Bartimaeus
Told to be quiet, he shouted louder, and Jesus stopped.
New Testament · 1st century · Mark, Matthew, Luke · Also known as Son of Timaeus, The blind beggar of Jericho
About Bartimaeus
Blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, sat begging by the road out of Jericho as Jesus passed with a great crowd. He cried out, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." Many told him to be quiet, "but he cried the more a great deal." Jesus stood still and called for him. Throwing aside his cloak, Bartimaeus sprang up and came. "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" "Lord, that I might receive my sight." "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole." Immediately he could see, and he followed Jesus on the road, the road that led to Jerusalem.
"Son of David" was a title for the Messiah, the promised king from David’s line, so Bartimaeus was saying something bold about Jesus. Matthew tells of two blind men at Jericho and Luke of one unnamed man; only Mark gives his name.
The story
He cried the more
"Blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging." Hearing it was Jesus of Nazareth, "he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 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."
Mark 10:46-48
He calleth thee
"And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called." They said, "Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee." "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus."
Mark 10:49-50
Thy faith hath made thee whole
"What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" "Lord, that I might receive my sight." "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."
Mark 10:51-52
Key moments
- Begging by the road: Outside Jericho. (Mark 10:46)
- Cries out: "Thou son of David, have mercy on me." (Mark 10:47)
- Casts away his garment: And comes to Jesus. (Mark 10:50)
- Receives his sight: "Thy faith hath made thee whole." (Mark 10:52)
Questions about Bartimaeus
In meetBible these answers are given in Bartimaeus’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.
Why didn’t you stay quiet?
"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." Mark doesn’t explain my thoughts, but Jesus was passing by, and I wasn’t going to miss him. And Jesus didn’t hush me; he "stood still, and commanded him to be called."
Why did Jesus ask what you wanted?
He said, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" It might seem obvious, but he let me ask for myself: "Lord, that I might receive my sight." Just before, he had asked James and John the very same question, and they had asked for seats in glory. Scripture doesn’t explain his reason, but it shows him treating me as someone to listen to, not just a beggar to fix.
Why did you throw away your cloak?
Mark records it as a vivid detail: "casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus." He doesn’t explain it. For a blind beggar, a cloak might be bed and blanket and the place to collect coins. Many readers see in it eagerness, or leaving the old life behind; the text simply shows how quickly I came.
Connected people
Read it yourself
Start with Mark 10:46-52.