A 5-day per week study.
February 10– Reading Mark 10:32-52
Read and believe in Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Mark 10:50b
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The Gospel according to Mark 10:32-52
We left Jesus and the disciples on the eastern side of the Jordan River. They’d just watched the rich young ruler turn away from Jesus. Jesus told them that riches did not buy their way into the kingdom of God, but following Him and giving up material things was the way to blessing.
Now they were heading west towards Jerusalem. They would pause for a short time in Jericho, then walk through the wilderness up to the holy city for Passover.
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Vss. 32-34.
Right on the heels of that conversation about leaving all to follow Jesus, He – for the third time – told the disciples that He would “be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they would condemn Him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise.”
Again, we see no response. Surely they heard the words. Pain. Death. Resurrection….
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Vss. 35-45.
But it seems it was the turn of the “Sons of Thunder” to ask about the Kingdom of God. Not about leaving everything behind or about suffering and dying, but about honor and privilege when the kingdom came.
- “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you,” said James and John.
- “What do you want me to do for you?” asked Jesus, although He knew exactly what they were going to ask.
- “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in Your glory.”
- I imagine Jesus just shook His head at their naivety. “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptised with the baptism with which I am baptised?”
Jesus, of course, was speaking of the suffering and the horrible substitutional death He would experience for all who would be saved from their sins.
- Proudly, the two answered, “We are able.”
Jesus probably looked at them with love, these two fiery young men who willingly followed Him. He knew that James would be the first martyr of the Twelve in just a few years, and that although John would live to an old age, he would be tortured and spend years in exile.
- “The cup I drink, you WILL drink, and my baptism, you WILL experience. But to sit at my right and left hands … is not mine to grant, but for those for whom it’s been prepared.”
Of course, the other ten disciples were indignant with James and John. How dare they! Why did they think THEY were better?
- Jesus had to calm them all down. “Actually…”He said, “Ruling and authority over others shall NOT be so among YOU.”
- He looked around at them closely. “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
- “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
(I bet that quieted them for a while.)
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Vss 46-52.
They spent a short time in Jericho, then, amid a huge crowd of people, they went out from the city. By the side of the road was a blind beggar, whose name was Bartimaeus (Son of Timaeus). He heard the crowd passing -possibly coughed at the dust that rose. He learned that it was Jesus of Nazareth. He’d heard of the great teacher/healer, and who He was. Hope rose in him. And panic that Jesus would pass him by.
- “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” cried Bartimaeus.
- The crowd looked at him, not in pity but in annoyance. “Be quiet!”
- “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” he cried even louder.
Jesus heard him and stopped. He called for someone to bring the blind man to Him.
- Now the voice of the crowd changed. “Take heart. Get up; He is calling for you.”
Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus … following the sound of that kind voice.
- “What do you want me to do for you?”
- “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
- “Go your way; your faith has made you well.
And immediately he recovered his sight … AND FOLLOWED JESUS ON THE WAY.
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What a good story of simple faith. And determination.
Since the blind man was named (and was wearing a cloak), it’s possible that he was a known merchant of some standing in the city, who had, for some reason, lost his sight and was left to beg for a living. Perhaps an accident or a disease had caused him to be blind. Notice he asked that his sight be recovered, as in, found after being lost.
He’d heard of Jesus. And he believed in Him. Notice what Bartimaeus called Jesus. “Son of David” was Jesus’ Messianic title. Bartimaeus knew Jesus was “the One to come,” and knew if he could get close to Him, he would be healed.
And afterward… Bartimaeus followed Jesus. No question. So unlike the rich young ruler.
Morning Meditations 