Mark 10:51, commentary and pictures

At Jericho Jesus asks the blind Bartimaeus what he wants Him to do, and the man appeals for mercy that he might receive his sight. The blind man pictures the sinner who is blind to the higher interests of the soul, to his real danger on the brink of perdition, and to his own happiness and eternal welfare. The question expresses deepest sympathy and compassion, inviting the afflicted and penitent to state his need and seek the blessing he lacks. It is a waiting, longing offer to speak pardon, take away sins, and give saving grace as light for eyes blind to the truth, which earthly riches or pleasures cannot supply. The destiny of the soul depends on answering at once without delay, crying with a broken and repentant heart for mercy and falling upon Christ without stopping to reason.

Setting and Meaning

At the gate of Jericho Jesus asks the blind man what he wants Him to do for him, and blind Bartimaeus answers that he might receive his sight, appealing to Him for mercy and healing. His appeal for healing is an example of faith seeking mercy and bringing a request to Jesus. That same question is still asked of every soul now as Jesus of Nazareth passes by.

The blind man portrays the sinner who is blind to the higher interests of the soul. He is blind to real danger while walking on the brink of perdition, blind to his own happiness and eternal welfare while laying up an heritage of woe, and blind to his own interest while dishonoring and disowning the greatest Friend and leaving eternal interests to take care of themselves. Many groping in blindness for light in this way delay the one chance and last opportunity to obtain it.

That blindness means being blind to the blessed, glorious attractions of a heavenly life in the city of God. It is shown in laboring for that which is not bread and sacrificing peace and honor and the companionship of the children of God, even one's own children, to walk without obstruction in one's own way. It strives to be content in secret sinful pleasure and base gratification irrespective of God and heaven. Through his own wicked course the sinner is bound by Satan and his senses have not recognized God's claims, and he is afraid to come to the light lest his deeds be reproved.

The earnest appeal for mercy brings clearer sight. It is an example of faith bringing a request for healing to Jesus, applied also to prayer for healing with comfort and experienced healing as answers to that cry. As a personal plea for spiritual help its value surpasses gold, silver, or precious stones.

Christ's Sympathy and Grace

The question is asked with deepest sympathy, tenderness and compassion toward the afflicted, penitent, stricken person, inviting him to state his need and seek the blessing he lacks. It comes only after the soil of the heart is broken up, the conscience is heavily burdened, the soul is pierced by sharp arrows of conviction, and the fearful judgments of God deepen the sense of great need to prompt the agonizing cry for salvation. The same voice and hand that humbles to the dust, rebukes sin, and puts pride and ambition to shame then lifts the sinner up and raises the penitent with this question.

Healing from Jesus is sought only after lethargy is broken and wickedness is felt, for God sends no pleasing flattery or message of peace to flatter the sinner or lull the unsanctified into carnal security. The question is His waiting, longing offer to speak pardon and impart freely offered grace, to take away sins and wash in His blood. It gives the gospel of saving grace as help to the needy, light for eyes blind to the truth, and guidance to souls seeking the true foundation, with full and everlasting salvation within reach of every soul to meet the deep need earthly riches or pleasures cannot supply. The blessing is received by understanding and living faith whose preciousness and value cannot be expressed, and the earnest appeal for mercy and healing that brings clearer sight is a personal plea for spiritual help whose value surpasses gold, silver, or precious stones.

Urgent Call to Respond

Jesus stands unseen beside every sinner, and as Jesus of Nazareth passes by He still asks every soul what is wanted from Him. He passes by to give grace and compassion and to rescue from despair, hearing every sigh of penitence and knowing the heart's longing for the peace only He can give. He does this even for the hopeless, Godless, sin-hardened soul without God, separated from God and bound by Satan through a wicked course, even at the eleventh hour on the very borders of the eternal world. To such a one He offers what is most needed, which is of infinite gain even if it cost the toil and suffering of a whole lifetime, meeting the deep need that earthly riches or pleasures cannot supply. The destiny of the soul depends on immediate action without delay, hesitation, waiting, or stopping to reason, because many groping in blindness for light delay the one chance and last opportunity to obtain it.

Answering means crying with a broken, repentant heart, Jesus of Nazareth, have mercy on me, and falling broken on Christ the Rock and throwing oneself at the feet of Jesus the sin-pardoning Saviour without delay, before it is utterly too late. It means breaking the bands of Satan and risking everything, refusing Satan's desperate efforts to silence supplication and refusing whatever and whoever bids hold peace. It means confessing sins to God and to those wronged and making thorough work for repentance. Whoever comes at once, even at the eleventh hour, will not be left to perish. God alone will touch the heart with a new tenderness and lead to a sense of obligation to God long perverted, so that the one who comes grasps the crown of life and is rescued out of the snare of the devil, not dying in the devil's hands nor lost in eternal judgment.

The same appeal holds for prayer for physical healing. The blind man's request to receive sight is an example of faith bringing a cry for mercy to Jesus for healing. Comfort and experienced healing are the answer to that cry of faith for mercy.