Mark 10:48 Commentary and Bible Study

All that takes place during this miracle and that is recorded in Scripture, is for our instruction. This includes not only the details of the healing: the blind man’s request, Christ’s answer, and the wonderful result of his power, but also the seemingly peripheral circumstances. ‘Many charged him that he should hold his peace.’ Perhaps they said, ‘What if he stopped for every beggar?’, but he wouldn’t be put off. He was surrounded by people telling him to be quiet. The Greek says they warned him to be silent; there is an element of rebuke in the word. They were making it clear to Bartimaeus that he was doing something wrong by calling out like this. They regretted even telling him that it was Jesus of Nazareth that was passing by, if he was going to behave like this. That was as powerful an incentive to stop as they could give him. Would he be intimidated by this rebuke? He was just one man calling out to the Lord, and everyone else was quite sure he should be silent. What would happen if Bartimaeus listened to what all those around him were saying? Christ would pass by and he would miss his opportunity to be healed. Were they right? Was his cry an embarrassing and noisy intrusion? Was Christ not interested in a man like this? That seems to be what the crowd thought. But they did not know what God was doing, and although Christ made as if to walk by, his attention was focused on this man, and this was going to be written in Scripture for all ages to read about. Christ did not answer him at first, and delayed long enough to allow this discouragement to occur. The man had to overcome it, and in doing so he taught a lesson to all seekers. Although he received these discouragements, ‘he cried the more a great deal.’ He was not going to be put off. It was as if, the more the crowd tried to silence him, the more clearly he saw he should persist. The crowd did not understand what was at stake, and they were working against his spiritual interests, so he had to defend his soul single handed, though no one else helped him.Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.’ Look what he is asking for – mercy, mercy. Here there is a blind man begging by the wayside who asks for nothing but mercy. He understands his need far better than the crowd. They didn’t recognise him as Messiah, but Bartimaeus had insight. He is the Son of David, the Messiah from line of David. How did he get to that? The blind were poorly instructed. He learned it from conversation. This is the one who casts out demons and speaks of salvation. ‘Have mercy on me’ – not just in giving me my sight, but have mercy on me a sinner and then give me my sight.