There is so much going on in this brief story about Bartimaeus the blind beggar which is par for the course in Mark’s gospel. I want to focus on a couple of moments of action which captured my attention. The first one is the quick turn around of the crowd and their dealings with Bartimaeus. When Bartimaeus begins shouting to gain Jesus’ attention the crowds are so dismissive of him, sternly telling him to be quiet. The word sternly is indicative of their distain that this blind beggar, a person of no importance and in fact someone who is generally to be ignored should have the audacity to try to speak to Jesus is so clear. It is like an adult who finds children to be a nuisance rather than a joy, telling them to be quiet when the grown-ups are talking. Then how quickly their response to Bartimaeus changes when Jesus not only hears his cries but pointedly stops walking and asks to have the man brought forward. Now they tell the beggar to “Take heart, he is calling you.” How quickly public opinion changes when a different light is shone on a person or issue. With the focus and interest of Jesus now pointed at Bartimaeus the crowd reacts very differently to him, now they are quite solicitous and kindly, whether because they are aware of what Jesus has been hearing them say to Bartimaeus and are trying to cover it up or because the fact that Jesus is interested in this man has changed their opinion of him. When we look at people and issues through the lens of the love and kindness of Jesus our view can be changed quite drastically. The ‘homeless people living in public parks’, issue becomes a call for justice for all God’s people, a chance to reach out to those in need in a kindly and caring way to find help for their suffering. They are no longer homeless people but God’s children and therefore our brothers and sisters and that immediately changes the way we see them and treat them.
The second thing I want to look at in this passage is Bartimaeus’ reaction to Jesus’ call. Mark writes, “throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus”. There is such an immediate and powerful reaction from Bartimaeus when he hears that Jesus is calling him. He throws off his cloak and springs up and goes to Jesus. If his cries to Jesus for mercy do not reveal his faith, then the actions he makes when Jesus hears him and calls to him definitely do. The throwing off of his cloak is like he is shedding his former self, ‘blind beggar’, recognizing that that is not the way Jesus sees him. His springing up shows his joy and excitement in the chance to speak to Jesus directly and his going to Jesus reveals his desire to be right in the presence of the one he calls ‘the son of David’, the anointed servant of God Almighty. Then Bartimaeus goes further, he follows Jesus on the way.
Oh, that we could react in the same way when Jesus calls us. Whether it is Jesus calling us to stand up for the poor, oppressed and voiceless in our society or whether it is Jesus calling us into a particular role or work within the church or our community. May we be courageous enough to call out to Jesus, expect to receive a reply, listen when Jesus calls to us, throw off our cloaks of self-consciousness, doubt or fear, spring up and go to Jesus. Knowing that when we do, if there is anything we will need help with Jesus will give it to us just as he gives Bartimaeus the gift of sight when he asks for it and knowing that Jesus will lead us where we need to go and walk with us all the way. Amen.
