Loving Someone Enough to Stop and Help

On Thursday, October 20, 2011, a little two-year-old girl named Yue Yue was struck by a van in a hit-and-run accident in China. Then at least

18 people passed by, some going out of their way to avoid her. She was then struck by a second van that also did not stop. She was finally helped by a trash collector. It was, tragically, too late. She was declared brain-dead at a local hospital and declared dead early the next day. The whole incident was caught on video, shocking the moral sensibilities of the world and bringing shame to the proud Chinese nation.

One of the passersby later said, “This wasn’t my child. Why should I bother?” Journalist Lijia Zhang would shout at her own people, “Shame on us Chinese!” (“How Can I?”). Chai Ling, a leader of the Tiananmen Square student protest and author of A Heart for Freedom, would dig even deeper while expressing a measured degree of hope:

Yue Yue’s untimely and inhumane death has caused an ever greater stir in regards to the value of little girls in Chinese society and the responsibility of families and society to care for them than any video in all of history. And this has happened in a country that appears to care less about girls than boys—China has 37 million more men than women and is eliminating girls through prenatal sex-selection, infanticide and abandonment after birth. If one video of a small toddler on a side street in China can cause millions of people around the world to stop and rethink their own morals, and spur others to craft legislation that may save lives in the future, what sort of change is possible if we can capture the larger-scale, mass killing of girls on video? What if there were videos of women crying, being dragged into abortion centers while others look on? What if there were videos of girls being born and immediately drowned or strangled because they’re not boys, while others witnessed the crime? And what [if] there were videos of a family leaving its newborn daughter in a box outside the city because they can have only one child and they don’t want a daughter? Would this cause a similar commotion and stir a comparable amount of action? (Ling, “Can Video?”)

All of this requires each one of us to ask, “Would I have cared enough to take the time to stop and help little Yue Yue?” Jesus would have. And Jesus237 did: a poor blind beggar named Bartimaeus experienced it himself. In the process Jesus shows us what it means to “be a slave to all” (v. 44) and to serve those who cannot do a single thing in return for your loving them enough to stop and help.

People Are All Around Us Who Are Hurting and Need Our Love

Mark 10:46-48

Jesus has arrived at Jericho. There were two Jerichos in Jesus’ day, the ancient city and the new Herodian location. Matthew mentions two blind men, whereas Mark and Luke only mention one. Mark alone tells us that one man’s name is Bartimaeus. This does not mean that any of the accounts is inaccurate but rather that Mark and Luke chose to focus only on the more vocal and active of the two men. Matthew and Mark say the miracle occurred as Jesus was leaving Jericho, while Luke says it happened “as He drew near to Jericho” (Luke 18:35). This may be because Matthew and Mark use the new Jericho as their point of reference, whereas Luke is talking about the old Jericho, or vice versa. It may also be that Bartimaeus called out to Jesus as they entered the city, but the healing was not performed until they were leaving (Wilkins, “Study Notes,” 1864).

So Jesus makes a visit to Jericho, the last major city on the edge of the Judean wilderness. He will soon make the 3, 500-foot climb to Jerusalem where He will give His life as a ransom (10:45) for the sins of the world. But first, He must stop and help someone who is hurting, someone needing a little—no, a lot—of love.

There Are Crowds Who Are Often Insensitive (Mark 10:46, 48)

“Mob mentality” or “herd behavior” is the tendency to act together in unison, sometimes in morally reprehensible and unimaginable ways. Gang rape, gang beatings, even the extermination of an entire people group are tragic examples of a “mob mentality.”

A poor blind beggar named Bartimaeus suffered because of a “mob mentality” during the days of Jesus. Bartimaeus literally means “son of honor.” However, he was the recipient of anything but respect from the crowd that was attracted to Jesus. He was marginalized and sidelined!

Bartimaeus is no longer noticed by most. They do not see him or hear him. He sits by the road, day after day, begging to survive. Some give him a little, but most give him nothing. Hearing that Jesus is passing by, he begins to shout loudly with Messianic respect, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on238 me!” (10:47-48). The response of the mob was less than helpful: “Many told him to be quiet” (10:48). I would paraphrase this: “Shut up, you fool! You are embarrassing us!”

Perhaps this was the first time in a long time that anyone even took notice of him. On this occasion they did notice him, but not in love, only in scorn. They were insensitive. In their minds he did not matter. He was a taker and not a contributor. They just did not care. No one cared but Jesus.

There Is the One Who Needs Our Help (Mark 10:47-48)

No doubt the crowd was loud and boisterous, yet Mark tells us it is one solitary person who gains the attention of the Savior. He refers to Jesus as, “Son of David,” a messianic title that looks back to God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 where we read,

When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.... My faithful love will never leave him as I removed it from Saul; I removed him from your way. Your house and kingdom will endure before Me forever, and your throne will be established forever.

Solomon was the immediate and partial fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus would be the final and climactic fulfillment!

The blind man pleads with Jesus, “Have mercy on me!” He acknowledges without apology his helpless and hopeless condition. He cannot give himself sight. He cannot make himself wealthy. He is all alone and completely dependent on others, and he boldly and publicly declares he will stake his dependency on Christ and Christ alone, the Son of David.

Like Jesus, Christians should avoid getting so caught up with the masses that we miss the one. Pray for one at a time. Evangelize one at a time. Feed one at a time. Clothe one at a time. Disciple one at a time. Adopt one at a time. Love one at a time. There is always one who needs our help. Do you see that one? Do you hear that one?

We Should Never Be So Busy We Cannot Stop and Help

Mark 10:49-51

Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem—on the way to die. He is determined to fulfill His destiny. His mind must be racing; His heart is filled to overflowing with sorrow for what awaits Him. We could certainly understand if He just moved on this one time without stopping to help a poor blind man. He239 had more important things on His mind. He is about to give His life for the sins of the world! But He “stopped.” He brought this caravan of pilgrims to a screeching halt so that He might minister to just one. Jesus taught His disciples the art of stopping.

