'By the Way' or 'On the Way'
9.30am, Sunday 8 November 2009
Recently I listened to a recording of Andrew Johnston, known as the Blind Evangelist, telling his life story at an evangelistic meeting in Palmerston North in 1964. In it he shares how he lost his sight on his first day in the trenches in France during World War One. A piece a shrapnel shot past his face taking out his left eye, irreparably damaging his right eye, and killing the person alongside him. Shortly after the doctors confirmed that he would never see again. That event radically changed his life. He knew he would never take over the family farm in the Waikaka Valley as was intended, and he wondered what God had in store for him. He learned how to read Braille and practiced by reading John's Gospel. The story of the blind man in chapter 9 came to mean a great deal to him. While recovering in Britain he went to visit relatives in Scotland and there met Nellie, his wife. He shares how when he gets to heaven and meets Jesus, the next person he is really looking forward to seeing for the first time is his wife.
As I listened to Andrew Johnston's story and what he went through in coming to terms with his blindness, it helped me understand a little of what it must have been like for the blind man we read of in Mark's Gospel today.
This event, which is the last healing miracle recorded in the Gospel of Mark, took place as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. His time on earth is almost over. The three short years of his public ministry was quickly drawing to its close. Jesus is about to make the thousand metre ascent from the Jordan valley through the barren, inhospitable countryside to the nation's capital. In Jesus' day the twenty-seven kilometre journey took a whole day with the sun beating down overhead and its heat reflected back from the rocky ground. That was by the quickest route, known as the 'Way of Blood' because it was also a dangerous route for those traveling alone. The landscape provided plenty of cover where robbers could hide waiting to attack unwary passers by, as the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates. Today a modern four-lane highway, following the longer route of thirty-five kilometres, takes in only half an hour. The only visible signs of civilization along the route are small Bedouin camps tucked into the hillsides where amazingly these nomadic people etch out a living for themselves and their animals from the barren landscape.
Jericho was the last city pilgrims passed through on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. They would cross the Jordan River below the Sea of Galilee and travel down its east side so that they would not have to go through the territory of the despised Samaritans. They would cross back to the west side the river opposite the ancient city of Jericho. Jesus and those traveling with him would probably have stayed overnight in or near Jericho before traveling on up to Jerusalem. Because Jericho is part of the West Bank of Palestine we were not able to go there when the girls and I visited Israel last year. We could only skirt round the edges and take what pictures we could from the bus as we sped north to Galilee. Although dry, it is still a fertile valley with irrigated orchards clearly visible close to the highway. It is situated about 10 kilometers north of the Dead Sea. The tropical climate and vegetation of the Jordan valley earned Jericho the title of "city of palm trees." Groves of date palms are still very much in evidence today.
Centuries before the wide plain on the east side of the Jordan River made an ideal place for the Israelites to camp as they prepared to enter the land God had promised them. The city of Jericho, surrounded with its high walls, was the first obstacle they had to overcome if they were to take the Promised Land. Following the instructions of the Lord's messenger, God caused the walls of Jericho to crumble, and Joshua and his troops captured the city, killing all its inhabitants except for the prostitute Rahab and those of her household. Now almost fifteen hundred years later it was the city through which Israel's Messiah would make his way as he was about to fulfill God's promise to save the world.
There are two things Jesus did as he made his way through this city. The first was when he invited himself into the home of Zacchaeus, Jericho's hated tax collector, much to the annoyance of the crowds who thronged his way. Luke tells us that something wonderful took place in the life of Zacchaeus when Jesus came to stay, which led Jesus to say: "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham." And then Jesus states the purpose for his coming: "...the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."[1]
But there is a second person in Jericho whose need becomes known to Jesus, this time as he is leaving the City of Palms. It is the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, 'son of Timaeus,' whom we are told "was sitting by the roadside begging," or more correctly, sat "by the way." I want you to keep those words in mind, that when we first hear about Bartimaeus, he was sitting "by the way." It was a terrible thing to be blind or deaf or lame in this part of the world. People believed it was a sign of their wrong-doing that they were afflicted in this way.[2] Because they were unable to work, the only way they could survive was to appeal to passers by who may out of the kindness of their hearts drop a coin to two into their lap. It was an unenviable situation to be in, and little has changed over the past two thousand years. As there are no social welfare programmes to provide relief for such people, beggars, both adults and children, like this little girl whom we saw when visiting Judith, can be seen almost everywhere in this part of the world.
