Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, had only one wish: to be cured of his blindness. One day as he sat by the roadside, he learned that Jesus was passing by. He shouted to call his attention. When the people around tried to silence him, the louder Bartimaeus shouted: "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."
The title "Son of David" is a messianic one. It has a long history in Jewish theology. It concerns the promise of God to David and his lineage, a promise of continuity, a promise that actually opens to the future. The king of the future will be the instrument of God in the work and realization of salvation. The new David will not just be a son of David. The new David will be possessed of the same brand of piety, justice and power, if not more, as enjoyed by David himself.
This is the first time that Mark, in the mouth of the blind beggar, uses the title in reference to Jesus, now on his steady march to Jerusalem to fulfill a divine purpose.
Two very important things are at play here. One is the divine purpose which we can safely say was Jesus' raison d'etre. The other one is the impassioned cry of need.
It was because of this divine purpose that Jesus repelled all temptations that came along his way. It was this divine purpose that made him leave Mary, his mother, and the little village of Nazareth. It was this divine purpose that Jesus would turn to Peter and tell him to back off because Peter was trying to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem.
An impassioned cry from a blind beggar made him stop. Because of Bartimaeus' cry for help, Jesus attended to him and gave him his sight. God always responds to such a cry, a cry that Jesus could not miss because it was characterized by determination, clarity and faith. The question that Jesus posed to Bartimaeus ("What do you want me to do for you?") seems at first glance uncalled for. It was for Bartimaeus to actually know what he needed more than just what he wanted. He needed to see and he got what he asked Jesus for.
God knows what we need before we even ask Him. But we need to know and be very clear about what that need is and where it will take us in the long run.
And Bartimaeus "started to follow him up the road".
Fr Jess A. Enciso
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