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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_10:46-52
46Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you." 50Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51And answering him, Jesus said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And the blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!" 52And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
Mar_10:46 "Jericho" It is one of the oldest cities in the world and was often called the "City of Palms." The name means "the perfumed." It was a very fertile and beautiful area. In Jesus' day there were two Jericho's, the old city and a new Roman one about a mile away. It was about 18 miles northeast of Jerusalem at a ford of the Jordan River.
▣ "as He was leaving" Mat_20:29 has "going out"; Luk_18:35 has "approaching." This confusion is a sign of eyewitness accounts. Remember there were two Jerichos in Jesus' day. He could have been leaving one and approaching the other.
▣ "a large crowd" These were pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem for the Passover, along with interested townspeople. Many of the priests of the Temple lived at Jericho. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was very dangerous because of robbers (i.e., the parable of the Good Samaritan); therefore, people traveled in large groups.
▣ "a blind beggar. . .was sitting by the road" There is a Greek manuscript variant in this phrase. The noun for "beggar" is a rare term (cf. Joh_9:8). Usually the concept is expressed by a participle (i.e., MSS A, K, W, à and Textus Receptus, cf. NKJV). However, the noun (i.e., prosaiteô) is in MSS à , B, L (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV, and NJB). Manuscript D has a synonym (i.e., epaiteô, both formed from the root "to ask"), which is found in the parallel of Luk_18:35. These variants have no affect on the interpretation of the passage.
▣ "Bartimaeus" This word means "son of Timaeus." It is very unusual for Mark to record the names of people whom Jesus healed or exorcized. Interestingly, Matthew has two blind men (cf. Mat_20:30). Exactly why this occurs is uncertain, but it is a regular difference between Matthew and Mark/Luke.
▣ "son of Timaeus" This word in Aramaic meant "unclean." This was an attempt to explain the name Bartimaeus to a Gentile readership.
▣ "was sitting by the road" This was probably where the blind beggar sat every day hoping for alms (i.e., required Jewish offerings to the poor).
Mar_10:47 "Jesus the Nazarene" Mark uniquely spells out the title as Nazarçnos (cf. Mar_1:24; Mar_10:47; Mar_14:67; Mar_16:6). Matthew's Gospel says "He shall be called a Nazarene" (cf. Mat_2:23).
The village where Jesus grew up was called Nazareth. It is not mentioned in the OT, the Talmud, or in Josephus. It apparently was not settled until the time of John Hyrcanus (i.e., a Hasmonaen), who ruled from 134-104 b.c. The presence of Joseph and Mary from this village implies that a clan of David's line settled here.
There may be an etymological connection between the name Nazareth and the Messianic title Branch, which is netser in Hebrew (cf. Isa_11:1; Jer_23:5; Jer_33:15; Zec_3:8; Zec_6:12; Rev_5:5; Rev_22:16).
It was apparently a term of reproach because of its location far from Jerusalem in a Gentile area (cf. Joh_1:46 and Act_24:5; even though this, too, was a prophecy, Isa_9:1). This may be why it was included in the charge placed over Jesus' head on the cross.
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▣ "'Son of David'" This was a Messianic title (cf. 2 Samuel 7), which had nationalistic implications. This title is very rare in Mark (cf. Mar_10:47-48; Mar_12:35).
▣ "'have mercy on me'" This is an aorist active imperative, which denotes intensity. It was a common prayer in the Psalms (cf. Psa_51:1).
Mar_10:48 "Many were sternly telling him" This is imperfect tense. He was crying again and again and some in the crowd were scolding him again and again (cf. Luk_18:39).
Mar_10:49 "Jesus stopped" Even on His way to die, Jesus had time for a blind beggar! This is yet another prophetic sign from Isaiah for those who would spiritually see!
▣ "'Take courage, stand up. He is calling for you'" Usually in Koine Greek every phrase is connected with the previous phrase by a conjunction or a pronoun that refers to something in the previous context. When these connectors are absent (as they are here) they draw attention to the statements. These are emphatic, staccato statements. The first and second are present active imperatives and the last a present active indicative.
Mar_10:50 "Throwing aside his cloak" This cloak was used for (1) sleeping in and (2) collecting food and alms. In a sense this was a symbol of his faith that he would be healed.
▣ "he jumped up" These are graphic eye-witness details remembered by Peter.
Mar_10:51 "'What do you want Me to do for you'" Jesus was forcing him to state his faith request.
▣ "'I want to regain my sight'" Healing the blind had Messianic significance (cf. Isa_35:4-5; Isa_42:7; Isa_42:16; Isa_61:1). This was one of the proof-signs the Pharisees had been asking for.
Mar_10:52 "'your faith has made you well'" This is literally "saved" (i.e., sôzô) in a perfect active indicative form. This term is used in its OT connotation of physical deliverance (cf. Jas_5:15).
▣ "began following Him" Luke 18:45 adds, "glorifying God."
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