face to face with the light of the world

The Word for today:
Mark 10:32-52

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 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!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.   (Mark 10:46-52)



The first thing Bartimaeus ever saw is the face of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World:

"Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (Mark 10:52)

The scene is laden with metaphorical and spiritual beauty. Let me count (a few of) the ways…

Let there be Light.
In a replay of creation, Bartimaeus’ world was dark and formless. Then, in an instant, at the say-so of God, appeared the Light of the World.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (2 Corinthians 4:6)

For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.  (Psalms 36:9)

Let there be sight.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Let there be glory.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  (1 John 3:2)

***

On a literal level (the level on which the Bible is written) we cannot enter into the story of blind Bartimaeus.  Because we are not literally blind, the story is about somebody else.

But on a literary level (the level on which the Bible is written) we are all Bartimaeus, following Jesus down the road:

"I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12)

We are not Bartimaeus, and we are not blind.  But we are, and we were -- until Jesus came down the road.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~