Hear the Cries of the Hurting (Mark 10:49)

Jesus hears the cries of a man who is hurting. The crowd wants to prevent this man from coming to Jesus, much like the disciples wanted to block the children (10:13). Still, Jesus heard his cry of desperation and stopped. With compassion He said, “Call him” (10:49). The crowd responded in obedience to this greater Son of David. They called the blind man, told him to “take heart” and “get up.” Jesus has heard his cry, and He will stop and meet this man at his point of need, his greatest need!

Listen to the Cries of the Hurting (Mark 10:50-51)

It is one thing to hear. It is another thing to listen. Some of us are good at neither! Some of us are good at hearing but not listening. Our Lord Jesus is great at both!

Jesus then asked Bartimaeus a straightforward question, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (10:51). This is the same question He has just asked James and John in verse 36. They asked for the best seats in the kingdom. Bartimaeus, in radical and stark contrast, has a much more humble request: “I want to see!” James Edwards says it so well: “The Sons of Thunder asked for extraordinary glory, Bartimaeus asked only for ordinary health” (Mark, 330).

Jesus heard his cry just like He hears ours. Jesus listened to his request just as He listens to ours. Psalm 17:6 says, “I call on You, God, because you will answer me; listen closely to me; hear what I say.” Psalm 54:2 says, “God, hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth.” And Psalm 71:2 says, “In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; listen closely to me and save me.”

The Lord indeed heard his request, which is actually a prayer to God! And our Lord will respond in glorious salvation—yes, salvation.

Never Be Surprised at How the Most Undesirable Respond to Grace

Mark 10:52

Job 42:5 says, “I had heard rumors about You, but now my eyes have seen You.” Job was addressing God as the awesome Creator. Bartimaeus could240 now voice those same words to God his Savior! As he comes face-to-face with his Creator, Bartimaeus cries out for mercy. Here comes the answer, and oh what a wonderful answer it is!

There Is Healing Grace That Saves

Jesus simply and quickly responds to the cry for grace and mercy from the blind beggar, “Go your way ... your faith has healed you.” When Jesus refers to the man’s faith, Jesus is not saying that the man has earned anything. Grace is the divine hand that extends healing. Faith is the human hand that reaches out and receives it. And the object of our faith is crucial. Exhortations to “keep the faith!” or “just have faith” are nonsensical and vacuous statements. Bartimaeus did not have empty faith. No, Bartimaeus directed his faith to the only One who could heal, the only One who could save!

The word for “healed” is also the word for “saved.” It can have both a physical and a spiritual dimension. Here, it no doubt has both! Would Bartimaeus be healed physically? Yes! Would he be healed spiritually? An even better yes! How do we know?

There Is Following Grace That Sanctifies

“Immediately he could see.” Instantaneous healing! No medical treatment! None of this is necessary when the Great Physician is at work. But Bartimaeus was not an ungrateful recipient of grace. He “began to follow Him on the road.” Bartimaeus is now a disciple, a follower of King Jesus. Where He goes, Bartimaeus will go. What He asks, Bartimaeus will do. Gospel gratitude will inspire us to follow, at any and all cost, the One who has so freely dispensed His grace. I see! I’ve been saved! I will joyfully follow King Jesus wherever He leads. John Grassmick says, “Bartimaeus pictured discipleship clearly. He recognized his inability, trusted Jesus as the One to give him God’s gracious mercy, and when he could ‘see’ clearly he began to follow Jesus” (“Mark,” 155).

Some early church traditions say Bartimaeus would follow Jesus all the way to His passion and later become a major figure in the church at Jerusalem. Personally, that is an easy thing for me to imagine!

Conclusion

This is the last healing miracle in the Gospel of Mark. It began with His healing a blind man (8:22-26), and it closes with His healing a blind man (10:46-52).

241But then like Bartimaeus we were all blind until Jesus gave us sight. We were poor beggars until He saved us as our ransom. We brought to Him nothing but our weakness and need, and He graced us with His power and blessing. Praise God Jesus stopped and had time for Bartimaeus. Praise God Jesus had time for you and me!

Nothing has changed in two thousand years. Jesus still stops for anyone who calls on His name. And like poor, blind Bartimaeus, no one is disappointed in what He does! Yes, there is hope for anyone who, in faith, looks to Jesus.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What thoughts, attitudes, or worldview allowed people to walk by the child Yue Yue after she was hit by a car?
2. Do the differences in details in the accounts of this miracle in Matthew, Mark, and Luke mean that the Gospels are unreliable? Explain.
3. Do you remember any unfortunate cases of “mob mentality” from your school days? What makes it difficult to resist or put a stop to such behavior?
4. Why is it sometimes easy to overlook individuals while we are trying to do great things for the kingdom? How does pride play a part?
5. How do the busyness of our culture and “the tyranny of the urgent” make it hard to stop and help individuals? How do we learn to stop?
6. What is the significance of Bartimaeus referring to Jesus as Rabbouni, “my Teacher”?
7. Why did Jesus ask this blind man what he wanted—wasn’t it obvious? What else might a blind beggar ask for from passersby? How did Bartimaeus’s request demonstrate faith in Jesus? What have you asked Jesus to do for you?
8. Why did Bartimaeus follow Jesus? How do his reasons compare with the reasons we might have?
9. Previously when Jesus healed a blind man (8:22-26), He touched him, applied saliva, and accomplished it in two stages. Here Jesus simply speaks and it is done. Why did Jesus do the same thing in two different ways? What point was He making?
10. In what sense are we all blind until Jesus heals us?