Continuing in a study of Mark 10, Jesus encountered a man who wanted to get His attention. (Unlike in our advertising-heavy world today, though, this man was not seeking Jesus’ money or His vote!)
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 10:46-48 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.10.46-48.NIV
Bartimaeus the blind beggar may not have expected Jesus to pass by that day, but whether he asked about the commotion or just overhead something, he learned that Jesus was leaving the city with a crowd. Like a lot of crowds, this one was probably pretty noisy, with plenty of side conversations and chit-chat. However, Bartimaeus at least knew enough about Jesus to know that Jesus could help him. (Remember, Bartimaeus probably heard a lot from passers-by, and may have had friends with whom he regularly spoke about what was going on. He was blind, after all, not deaf or mute.) So, Bartimaeus asked Jesus for help. To be heard, though, he had to yell.
And, what did the crowd do when Bartimaeus started calling out to Jesus for help? Many people told him, in their own words, to “shut up”. We might wonder why they did so. Did they want to hear Jesus teaching? Did they consider a disabled beggar not sufficiently important enough to merit Jesus’ time (like the apostles objected to children being brought to Jesus – see Mark 10:13-16)? I don’t know their motivation, but Bartimaeus was certainly motivated, since he kept going.
Before we continue with this account, though, let’s pause and ask ourselves: Are we committed to asking Jesus for help? Do we want so much to talk with Him that we are willing to keep calling out, even when others tell us that we should keep quiet or give up, or that we’re not important enough to take up Jesus’ time? I think that Bartimaeus set a good example. He knew that Jesus was able to help him, and so Bartimaeus aggressively seized the opportunity to call out to Jesus. May we do the same, despite others who may not want us to call out to Jesus.
And, let’s make sure that our own attention to Jesus isn’t keeping others from meeting Him, too. We do not want to be like those who told Bartimaeus to be quiet, after all. Others who need Jesus’ help might not behave the same as we do (even when they are in church), or they might disrupt something else that we’re doing. Still, let’s pause and make sure that we’re focusing on what is most important at the time, even if our own priorities need to wait a bit as a result of someone else seeking the only One who can save them.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for November 9, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Mark, by Allen Black. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 