There are a number of things we learn about Bartimaeus.
1. He was ENTERPRISING. He did what he could to help himself. He timed and positioned himself exactly when and where he had the best possible opportunity for having his needs met. He knew that it was Passover time, and that thousands of pilgrims from Galilee would be making their way through Jericho to attend the festival. With their thoughts focused on God's goodness to them in freeing them from slavery in Egypt, they would be responsive to helping those less fortunate than themselves. Bartimaeus was well situated to capitalise on their generosity. Also he was not lazy. He did not sit around bemoaning his lot. He knew the pilgrims would be on the road early to cover as much of the journey as they could before the hottest part of the day, and so he was up early too, to be by the roadside to catch the pilgrims as they set out on their way. Try and imagine the scene. As he sat there he could hear the excited hum of people talking and he could sense that the crowd that was approaching him was much larger than what usually passed his way. He soon learns why. Jesus of Nazareth is among the crowd.
We are not told what he knew of Jesus before that day, but when he learns that Jesus is among the crowd, he seeks to catch his attention, and immediately starts shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." This enterprising man seizes his only opportunity for healing, for Jesus never passed that way again. It is sobering to think that if Bartimaeus had not acted then and there, he would never have been healed. That opportunity would never have come again. Such times come to us all. They are moments of opportunity, and when they come, like this blind man, we must not delay.
2. He was PERSISTENT. The crowd tried to shush him up. Mark says, "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet." They were not interested in this man. Their minds were on other more important things - the excitement of the Passover, and having Jesus in their midst. There is an air of expectancy, and they did not want be bothered with beggars that day. But Bartimaeus was not put off by their rebukes. Instead, "he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" He had the grace of perseverance, and his persistence was evidence of his faith. He knew that Jesus was the only one who could help him. He just needed to get his attention. Note the contrast between the insensitivity of the crowd to this man's need, and the compassion of Jesus. The church has often neglected the needs of those with disabilities, and made little effort to reach them and put them in the 'too hard' basket. To Jesus people like this blind beggar are like the little ones who belong to his kingdom. No one is too insignificant to command his attention, for he "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."[3] He always has time to attend to people's needs. Jesus hears our cries of distress. His ear is ever attentive to our prayers. If we will but persist like this blind man, and the many others of whom we read in this Gospel, he will answer in ways beyond our imagining.
3. He was SPECIFIC. When Jesus stopped and sent for Bartimaeus, he threw his cloak aside, his only possession, jumped to his feet and immediately came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks. "Rabbi, let me see again." There was no hesitation on his part. He knew exactly what he wanted, and immediately he received his sight. Jesus asked this blind man exactly the same question he asked of James and John earlier in this chapter when they came seeking the positions of honour in his kingdom. How different was their request to that of this man. If Jesus were to ask that question of you today - What do you want me to do for you? - how would you respond? What would you say? Could you be as specific as this man was?
Then note the outcome. This man's life was transformed that day, and it is summed up in three words. Remember I asked you to remember the words "by the way" earlier in this message. That was where this blind man was before Jesus came along. If we translate the last part of verse 52 literally it would read: "And immediately he saw again, and followed him in the way." There is a world of difference between those two phrases. Before his healing this man had never met Jesus. No doubt he had heard about him, and probably determined that if he ever came to Jericho he would make sure he met him. After that encounter his life would never be the same again. His testimony could have been the same of the blind man in John 9: "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."[4] He was touched by the grace of God.
What about you? Where are you today? Are you "by the way," just a spectator of the Christian life, but having no part in it? Or are you following Jesus "in the way?"
Prayer
Lord, Son of David, give us the faith to believe that you can meet our need, the persistence not to be put off, and the determination to follow you 'in the way.'