What does Mark 10:46-52 mean?

⁴⁶ And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. ⁴⁸ And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. ⁴⁹ And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. ⁵⁰ And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. ⁵² And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. (Mark 10:46-52 KJV)

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

This story agrees with Matthew 20:29, except that there we are told of two blind men, while here and in Luke 18:35, only one is mentioned. But if there were two, there certainly was one. This one is named Bartimaeus, a blind beggar who was well known; the name means “son of Timeus,” and some think it means “son of a blind man,” which suggests he was a blind son of a blind father, making his condition worse and his cure more remarkable.

This made him a fitting symbol of the spiritual healing Christ gives to those who are not only born blind but born of those who are blind. This blind man sat begging, as beggars do today. Those who are unable to earn a living due to circumstances beyond their control are proper objects of charity and should be cared for.

He cried out to Jesus for mercy: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David,” appealing to Him as the promised Messiah (Isaiah 35:5), whose coming would bring healing to the blind. Christ encouraged him by standing still and calling for him. We should never consider it a hindrance to pause when it’s for doing good. Those who had discouraged him may have now been the ones who relayed Jesus’ call: “Be of good comfort, rise; he calls you.” If Christ calls, He will heal.

His invitations are strong encouragements for those who feel guilty, empty, tempted, hungry, or exposed—they are called to be pardoned, supplied, helped, filled, and clothed. The man responded eagerly by casting away his loose outer garment and coming to Jesus (Mark 10:50), shedding anything that might hinder him. Those who come to Christ must also cast aside self-sufficiency and anything that entangles, as Hebrews 12:1 teaches.

The favor he requested was that his eyes be opened, so he could support himself and no longer depend on others. It’s honorable to be able to work and wrong to render ourselves useless by foolishness or laziness. He received his sight (Mark 10:52), and Mark notes two things.

First, Christ honored his faith, saying, “Your faith has made you well”—faith in Christ’s mercy and power, not mere persistence. Supplies gained through faith are the most satisfying. Second, the man used the gift rightly—he followed Jesus on the road. This showed he was truly healed and grateful, needing no one to guide him and now using his sight to stay with Christ. It’s not enough to come to Christ for spiritual healing; once healed, we must follow Him to honor Him and learn from Him. Those who see spiritually recognize Christ’s beauty and are drawn to follow Him.

Mark Chapter 10

1. Teaching About Divorce, Mark 10:1-12
2. Let the Children Come to Me, Mark 10:13-16
3. The Rich Young Man, Mark 10:17-27
4. We left everything to follow you, Mark 10:28-31
5. Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time, Mark 10:32-34
6. The Request of James and John, Mark 10:35-45
7. Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus, Mark 10:46-52