have pity on me.” Nor did he yell, “Jesus, faith healer . . .” Bartimaeus shrieked at “Jesus, Son of David.” He may have been physically blind, but he was able to see what the crowds and the Twelve could not, namely, that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God.
The second reason that the blind beggar is an example for us to imitate lies in what he asked from Jesus. Last Sunday we read the story of James and John who asked Jesus for places of honor at the table in the Kingdom; they wanted an advantage over the other ten. In contrast, Bartimaeus does not ask Jesus for any advantage over others. He doesn’t ask for retribution against all of the people who had ignored and mistreated him throughout his life. Instead, he asks to have his sight restored. Bartimaeus wanted nothing more than to have a normal life. Despite his screaming, his request was a humble one.
Thirdly, Bartimaeus allowed no obstacles to prevent him from attaining wholeness and salvation. He wasn’t deterred by the fact that his physical disability made him an outcast. He wasn’t the least bit dissuaded when the crowd tried to silence him. Nor was he embarrassed to ask Jesus for healing. He chose to be blind to the obstacles between himself and Jesus.
Bartimaeus is presented to us as an ideal example of faith. He trusted that Jesus was the Savior. He approached God with humility. He let no obstacle stand in his way. When we do the same, when we place our trust in Jesus as Savior, approach God with humility, and refuse to be deterred by obstacles we find the same blessings that Bartimaeus received. The rewards of faith are restoration, wholeness and, most importantly, the call to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
