Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(Mark 10:32) And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid. And He again took the twelve and began to tell them what things would happen to Him.
In the last post Jesus had been on the road when the rich man came to Him asking how to have eternal life. He and His disciples apparently continued on the way and were headed to Jerusalem. Jesus went ahead of the disciples which amazed them that He boldly pressed forward headed into danger as He had already told them that He must go to Jerusalen to suffer many things and be killed (Matthew 16:21). That scripture said that from that particular time forth He had begun to tell them about His death and resurrection, so they knew well what awaited Jesus in Jerusalem. As they followed behind Him, they were afraid. They surely had ominous feelings about what awaited Him and that made them fearful for Him, and perhaps even for themselves. Jesus took them aside and began to tell them again what would happen to Him.
(33) "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles."
Jesus did not try to make the disciples feel better by telling them things weren't going to be as bad as they thought or feed them hopes that He might be able to escape what was to happen to Him. He told them the truth. There is power in the truth. We humans fear the unknown more than the known. He told them that they were going to Jerusalem where He would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes. They would condemn Him to death and then deliver Him to the Gentiles. This was it! It was all to happen soon.
(34) "And they will mock Him and scourge Him and will spit on Him and will kill Him, and the third day He will rise again."
Jesus gave the disciples more details about how they would torment Him, scourging Him, mocking Him and spitting on Him, and finally killing Him. However, on the third day after that He would rise again.
(35) And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Master, we want that you would do for us whatever we desire."
According to Matthew 20:20, it was actually James and John's mother who came to Jesus with them and asked if He would do them a favor. Therefore, it could not have happened immediately after what Jesus had just said to them, thankfully, as it would have seemed heartless to ask what they were about to ask after what He had just told them.
(36) And He said to them, "What would you want that I should do for you?"
The way the question was apparently asked was they desired Jesus to do whatever they asked. Jesus, however, wanted to know what it was first. Of course, He already knew, but He wanted them to voice it.
(37) They said to Him, "Grant to us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left hand, in Your glory."
They asked Jesus, or rather their mother with them was the one who probably asked, according to Matthew, if one of them could sit at the right hand of Jesus and the other on His left in His glory. I couldn't help but ponder how Mark chose to tell the story versus how Matthew told it. Matthew said it was James and John's mother who did all the talking and asking. He very specifically stated that their mother had asked that her sons be allowed to sit on the right and left hands of Jesus in His kingdom. However, Mark, who was likely Peter's scribe, and writing his view of the account put all the blame on James and John, suggesting that it was them who had the audacity to make such a request.
(38) But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
However, Jesus said to James and John and their mother that they really didn't know what they asked for. They probably saw Jesus's glory and kingdom as they did a worldly one. If Jesus was king and on the throne, then His disciples would naturally be highest rank in His court, they probably reasoned. Jesus had already rebuked His disciples when they had argued about which one of them would be the greatest in the kingdom, and here James and John were asking to have the highest honor. Jesus asked could they really drink of the cup that He did, or be baptized as He was about to be baptized. The brothers saw Jesus as a worldly king with all the pomp and circumstance and honor that went with it. However, Jesus drank from a cup of sorrows, soon to be afflictions and suffering. He was about to be totally immersed in a bloody baptism, His purpose for coming into the world. Could the brothers be on either side of Him as He did that?
(39) And they said to Him, "We can." And Jesus said to them, "You shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with, you will be baptized."
James and John told Jesus that they could drink of His bitter cup and be baptized as He was about to be baptized. Of course, they were ignorant of what that really meant. However, Jesus answered that they indeed would, as He knew they would suffer for being His follower, not in the way that He would, of course. Jesus suffered greatly for a greater purpose and bore the entire weight and punishment for the sins of the entire world, but James and John would indeed suffer for His sake, perhaps a sip of His cup.
(40) "But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it is prepared."
