Blind Bartimaeus
"Son of David, have mercy on me!"
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
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The whole story, in shortWhat happens, start to finish. Open it if you want the ending first.
As Jesus left Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" and shouted louder when the crowd told him to be quiet. Jesus stopped and called him, and Bartimaeus threw off his cloak and came. Jesus asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" and when Bartimaeus asked to see, he was healed at once and followed Jesus along the road.
Where it is in the Bible: Mark 10:46-52
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He is on his way to Jerusalem for the last time.
- Bartimaeus: A blind man who begs beside the road. His name means "son of Timaeus."
- The disciples and a large crowd: People walking with Jesus toward Jerusalem.
Setting
- The road leaving Jericho, a city about 15 miles (24 km) from Jerusalem.
When
- About 2,000 years ago, a few days before Jesus died.
Before the Story
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. He told his disciples that he would be handed over, killed, and after three days rise again (10:33-34).
James and John made a request. Jesus asked them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" (10:36). They asked for the best seats in his kingdom (10:37).
Jesus told them what greatness means. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (10:45).
God promised King David a son whose kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). People called the promised King the "Son of David."
Here's what you know: Jesus is about to ask Bartimaeus the same question he asked James and John.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Beside the road | 10:46 | A blind beggar sits by the road |
| 2. "Have mercy on me!" | 10:47-48 | Bartimaeus shouts. The crowd tells him to be quiet |
| 3. "Call him" | 10:49-50 | Jesus stops. Bartimaeus throws off his cloak |
| 4. "What do you want?" | 10:51-52 | Jesus heals him, and he follows Jesus |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 4Beside the Road
Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho.
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd went with them.
A blind man was sitting beside the road. His name was Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. He was a beggar.
Scene 2 of 4"Have Mercy on Me!"
Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He began to shout.
"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (10:47). Mercy means kindness and help to someone who can't help himself.
"Son of David" was a name for the King God promised to send. Bartimaeus couldn't see Jesus. But he knew who Jesus was.
Many people in the crowd scolded him. They told him to be quiet.
But he shouted even louder. "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (10:48).
Scene 3 of 4"Call Him"
Jesus stopped.
"Call him," Jesus said (10:49).
So the people called the blind man. "Take courage!" they said. "Get up! He is calling for you" (10:49).
Bartimaeus threw off his cloak. He jumped up and came to Jesus.
A cloak was a heavy outer coat. For a beggar, it might also be his blanket at night, and the cloth he spread out to collect coins.
Scene 4 of 4"What Do You Want?"
"What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus asked (10:51).
It was the same question Jesus asked James and John (10:36). They had asked for great seats.
"Rabboni," said the blind man, "let me see again" (10:51). Rabboni means "my teacher."
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you" (10:52).
Right away, Bartimaeus could see.
Jesus had said, "Go." But Bartimaeus followed Jesus along the road.
The road led to Jerusalem.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Jesus, Son of David" (10:47) | Bartimaeus called Jesus by a name for the promised King. He couldn't see, but he knew who Jesus was. |
| "Have mercy on me!" (10:47) | He asked for help he couldn't give himself. Churches still pray these words. |
| "He cried out all the louder" (10:48) | He didn't let the crowd stop him from calling to Jesus. |
| "Jesus stopped" (10:49) | Jesus heard one voice in the crowd and stopped for him. |
| "Throwing off his cloak" (10:50) | He left behind what he had and came to Jesus. |
| "What do you want Me to do for you?" (10:51) | Jesus asked, and he listened. |
| "Your faith has healed you" (10:52) | Bartimaeus trusted Jesus. Jesus healed him. |
| "Followed Jesus along the road" (10:52) | He became a follower, on the road to Jerusalem and the cross. |
Back Then
Jericho was an old city near the Jordan River. It was the city whose walls fell in Joshua's time (Joshua 6). Travelers going to Jerusalem from the Jordan valley passed through it. The road climbed steeply up to Jerusalem (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
Blind people often begged beside busy roads. Pilgrims walked this road on the way to the feasts in Jerusalem, so it was a good place to ask for help.
Matthew and Luke tell this story too. Matthew says there were two blind men (Matthew 20:30). Luke says Jesus was coming near Jericho (Luke 18:35). Each writer told it in his own way.
Literal Reader Alert
Why did Jesus ask what he wanted? Wasn't it obvious? Jesus didn't assume. He let Bartimaeus say it himself. Jesus treated him as a person, not a problem to fix.
Does "your faith has healed you" mean people who aren't healed don't have enough faith? No. Bartimaeus's faith was trusting Jesus, not a power he made himself. Many people with strong faith live with blindness or illness. Faith is trusting Jesus whether or not we are healed.
Why did the crowd try to keep him quiet? Mark doesn't say. Maybe they thought he was a nuisance, or that Jesus was too important to bother. Jesus didn't agree with them.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bartimaeus | Desperate | He shouted for mercy again and again (10:47-48) |
| The crowd | Annoyed | They told him to be quiet (10:48) |
| Bartimaeus | Excited | He threw off his cloak and jumped up (10:50) |
| Bartimaeus | Thankful | He could see, and he followed Jesus (10:52) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
If Jesus asked you, "What do you want Me to do for you?" what would you say? Tap one.
Help me see
That's what Bartimaeus asked. You can ask Jesus to help you see him clearly too.
Have mercy on me
Those were Bartimaeus's first words. They are still a good prayer.
Make me important
That's what James and John wanted. Jesus said the greatest are the ones who serve.
People tell me to be quiet
They told Bartimaeus too. Jesus stopped for him. Jesus hears you.
You Might Have Heard
"You should only bother God with big, important prayers."
What's true: God is great and holy.
What the story is mainly about: A beggar shouted, and Jesus stopped. The crowd thought Bartimaeus was a bother. Jesus didn't. He asked what he wanted, and he listened.
Where Jesus is: Stopping on the road to Jerusalem, where he would give his life. He took time for one blind beggar on the way.
Good News
Bartimaeus could only do one thing: call out for mercy. And Jesus stopped.
"What do you want Me to do for you?" (10:51).
Jesus was on his way to the cross, to give his life as a ransom for many (10:45). He still stopped for one man who called to him.
Jesus hears people who cry out for mercy. He stops, he listens, and he gives sight.
Big Idea
Bartimaeus cried out for mercy, and Jesus stopped. Jesus hears, he heals, and he calls us to follow him.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther taught that faith is like an empty hand that receives what God gives. Bartimaeus had nothing to offer Jesus. He had only a cry for mercy, and he received sight.
In many Lutheran services, the people pray "Lord, have mercy" near the beginning. In Greek this prayer is called the Kyrie. It is Bartimaeus's prayer.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Mark 10:46-52 in late October of Year B (Lectionary 30). In many Lutheran churches, Reformation Sunday falls on that day instead.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
How did that feel?
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Lectionary 30 Year BGospel, Mark 10:46–52
For a newsletter or sermon notes
Blind Bartimaeus, explained in plain words. The crowd tells a blind beggar to be quiet. He shouts louder, and Jesus stops. About 9 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/blind-bartimaeus/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church