Scripture: Mark 8:22-30
They came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked him,“Do you see anything? ”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people — they look like trees walking.”
25 Again Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
27 Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? ”
28 They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”
29 “But you,” he asked them,“who do you say that I am? ”
Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him. — Mark 8:22-30 (CSB)
Thought:
We have spent this week discussing that blind Bartimaeus confessed Jesus as “Son of David” and received his sight as Jesus was leaving Jericho going to Jerusalem. This calls to mind the previous healing of a blind man in Mark 8. This healing, of an unknown man, appears immediately before Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah (or Christ). What’s interesting is that at that time, Jesus told his disciples to keep quiet about him. That is because Jesus’ time to be known had not come yet. Jesus had not permitted demons to speak when they tried to tell about Him (1:25; 1:34; 3:12). In some instances, Jesus forbade people to tell about His miracles (5:43; 7:36). Why?
The time for Jesus to be revealed was not yet. The word getting out about Him too early would have sabotaged His earthly mission. There was a time to be quiet, and a time to speak boldly about Jesus, such as Bartimaeus did. Jesus accepted Bartimaeus’ messianic confession of Him because it was His time to be known. That time continues today. It is our responsibility to continue to tell the world that the King has come.
Prayer Prompt:
Pray that our Lord would give you the boldness of Bartimaeus in confessing to the world who He is.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
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