Jesus added that positions on His right and left hands were not His to give, but were to be given to whom they were already prepared by God. There were still two thousand years ahead of them of Christian saints doing God's will, and each would be rewarded according to his own labor, and of course, God already knew to whom the richest rewards would go.
(41) And when the ten heard, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.
The ten other disciples were all angry with James and John, not their mother, proving that Peter's opinion through his scribe Mark that it was James and John who really desired what their mother asked, although they may have used their mother to ask for them. At the very least, they certainly didn't rebuke her for asking.
(42) But Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority on them."
Jesus called all His disciples to Him and began to teach them. He described how rulers really lorded their superiority over their subjects usually in a tyrannical way. Likewise, the rulers' superiors exercised authority over them.
(43) "But so shall it not be among you, but whoever will be great among you shall be your minister."
Jesus explained that it was not that way with Christian disciples. Whoever was considered great in Christ's kingdom would be servants to others, not ruling over them.
(44) "And whoever of you will be the chiefest will be servant of all."
To serve Christ, or be his righthand man, as James and John desired, meant to serve and minister to a physically and spiritually sick world. Whoever was the greatest would be servant to all.
(45) "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Jesus explained that even He, their king, didn't come into the world to be attended and ministered to as a worldly king, but He came to minister to a lost world, and to even give His life to save many, all who would accept His sacrifice.
(46) And they came to Jericho, and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the side of the road begging.
On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples went through Jericho, and a multitude of people from the city followed them as they went out of Jericho. On the side of the road was a blind man, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, begging. If this is the same encounter that was recorded in Matthew 20:30, Matthew said there were two blind men. However, the fact that Bartimaeus was named, and additionally his father was named, might indicate that Timaeus was prominent and well known in the area. It doesn't mean there weren't two blind men, but he was the prominent one well-remembered. It's also possible that there were multiple healings of blind men, as the account in Luke gives different details about the time and location, according to commentators. I'm quite sure Jesus healed many blind people in His short ministry on earth.
(47) And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
As there was a multitude of people passing by Bartimaeus on the side of the road, he had occasion to hear or even ask who it was that passed by. When he heard it was Jesus, he began to cry out to Him, calling Him the Son of David, and asked Him to have mercy on him.
(48) And many rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried all the more a great deal, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Many people among the multitude rebuked him and told him to keep his peace, that same "Don't bother Jesus" attitude that we have heard before. However, Bartimaeus didn't let them stop him and he cried out all the more to Jesus.
(49) And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good comfort; rise, He is calling you."
Jesus stopped and directed the people to call Bartimaeus to Him. Jesus has time for all people, no matter how lowly their status, the blind beggars, the children, etc. They indeed called Bartimaeus and told him to be of good cheer and get up, as Jesus was calling him.
(50) And he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus.
Probably Bartimaeus sat with a blanket or something of the sort wrapped around him as he sat by the side of the road. He threw that off and went to Jesus. I love that picture! He was persistent in calling on Jesus, regardless of how people tried to discourage him, and when Jesus called him, he threw off the rags defining him and his situation, and came to Jesus. Some Bible commentators suggest throwing off one's own garments might more rightly express the throwing off or setting aside of one's own self-righteousness, admitting he can't do it on his own and his need for Jesus.
(51) And Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want that I should do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."
Jesus asked Bartimaeus what it was he wanted. Of course, He knew, and it was rather obvious, but He wanted Bartimaeus to confess what he needed from Jesus. Calling Him Lord, he asked that he might receive his sight.
(52) And Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.
Jesus told Bartimaeus to go on his way, that his faith had made him whole. Immediately he received his sight and he followed Jesus along the way. Bartimaeus had shown great faith in Jesus, knowing He was the promised Son of David, and acknowledging Him as Lord. Jesus didn't lay hands on Bartimaeus, or touch his eyes, or command he receive sight; he just told him to go his way and he was made whole, able to fully see. And he followed Jesus. A perfect end to that picture of someone throwing off self and coming to Jesus for salvation and following Him.
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