Marcos 10

Blind Bartimaeus

46 They came to Jericho. Then as He was going out from Jericho,*The parallel account in Luke has Jesus entering Jericho, not leaving it. At that time, there were two Jerichos, about a kilometer apart. What better place for an enterprising beggar than between the two towns? For a detailed discussion of the three accounts (also Matthew), please see the Appendix: Entering, or leaving Jericho? with His disciples and a large crowd, the blind Bartimaeus*Mark is the only account that gives the man’s name—evidently he was known (or at least became known). (son of Timaeus) was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the Natsorean,*The Text has ‘Natsorean’, not ‘Nazarene (Natsarene)’. Natsorean is presumably a reference to Isaiah 11:1, the Branch—Jesus was the Branch-man. Natsarene just means that He came from Natsareth. he began to call out and say, "O Son of David,*Bartimaeus addresses Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus, have mercy on me!" 48 Many started telling him to shut up, but he started calling out even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 So Jesus stood still and said to call him. Then they called the blind man, saying to him: "Courage! Get up! He’s calling you!" 50 Tossing off his cloak,*Now why did he abandon his cloak? He expected to be healed—being able to see he could easily find it (and who else would want a beggar’s cloak?). he got up and went to Jesus. 51 Jesus reacted by saying to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"*Does God ever take anything for granted from us? He knows what we need before we ask, but we must ask. The blind man said to Him, "Rabouni,*Some 65% of the Greek manuscripts spell the word with two ‘b’s; I follow the best line of transmission, but there is no difference in meaning: ‘my teacher/master’. that I may see again!" 52 So Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has healed you." And immediately he could see, and followed Jesus on the road.