Bartimaeus (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note
Exam code: 8062
46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher let me see again.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:46–52)
The healing of Bartimaeus
Bartimaeus was a blind man who Jesus encountered on the roadside when leaving Jericho
Bartimaeus is an Aramaic name meaning “son of Timaeus”
Bartimaeus called out to Jesus, saying “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The crowd tried to silence him, at least partly because he was using the title Son of David
This was a dangerous title to announce because it referred to the Messiah
Bartimaeus was by the roadside, which showed he was seen as an outcast
His blindness meant other people viewed him as unclean
The belief at that time was that disabilities or illnesses were caused by sin
Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Bartimaeus showed total faith in Jesus: He asked for his sight to be restored
Jesus healed him but made it clear to everyone that the healing was a result of the man’s faith, saying: “Go; your faith has made you well”
Bartimaeus followed Jesus
The significance of the healing of Bartimaeus
This healing miracle is the final miracle Jesus performed before his entry into Jerusalem and the final events of his life
It has greater significance than just another healing miracle
It shows the importance of having faith so that healing can occur
Many Christians think that the healing of Bartimaeus was significant because, even though he was blind, Bartimaeus could see that Jesus was the Messiah better than others in the crowd
The healing shows that people are spiritually blind without Jesus and need to have faith like Bartimaeus in order to have their eyes opened to the path they should follow
For Christians today, the challenge is to remain faithful at all times
It also shows that Jesus was happy to help someone who would have been considered an outcast
Christians today have to seek out and help those who might be considered “outcasts” from society
Bartimaeus is described as “throwing off his cloak” — leaving his possessions behind — to go to Jesus
This teaches Christians to seek spiritual riches instead of holding on to earthly possessions
The titles given to Jesus in this passage are significant:
Jesus of Nazareth: By mentioning Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up and began his ministry, this title tells of Jesus’s origins as a man
Son of David: A title that has connections with the idea of being the Messiah, the one descended from King David, suggesting that Jesus should be the King of the Jews
Rabbi: A title given to a Jewish teacher, which shows that Jesus had great authority as a teacher
Worked Example
What title did Bartimaeus use when he called out to Jesus?
[1 mark]
A. Son of God
B. Son of David
C. Son of Man
D. Messiah
Answer:
B. Son of David.
All of these are important titles used of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, but in this passage, Bartimaeus specifically calls him “Son of David” (Mark 10:47).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You have now studied several miracles in this section, including the paralysed man, Jairus’s daughter, the feeding of the five thousand and the healing of Bartimaeus.
Remember that all of these miracles have several common themes:
They show that Jesus was compassionate for people who were suffering
They require a faith response from the people
They show how popular Jesus was as a teacher — he was often surrounded by crowds
You also need to remember that there are different responses to the historical accuracy of Mark’s accounts of these events:
Some Christians think they are literal accounts of historical events
Some Christians think they are metaphorical, intended to illustrate important beliefs about Jesus
Some Christians think they can be both
Non-believers may think they are tales from an age before modern science and that most events can be explained logically using science
Non-believers might just say they are impossible and did not happen
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