Who\'s Really Blind?

Mark 10:32-52

We?ve just left the story of the rich young ruler where a man approached Jesus for affirmation of his own righteousness. Jesus showed the man that his idea of goodness is way off the mark. There are two great points out of that story; the rich and powerful do not automatically have a place in heaven and; our idea about what it?s like in God?s kingdom is far different from the way it really is.

So following this encounter there is a perceived vacuum that two of His disciples want to fill. There is now room at the top, so they think. The accounts in this portion of the chapter form a stark contrast?two men who thought they had it all together who in truth didn?t have a clue, and a man who didn?t have anything together, yet possessed a keen spiritual insight that moved Jesus and changed this man?s life.

32

Mark uses two works to describe the disciples and the others who were travelling with them: astonishment and fright. These feelings were the result of the previous encounter with the rich young ruler. The astonishment the disciples felt was not the same Greek word Mark used in verse 26 but the same as in verse 24. This word here is the idea of being stupefied, sort of struck dumb with surprise. The word in verse 26 means to strike with astonishment?sort of like hitting yourself in the forehead with amazement. So the group is alternating between being openly amazed and unable to even formulate thoughts. Everything they have believed?that the rich and powerful here are the same as in heaven is not true.

Even as Jesus said the first shall be last and the last first, He is about to demonstrate what being ?last? means through His humiliating and torturous death on the cross.

33 ? 34

This is a precise account of what was going to happen only a few days after these words were spoken. This is the third time Jesus predicted His death, and yet when it happened the disciples ran away, hid, denied Jesus, and couldn?t seem to accept the truth even His resurrection. What is even more astonishing to me, however, is that while all of this is going on, the minds of at least two of the disciples (and their mother) start to think: ?well, if the rich and powerful aren?t automatically in the best places in heaven, perhaps I need to get my name in!?

35 ? 37

James and John (along with Peter) formed Jesus? inner circle. Matthew records that their mom, Salome, actually made the request of Jesus (Matthew 19:28). Leave it to a good Jewish mother to watch out for her sons! Notice that they asked that Jesus grant the request before He even knew what it was. Was that a way for them to try and trick Jesus? Jesus doesn?t agree but asks what they want. Their answer should have been ?for You to die for our sins,? but instead it is a request totally out of the world?s playbook. And what a request! This was akin to being the most powerful people in the kingdom. The two were making a power play. They thought perhaps that as Jesus went up to Jerusalem He was speaking metaphorically about killing and rising ? that perhaps he was going to get rid of Rome and ?rise? to power right now?and they wanted part of the action. We might call this ?blind ambition.?

38

How often do we ask things out of ignorance?our ambition blinding us to reality? These two men were still thinking along the same lines as the rich young ruler?that power, recognition, and position are the goals. They are still thinking in earthly terms?in self-centered terms. They don?t realize that the way God?s universe really works is through love, service, and sacrifice. They have no idea what Jesus is really about to undergo. To be at a place of power in God?s kingdom they must be willing to undergo things they have no clue about.

39 ? 40

There are a couple of possibilities here: either James and John answered in total ignorance, saying anything to get what they wanted?or they answered truthfully, yet not in full knowledge of what that meant. We want to be recognized and given power, yet we don?t really know what that means. Indeed, James would be martyred and John would suffer many persecutions.

Notice that Jesus didn?t chastise them for the request, but as with all things, left it up to the Father. It?s not our place to demand a position from God. It is our purpose to do the tasks He sets before us and let Him worry about what position we have in His kingdom.

41

So the rest of the boys caught wind of the brother?s power play and were ?indignant? (very displeased). Why do you suppose that was? Were they offended at the brash attempt to curry special favor with the Lord?how unspiritual that would be! Or, were they mad because James and John jumped into the power vacuum before they got the chance! Competition and the pecking order are both default human behaviors. Jesus is going to call both into question. Remember too that back in Chapter 9 they were arguing about wow was the greatest among them. Traits born of this age die hard.

42 ? 45

This is one of the most powerful statements about what the character of God is like in the Scriptures. God is all powerful and can do anything He sets His mind to do. Yet with that kind of power, He is full of love and self-sacrifice. The disciples, and even us today, are used to the powerful throwing their weight around. This even happens in the church. Jesus was saying that power plays, and anger over them, is acting just like the Romans that the Jews hated so much.

A real leader has a servant?s attitude. He or she is not above any task, and is always looking out for the needs of others, even to their own hurt. Paul would later echo these words:

Philippians 2:3-8 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,   6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ESV

So our focus needs to be 1) obedience to the job God calls us to and 2) keep an eye out for how we can help grow others in their faith.

So Jesus comes to Jericho and to one of the sweetest stories in the gospels:

46

There was no social assistance system in place on those days. To survive, the disabled had to beg. Bartimaeus woke up that day and was probably just like any other. He grabbed his only possession, his coat, and made his way to the place he knew by feel?the road outside of Jericho. It?s quite possible that Bartimaeus had heard about Jesus?how He had given sight to the blind. When word reached his ears that this very same Jesus was passing by, Bartimaeus made a choice?and his words should echo loudly in our hearts.

47 ? 48

While the disciples had misunderstood Jesus? mission and the character of a member of God?s kingdom, Bartimaeus seemed to get it?it?s all about Jesus and His mercy. The Jews believed that healing of the blind was a Messianic sign (Isaiah 29:18, 35:5). The Jews also knew that the Messiah would be the son of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). So Bartimaeus is proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, on his way to Jerusalem for the triumphant entry. He pleads for mercy. Others around him tell him to be quiet but he only shouts the more.

In truth, everyone on that road should have done exactly what Bartimaeus did?cry out for mercy from Jesus the Messiah.

49 ? 50

No doubt Jesus heard the man. When someone cries to Him for mercy, Jesus? ears are always attuned. And I love what happens. Bartimaeus leaves behind his only possession and means of comfort and security to throw himself on Jesus. Would we but do the same!

51

Notice that Jesus doesn?t presuppose Bartimaeus? request. It?s possible that he would ask for alms??just give me money so I can survive like I am.? But he asks for sight. Though Bartimaeus received physical sight, the request for spirit sight is just as important. Bartimaeus already had the latter, so Jesus grants the former.

52

See how wonderful of a picture this is? Jesus gave him sight and said to ?go your way.? But now, the only way for Bartimaeus to go was with Jesus on whatever road He was travelling.

It is the same for us. Though we don?t know it, we are blind beggars, hoping to catch a morsel of food tossed to us by the rich and powerful. But that?s not our real need. We need mercy. We need sight. We need Jesus. But sometimes we are unwilling to leave behind the old tattered cloak of the security that this world offers, and persistently and reverently approach Jesus and ask for mercy and understanding of how things really are.

Both accounts have men begging Jesus. James and John brought their blind ambition and begged for power and position. They were turned away. Bartimaeus brought simply himself and begged for mercy and sight. He received that and so much more. So what do you want?to sit on the throne of power or follow along the road, even if it leads to the cross? The choice is ours. Jesus is waiting for our response.

Notice one final thing: the last words of verse 45: ??a ransom for many.? Humanity has been kidnapped by Lucifer and held for ransom in a sinful state. We are that way we are because we cannot help it. But Jesus paid the ransom for our rescue. Halleluiah!