Mark 10

Mark 10, Luke 8:43-48

This chapter has a repetitive pattern of Jesus doing the opposite of what people expect Him to do. When interacting with crowds, Jesus does things that religious leaders or people would never do. He blessed the children that came up to him, and he responded to questions in a way that some were disappointed in (Mark 10: 13-16). Some were disheartened by his responses. Does that make them wrong or bad? No. But it definitely challenged those who asked, and Jesus was not just about transforming actions but also the heart.

There are two parts in this chapter where Jesus asks the same question, each with a different posture; “What do you want me to do for you?”. He first asks this question to his disciples John and James. They demand Jesus to do something for him. Can you imagine being so bold as telling (not asking) Jesus to do something for you? But James and John had a limited view of the Kingdom of God; Jesus used their requests to understand their desires and knowledge gaps. Even the boldest requests, God wants to hear them. This is also displayed when the question is asked again by the blind man in verse 46.

Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus, asking him to have mercy. Jesus calls him, and he responds. Bartimaeus approaches him and asks for his sight to be recovered. Just as Jesus said to the bleeding woman, he says, “Go your way; your faith has made you well” (V52). Jesus desired to heal him and help him understand that faith is built in bold requests. Jesus couldn’t meet the request of John and James, but he built their faith in the Kingdom of God. He could meet the request of Bartimaeus, and his faith had healed him.

What society rejects, Jesus invites. How beautiful is that? There is available redemption for all, but redemption looks different for every person and story. Do you have the faith to endure the healing and redemption? Are you ready to release your shame and embrace deep peace that only God can provide?