As stated yesterday, we pause our Exodus Wilderness Wanderings for a few days to join another wilderness journey. This one, during Jesus’ era. Let’s embark on that journey into faith, as we learn how to see anew … with a blind man. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat
Mark 10:45-46 AFV
[45] For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” [46] Then they came to Jericho. And as He and His disciples were going up from Jericho with a large multitude, Bartimeus the blind man, the son of Timeus, was sitting beside the road begging.
Bar Timeus: Son of Honor
Siblings, I tell you, Mark was a sharp storyteller. Can you see how he connects the two texts – layer by layer? Yesterday, in re-viewing our Nougat, we saw that by placing Bartimeus’ story immediately after the disciples’ failure to ‘see’ Jesus’ point, Mark alluded to their spiritual blindness. We knew that something would happen regarding sight and insight, which had not yet been revealed. What we should also have asked ourselves is whether we have failed to see what God is about in our lives.
But there’s more embedded in that one verse. Some time ago, we noted that repetition in the biblical text is not accidental. It is a clear invitation to pay attention to something that is being said which is important. So before I say it to you – did you notice the repetition?
Yes, you saw it. It’s Bartimeus’ name.
For the audience in Mark’s era, they got the point. They would quickly have understood the meaning of the names they heard (read). However, we sometimes miss the irony embedded in the biblical text simply because we fail to understand what the original text meant. In Hebrew, Timeus, or Timaeus means ‘honor ‘, and ‘bar’ means ‘son’. When a name is prefixed with ‘Bar’, it already tells us that the person is either the Son or descendant of the name that follows.
Bat could also be a reference to the person’s nature … e.g., James and John were called the ‘_Sons of Thunder_’ (I suspect that they were a bit explosive). Together, those two must have gotten themselves into some interesting episodes. In fact, they were the ones who asked Y’shua to sit at His right hand when they all got to Heaven. Their request was a loaded one, whether they realised it or not.
They recognised Y’shua’s authority, but failed to see that He was predicting His crucifixion. It is understandable – Y’shua had raised several persons from the dead, and gods were immortal. Jesus was thus far removed from the possibility of death. And, at best, they might have thought they would all be translated to Heaven (perhaps raptured?).
Self-check
Had we been beside Jesus when He spoke about His betrayal and death, would we also have been sidetracked by the mundane?
Digging Deeper
Siblings, I suspect we’re agreed that all twelve disciples failed to ‘see’ what Jesus said. Especially after the thunderous request of the brothers. But can we hear Mark’s subtle dig about the disciples’ priorities? There they were, arguing about who should sit at the Highest Place of Honour in Heaven, not realising that for God, honour is based on service and sacrifice to the least and lowliest.
The irony comes through when Mark tells us that the ‘_blind son of honour_’ sat on the roadside begging. Why was honour begging to be seen and served? It reminds me of Proverbs 1:20 or thereabouts, which tells us, ‘Wisdom cries out in the streets …’. It seems honour was misplaced … or at least his son was.
Yes, siblings, it is ironic. For bar Timeus is often unacknowledged today. If we were to equate honour with integrity today, would bar Timeus be on the side of the road begging and blind? Would we even notice honour or integrity sitting there, asking to be seen? Mark’s use of the name twice demands that we see the truth about the disciples in that moment, an irony that may also be the truth about ourselves.
Point to Ponder
How shall we respond? Is there honour in what we do? Where is honour to be found on our life journeys? Selah.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
