The Question

The Question

Mark 10:49-51, NLT

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

Setting the Scene

As Jesus made his way toward Jerusalem, he was on a mission and knew that he was heading toward certain death; yet he stopped and took time with a blind beggar at the side of the road. Blindness was considered a curse from God (see John 9:2 when Jesus healed another blind man), but Jesus refuted that idea when he told the people to tell the man to come to him. At first the crowd had sternly rebuked Bartimaeus, but after Jesus called him, their tone changed to friendly encouragement.

Jesus did not ignore Bartimaeus or reject him as the crowd had done. He “heard” the man’s shouts, “stopped,” and invited the man to come to him, taking personal interest in this poor beggar. Jesus knew what Bartimaeus needed and wanted, but he asked Bartimaeus to make his request. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. The man replied unhesitatingly, “My rabbi . . . I want to see!” He probably had considered that desire thousands of times. But now he stood before the one person who could actually make his desire a reality. And he would not have asked if he had not believed that it could be so.

Getting Personal

When have you felt separated from Jesus, almost lost in the crowd?

How does knowing that Jesus hears and sees you affect your relationship with him?

If Jesus asked you personally, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would you answer?

With the crowd moving down the road and the people gathered at the edges, probably jostling to get close or gain a view of Jesus, the scene would have been busy, borderline chaotic—noisy and dusty. Yet Jesus “heard,” “stopped,” and called a man to come to him. This was an individual and personal encounter. Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Talking to God

Thank God that he is all-knowing and present everywhere. Thank him that he loves you enough to know and love you personally. Praise God for the wonderful juxtaposition of his glorious might in close relationship with his human creation.