(Worship at the Moravian Church in Arusha, Tanzania)
Seeing from the Soul
By Bishop Chris Giesler
Assigned Text: Mark 10:46-52
Jesus was constantly turning the world around him upside down. The first shall be last. The hated Samaritans become heroes. The poor widow becomes the shining example of stewardship. Children get to sit with Jesus. And now, in Mark’s 10th Chapter, we meet a poor blind man by the name of Bartimaeus.
To begin with, he does not even have a name of his own. He is called Bartimaeus, which looks like a name to us, but in Hebrew, his name is comprised of two parts. “Bar,” which means “son of,” and “Timaeus,” which was his father’s name. So, for me today, using the same process, my name would be “Barjohn” or “Son of John.” I would not be known for my own gifts and accomplishments but rather in reference to my father. This is the life of a blind mind in Jesus’ day. He is a man with no real name.
Next, notice where Jesus meets this man. It happens on the outskirts of Jericho as Jesus and his disciples are leaving town. Chances are, this man was not allowed to beg in the city center. After all, who wants vagrants hanging around. To further complicate life for Bartimaeus, the popular sentiment would have insisted that he or his father must have done something terribly wrong for him to deserve blindness.
Interestingly, earlier in this chapter, Jesus’ disciples spoke sternly to those who wanted to keep children away from him. And here, the townspeople speak sternly to Bartimaeus, ordering him to stay quiet as he cries out for help. I am frequently amazed at how, in Mark’s Gospel, meaningful descriptive words or short phrases are tossed into the narrative, and if we are not attentive to them, we miss the text’s full meaning. In this case, the phrase is “stood still.” Aware of the commotion and the effort to silence the beggar, the text says that Jesus “stood still.” Picture the scene with me. All of this is happening on the main road leading out of Jericho. There are lots of people around, including Jesus, his twelve disciples, and others who regularly traveled with him, creating something of a parade atmosphere. With all that noise, Jesus hears Bartimaeus’ plea, and he stops and stands still. A heart of compassion knows when there is a need.
The next thing to notice is that as Mark narrates this story, he says Bartimaeus heard that “Jesus of Nazareth” passing by. But as Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus, he calls him “Jesus, son of David.” This was a direct reference to Jesus being the promised Messiah, which was to come from the line of David, making him the first to do so. And with that, Jesus asks for Bartimaeus to be called over to speak with him. It is here that something remarkable happens. Again, earlier in this 10th chapter of Mark, Jesus encounters a wealthy young man who seemingly has everything except confidence in his own salvation. So, he asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus invites him to sell his many possessions, give them to people like Bartimaeus, and come and follow Jesus, that man walks away grieving, unable to part with his worldly wealth.
But here, when Bartimaeus is summoned to speak with Jesus, the text adds that he stood up, threw off his cloak, and went to be with Jesus. That cloak was no doubt his most prized possession. It is what would have kept him warm on a cold night. It would have shielded him from the hot sun on a warm day. That cloak has an essential garment, and we can only surmise that it was his only one. But he left it behind and went to Jesus’ side. What the rich young ruler could not see, blind Bartimaeus did.
Like Zacchaeus, another well-known outcast from Jericho, this meeting with Bartimaeus shows us how Jesus looked at the world and turned it upside down.
The Board of World Mission is in relationship with our Moravian siblings around the world, many of whom have very little in terms of possessions and material wealth. By North American standards, they own next to nothing and have access to only a limited amount of money. For instance, the average per capita income in the US is $73,000, while in Nicaragua, it is $7,300. In Tanzania, it is $3,600. When North American Moravians visit these countries, they are appalled by the poverty. Still, they are amazed by the depth of faith, the centrality of Jesus in their lives, and their generosity towards others.
Perhaps our relative wealth and possessions can cloud our vision. What is it that keeps you from seeing Jesus? Can you hear him calling you to come over for a chat? What might you leave behind to ensure you give Jesus your undivided attention?
