Every Parable, teaching or occurrence in the ministry of Christ is centred around the purpose for which He (Jesus) came. The reconciliation of humanity to God. The truth however remains that as much as it was written by the prophets, taught by Jesus, and demonstrated in diverse acts of miracles it wasn’t understood by men until the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, not even his very own disciples understood it. Why? This is because it was to be revealed by the Spirit of God which was yet to be given. Remember 1 Corinthians 2:14 says “for the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit, for they are Spiritually discerned”, but we thank God that the Spirit has been made available to us, so we can now decode the great mysteries of God, the manifold wisdom of God, the gifts of God and have access to the mind of God. Hallelujah!!!
Today, we examine the story of “Blind Bartimaeus”, you know his first name wasn’t really ‘Blind’ yeah? And Blind Bartimaeus is no longer blind, He can now see… Hallelujah!!! To understand the beauty of the many-sided wisdom of God in this scripture, the meaning of Bartimaeus needs to be put to bare. Bar- meaning “Son” and Timaeus- meaning “Unclean”, so Bartimaeus means ‘Son of the Unclean’, Blind Bartimaeus then means the blind son of the unclean, or put into a figurative translation, it means the spiritually blind. Blind Bartimaeus here represents humanity… Oh how much we give glory to God that Blind Bartimaeus is no longer blind and no longer the son of Timaeus but the son of Jehovah, all because Jesus stepped into the Scene.
Luke 18:31-43 states Then Jesus took the Twelve off to the side and said, “Listen carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem. Everything written in the Prophets about the Son of Man will take place. He will be handed over to the Romans, jeered at, made sport of, and spit on. Then, after giving him the third degree, they will kill him. In three days he will rise, alive.” But they didn’t get it, could make neither heads nor tails of what he was talking about.
He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man (Bartimaeus) was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is going by.” He yelled, “Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, “What do you want from me?” He said, “Master, I want to see again.” Jesus said, “Go ahead—see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!” The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing—and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God. (MSG)
In the opening part of this scripture, we realize that Jesus was informing the disciples that the climax, the final straw, the purpose of His ministry on earth was to take place in a moment, He was about to fulfil purpose, but surprisingly, it records that they didn’t get it… Can you imagine that? They, having followed the master Jesus for 3 years and yet couldn’t see when it was all going to happen? I submit to you that Bartimaeus wasn’t the only blind man in that scripture, the disciples were equally as blind. Actually, everyone but Jesus was blind. But you can’t blame them. Why? The spirit was yet to be given. Jesus then uses this opportunity to give us an insight to the importance of His purpose once again.
Jesus going into Jerusalem (meaning the city of peace, signifying Heaven), on His one and final trip (signifying the finality and singleness of the journey of the Messiah), heals a blind unspiritual man sitting at Jericho (an accursed city by God) when he (Bartimaeus) simply acknowledges only Jesus could deliver him from condition of blindness. The best part of this is that Jesus did not only heal him, but also saved him, “and then he followed Jesus, glorifying God”. Where did he follow Jesus to? JERUSALEM THE CITY OF PEACE!!! Hallelujah!!!
Friends, the same way Bartimaeus was healed and glorified God while following the Christ to Jerusalem because he was saved, is the same way we were healed of our blindness in sin saved from the accursed city and marched right side along Jesus into heavenly places… Bartimaeus is no longer blind!!!
Perhaps, if you are reading this and just like Bartimaeus, you are “asking for handouts” looking for a way out of the voidness of your heart and have resolved to settle in the arms of drugs, sexual partners, alcoholism or even the love of money and you know all these aren’t working, but you sincerely haven’t made that call to Jesus, to come deliver you from the oppression of Sin as a nature, if you haven’t received the life of Christ, yet you desire Him just as the deer pants for the water brooks, I’ll like to tell you that today is the day of salvation, Jesus is ready to heal and save you in an INSTANT, OLOWOGBOGBORO has long arms to reach you right where you are. Just say this short word of prayer ‘Lord I desire you and welcome you into my heart, I receive your Spirit and your Life to take Lordship over my soul’. I congratulate you, you just got saved. God bless you.
All Grace and Peace of God abound towards you.
Gbolagunte Oladotun
