Introduction
Blindness is known to be one of the most disastrous chronic sickness that can change the joy and activeness of a man’s life. It’s thought me much lesson when I met a blind woman with three children that she has never seen with her sight. She didn’t know how they look, whether light skin or dark; tall or short; skinny or fat, and could not gaze at their beauty. There is a sense of hearing and another to see. There are some factors that complicate issues; Jesus brought forth the cure. The result is confirmed, and then there is some response to miracle.
The healing story of blind Bartimaeus demonstrate the life of a blind beggar, who seated at the roadside and hears Jesus passing by shout to Jesus for help to receive his sight back and he received attention from Jesus. Blind Bartimaeus recovering his sight an incredible account recorded in Mark 10:46-52, John said the cry was “A common messianic title used in only the synoptic gospel.”[1] The story of the Blind Bartimaeus son of Timaeus happen at or near Jericho. The clarity of the miracle made Vernon to describe it as “Lucid and Realistic”. [2] Mark had a strong presentation on the story on the blind beggar base on the wording and the tenses he used. The cry of passionate cry of Bartimaeus assisted him to gain back his sight. Jesus healing the bling in this story was not meant for entertainment, but it happened out of faith and compassion.
What is Healing?
There have been many definitions about healing from different perspective of faith and beliefs. According to the Webster New World College Dictionary, it explains healing as “to make sound, well, or healthy again; restore to health.” [3] This definition has much to explain concerning bodily health which is gain through physicians. Dave also explain healing base on many testimonies that, “It is the process of becoming well through a supernatural encounter.”[4] Considering both school of thought, I define healing a s a process of getting well with no human effort but through believe and faith.
Purpose of Healing the Blind.
There are two main understanding for someone to react to a situation, is either the person, gets to know that is his responsibility so he will act out of compassion or out of frustration. There are moments in scripture that miracles were done base on compassion and out of frustration. Analyzing the healing of blind Bartimaeus, he was crying for help and the crowd consistently asked him to remain silent, but he was crying out still until Jesus called him to come. It is a clear example of Jesus showing compassion on him. According to Mathew 14:14, “When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.”[5] The love and compassion of Jesus caused Him to do a lot of good to the people, but there was a time that out of anger and frustration He also performed miracles. Mathew 17:14-18, “And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon,[a] and it[b] came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.”
The Relationship Between Faith and Healing
There is always a strong connection between Faith and Healing and these two elements of religion work hand in hand. In Mark 10:51-52, when Jesus asked the blind Bartimaeus “What do you want me to do for you?” he answered I want to see after Jesus replied and said you faith has healed you. It is emphatic that faith plays a key role in the healing, assuming the blind man did had faith in Jesus he would have not been able to approach and cry unto Him. [6]
[1] John Macathur, The Gospel of Mark, The New American Standard Bible Commentary, ed. John Macathur (Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers 1798.)
[2] Vernon K. Robbins, Journal of Biblical Literature Vol. 92, No. 2, pp. 224-243, (Atlanta GA: The Society of bible Literature Publisher 1973.)
[3] Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4nd ed., p. cm, (Cleveland OH: Wiley Publisher, 2006.)
[4] David Jeffery, “Faith Today”, January 13, 2020.
[5] All biblical passages referenced employ the English Standard Version, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway,2008).
[6] 1. Tkach Joseph, Sr. and Bernard Schnippert, Faith and Healing,” 2020, https://www.gci.org/articles/faith-and-healing.