“Jesus stopped.” Those two words in Mark 10:49 stopped me. In the Greek, it reads, “Jesus stood still.” Just before he stopped, a blind man named Bartimaeus called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he called out even louder. By calling Jesus by name and messianic title, he knew who was coming and didn’t want him to pass him by. The crowd tried to steer him away from Jesus. Earlier, the disciples tried to do the same thing to some kids who approached Jesus, but Jesus said, “Let them come, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”, adding, “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15). Jesus stopped and blessed this man because of his childlike faith and healed him (10:52).
Jesus stopped. The man’s faith caused Jesus to stop and call him over. Notice, the first thing the blind man asked for was mercy. Mercy. We all want it. David did (Psalm 51:1). The rich man did (Luke 16:24). So did the ten lepers (Luke 17:12-13) and the tax collector (Luke 18:13). So should we. Jesus is our merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17) whom we can approach and receive mercy (Hebrews 4:17). Jesus stopped and gave it to him. This is interesting because Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) by dying on the cross. He could have kept going, and we would have understood because he was going to do something much greater. We might say, we’d give him a pass. But he stopped.
Hearing Jesus was calling him, Bartimaeus cast aside his cloak and jumped up. Wouldn’t you? That cloak represented security and identity, but that didn’t matter. He wanted something better that only Jesus the Son of David could offer. Jesus asked Bartimaeus (the only named recipient of healing in the Synoptic Gospels), “What do you want me to do for you?” (10:51). He asked the same question of James and John a few verses earlier (10:36). In their selfishness, they asked for power. Theirs was a request for fame. The blind beggar asked for faith. James and John wanted extraordinary glory. Bartimaeus wanted ordinary health. They desired to be great. He just wanted to see.
Jesus healed Bartimaeus that day. Of all the wonderful things he could have gone to see for the first time in his life, once he caught a glimpse of Jesus the Son of David who had mercy on him, “he followed him along the road”. Where else would he go than with the One who stopped and had mercy on him? Once an outsider on the side of the road, now he’s an insider on it, following Jesus wherever he may go. Jesus stopped, called him, extended mercy, and healed him. In the next verse, we see Jesus enter Jerusalem triumphantly as King of Kings, beginning the last week of his life. He’s headed to the cross. People shout “Hosanna,” spread coats, and wave palm branches. In my mind, I can see Bartimaeus there, still following. Having already cast his cloak aside, I can see him waving his hands in praise as the Son of David heads to the cross to save the world.
Jesus knows your name and will stop for you. Are you calling out to him? What are you asking him? What voice in the crowd, or even in your own head, do you need to ignore? What do you need to cast aside to get to him? Will you keep following him in worship for all he has done? Don’t let him pass by. Call out and receive his mercy, salvation, and blessing today.
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