Whether Jesus heard Bartimaeus’s cries over the din of the crowd (see Mark 10:46-48), or if Jesus just divinely knew that Bartimaeus needed help, Jesus sent for him.
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Mark 10:49-52 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.10.49-52.NIV
Can you imagine how Bartimaeus would feel, once the whispers and comments near him changed from telling him to be quiet, to telling him that Jesus was actually asking for him? Jesus still calls out to those who don’t yet know Him, and the ideal would be for everyone possible to hear the good news about Jesus and to respond to Him.
While we consider this passage, let’s not miss verse 50: From the context here (and earlier verses), we learn that Bartimaeus was blind. Leaving his cloak behind might mean that he would never get it back (even after regaining his sight). However, Bartimaeus’s cloak could have slowed him down or kept him from getting to Jesus in a timely manner, so he left it behind. We don’t know if someone in the crowd made off with that cloak. Maybe it never got back to him. Just like Jesus taught His disciples earlier in this chapter (see Mark 10:29-31, for instance), though, what Bartimaeus received after he spoke with Jesus far outweighed the value of a simple cloak, no matter how much he had relied on that cloak in the past.
There must have been some reason why Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Jesus to do for him. I suspect that Jesus already knew, but Bartimaeus clearly asked for what he needed. Note that [per Black, p.193] Bartimaeus didn’t just ask Jesus for a donation. Bartimaeus went big in his ask! And as Bartimaeus was healed, Jesus credited his faith. Note that Mark doesn’t record that Bartimaeus said, “Just a minute, I need to go back for that cloak. Where did I leave that thing?” Maybe a kind person in the crowd did bring it to him, but the thing that is recorded here is that Bartimaeus began following Jesus.
So, what would you say if Jesus asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?” [see verse 51]? If Jesus gave you the chance to ask for anything that you wanted, what would you say? Remember, Jesus is not some sort of mythical genie, granting only three wishes. You can literally ask Him for anything and everything that comes to your mind. In that light, let’s turn to the gospel of John (from the chapters where Jesus was with His disciples at what we call the Last Supper), and read John 14:12-14, 15:15-16, and 16:23-24. Here’s the thing: based on verses like those from John, I believe that Jesus does invite us to ask Him for what we want Him to do for us.
So, ask! Ask Jesus to heal you. Ask Jesus to restore a relationship. Ask Jesus to save a lost friend or family member. If you are slowed down by the fact that Jesus only answers prayers that are in God’s will, ask “Your will be done”, but still ask! Don’t just ask, though: know that Jesus can heal, He can provide, He can restore, and He loves us dearly. If your faith is weak, be like the desperate father in the previous chapter [see Mark 9:21-24], and ask Jesus to help your unbelief.
Like Bartimaeus, our faith may be part of God’s blessing for us, but even a little faith can be used to ask God for more faith, and to trust that He can provide it. As a result, let us ask Jesus for what we need as well as what we want. The invitation is there, and the “lines” are always open. Jesus doesn’t just have, “operators standing by to take our call”. He hears us Himself. But, let’s not just give Jesus lip service. May we believe – may we know – that He will answer our prayers, even prayers asking for more faith for ourselves.
And, while doing so, let’s leave behind what keeps us from following Jesus. As Luke 9:62 may remind us, the kingdom of God is about a great present and a great future with Jesus Christ, not pining for the broken things of this world in our past. So, let’s move forward when we are serving Him, in the way that He calls us to.
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 