HEALING BARTIMAEUS OF BLINDNESS

1. Why did Jesus perform miracles? 

a) If Jesus really were divine, he should have been able to perform miracles. Jesus did just that. He healed the sick, walked on water and even raised the dead. These miracles helped to support his claim that he was the true God come to earth to save mankind.

b) The miracles of Jesus are described in the New Testament and are listed more or less below.

2. Miracles of Jesus: Healing Bartimaeus of blindness (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43)

a) When Jesus and his disciples had gone to the town of Jericho, a blind beggar called out to Jesus. Jesus miraculously cured him of his blindness. As explained in the Gospel of Mark: 

Mark 10:46-52 New International Version (NIV)  

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” 

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. 

b) The phrase "Son of David" was a way to refer to the Messiah who had been promised by the prophets of the Old Testament. The Messiah was to be a descendant of King David who had lived about a thousand years before Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke say that Jesus was a descendant of King David, in addition to proclaiming that he is the promised Messiah.

c) Matthew mentions that there was a second blind man who also was healed with Bartimaeus.