Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

OUR LORD JESUS’ MIRACLES inspire us with awe, wonder and hope, and they were often a stage for teaching a deeper allegorical lesson. The restoration of blind Bartimaeus’ sight was such an instance. According to Greek lexicons, the name Bartimaeus means “son of the defiled or unclean.” Taking the lesson to a higher level, we, as descendants of father Adam, are all defiled by sin. The psalmist declared, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.”—Ps. 51:5, New American Standard Bible

Jesus came to be our Savior, and to deliver us from our undone condition. In the present time, a spiritual healing is being generously granted to his disciples. In one of his first sermons, Jesus read from Isaiah chapter 61: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed. To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Jesus then closed the book and announced, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-21, NASB) Throughout the Christian era the Holy Spirit has been enlightening God’s people, giving them restored sight in a spiritual sense. In God’s kingdom the entire human family will also have the opportunity to have their sins washed away and experience literal healing of all their diseases, including blindness.

The Prophet Isaiah speaks of that time when “the ransomed of the Lord will return,” in the resurrection. “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”—Isa. 35:5-7, NASB

Presently, we may experience the joy of enlightenment through God’s Holy Spirit. Our spiritual eyesight grows more acute as our Christian walk progresses. Principles of righteousness become more focused until they guide our lives with sharp clarity. We do not wish to be like those who were admonished by Jesus, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides!”—Matt. 23:23,24, NASB

The church of Laodicea was warned, because they wrongly equated earthly riches and honor with spiritual blessings. “Because you say, I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”—Rev. 3:17,18, NASB

Out of loving devotion for Jesus and a desire to be enlightened even in the midst of the world’s darkening atmosphere, we echo Bartimaeus’ request of the Lord, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Let us pray for spiritual sight that we may walk in the paths of righteousness.