Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 110
Miracle #40. Healed Bartimaeus of blindness.
- The Fortieth Miracle of Messiah
- “Rabbi I want to See!”
- The Messiah Revealed – Seen
- From Shame to “Son of Honor”
- The Good News
The Fortieth Miracle of Messiah:
Mattai 20:29-34
וַיְהִי כְּצֵאתָם מִירִיחוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרָיו הֲמוֹן עַם־רָב׃ וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי־עִוְרִים יֹשְׁבִים עַל־יַד הַדָּרֶךְ וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כִּי יֵשׁוּעַ עֹבֵר וַיִּצְעֲקוּ לֵאמֹר חָנֵּנוּ־נָא אֲדֹנֵינוּ בֶּן־דָּוִד׃ וַיִּגְעַר־בָּם הָעָם לְהַחֲשֹׁתָם וְהֵם צָעֲקוּ עוֹד וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲדֹנֵינוּ חָנֵּנוּ־נָא בֶּן־דָּוִד׃ וַיַּעֲמֹד יֵשׁוּעַ וַיִּקְרָא לָהֶם וַיֹּאמַר מַה־תִּרְצוּ שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו אֲדֹנֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר תִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵינוּ׃ וְרַחֲמֵי יֵשׁוּעַ נִכְמָרוּ וַיִּגַּע בְּעֵינֵיהֶם וּפִתְאֹם נִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו׃
בְּצֵאתָם מִירִיחוֹ הָלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו הֲמוֹן עַם רַב. וְהִנֵּה שְׁנֵי עִוְרִים, שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ בְּצַד הַדֶּרֶךְ וְשָׁמְעוּ כִּי יֵשׁוּעַ עוֹבֵר, הֵחֵלּוּ לִצְעֹק: “אֲדוֹנֵנוּ בֶּן־דָּוִד, רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ!” הָעָם גָּעַר בָּהֶם לְהַשְׁתִּיקָם, אַךְ הֵם צָעֲקוּ בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת: “אֲדוֹנֵנוּ בֶּן־דָּוִד, רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ!” יֵשׁוּעַ נֶעֱצַר, קָרָא לָהֶם וְשָׁאַל: “מָה רְצוֹנְכֶם שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם?” הֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ: “אָדוֹן – שֶׁתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵינוּ!” נִתְמַלֵּא יֵשׁוּעַ רַחֲמִים וְנָגַע בְּעֵינֵיהֶם. מִיָּד רָאוּ וְהָלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו. פ
When they went out of Yericho (Jericho), large crowds of people followed him. Just then, two blind men were sitting beside the road, and they heard that Yeshua was passing by. They cried out, saying, “Please be gracious to us (have mercy on us), Adoneinu, ben David!” The people reprimanded (rebuked) them in order to hush them up, but they cried out more, saying, “Adoneinu, be gracious to us, ben David!” Yeshua stood still and called to them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Master, open our eyes!” Yeshua was filled with compassion and touched their eyes. Immediately their eyes were opened, they could see, and they followed him.
Lukas 18:35-43
וַיְהִי בְּקָרְבוֹ אֶל־יְרִיחוֹ וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ עִוֵּר ישֵׁב עַל־יַד הַדֶּרֶךְ לִשְׁאֹל צְדָקָה׃ וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת־קוֹל הָעָם הָעֹבֵר וַיִּדְרשׁ לָדַעַת מַה־הוּא׃ וַיַּגִּידוּ לוֹ כִּי־יֵשׁוּעַ הַנָּצְרִי עוֹבֵר׃ וַיִּזְעַק לֵאמֹר יֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־דָּוִד חָנֵּנִי׃ וְהַהֹלְכִים לְפָנָיו גָּעֲרוּ־בוֹ לְהַחֲשֹׁתוֹ וְהוּא הִרְבָּה עוֹד לִזְעֹק יֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־דָּוִד חָנֵּנִי׃ וַיַּעֲמֹד יֵשׁוּעַ וַיְצַו לַהֲבִיאוֹ אֵלָיו וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרַב וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ לֵאמֹר׃ מַה־תִּרְצֶה שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנִי אֲשֶׁר תִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינָי׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו תִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֶיךָ אֱמוּנָתְךָ הוֹשִׁיעָה לָּךְ׃ וּפִתְאֹם נִפְקְחוּ עֵינָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרָיו הָלֹךְ וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וְכָל־הָעָם רָאוּ וַיּוֹדוּ לֵאלֹהִים׃
הוּא הִתְקָרֵב אֶל יְרִיחוֹ, וּבְאוֹתָהּ עֵת הָיָה אִישׁ עִוֵּר יוֹשֵׁב עַל־יַד הַדֶּרֶךְ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ נְדָבוֹת. כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע הָעִוֵּר אֶת הָעָם עוֹבְרִים שָׁאַל לָדַעַת מָה הַדָּבָר. הֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ: “יֵשׁוּעַ מִנַּצְּרַת עוֹבֵר.” אָז הֵחֵל לִצְעֹק: “יֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן־דָּוִד, רַחֵם עָלַי!” הַהוֹלְכִים לְפָנָיו גָּעֲרוּ בּוֹ לְהַשְׁתִּיקוֹ, אַךְ הוּא הִרְבָּה עוֹד יוֹתֵר לִצְעֹק, “בֶּן־דָּוִד, רַחֵם עָלַי!” יֵשׁוּעַ נֶעֱצַר וְצִוָּה לַהֲבִיאוֹ אֵלָיו. כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְקָרֵב שָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ: “מָה אַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה לְךָ?” הֵשִׁיב: “אֲדוֹנִי, שֶׁאֶרְאֶה”. אָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ: “רְאֵה! אֱמוּנָתְךָ הוֹשִׁיעָה אוֹתְךָ.” מִיָּד רָאָה וְהָלַךְ אַחֲרָיו כְּשֶׁהוּא מְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת אֱלֹהִים, וְכָל הָעָם כִּרְאוֹתָם זֹאת הוֹדוּ לֵאלֹהִים. פ
When he drew near Yericho (Jericho), a blind man was sitting next to the road asking for tzedakah (charity). He heard the sound of people passing by and inquired to know what it was. They told him that Yeshua the Notzri (of Nazareth) was passing by. He cried out saying, “Yeshua ben David, have mercy on me!” Those who were walking in front of him rebuked him to hush him up, but he increased crying out, “Yeshua ben David, have mercy on me!” Yeshua stood and commanded them to bring him to him. When he drew near, he asked him, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Master, make my eyes open to see!” He said to him, “Eyes be open! Your faith has saved you.” Immediately, his eyes were opened and he could see. He followed him (the Messiah), walking (by his sight) and praising God; and the people saw and gave thanks to God.
“Rabbi I want to See!”
This miracle event occurs as Yeshua and his disciples are departing from the ancient city of Jericho.
A Cry for Mercy: Bartimaeus, a blind beggar described as the “son of Timaeus,” was sitting by the roadside. Upon hearing that Yeshua of Nazareth was passing by, he began shouting, “Yeshua ben David have mercy on me!”
The Crowd’s Reaction: The surrounding crowd rebuked him and sternly told him to be quiet. Instead of backing down, Bartimaeus shouted even louder.
The Call of Yeshua: Yeshua stopped and commanded the people to call him over. Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, leaped to his feet, and approached.
The Healing: Yeshua asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied, “Rabbi, I want to see.” Yeshua then told him, “Go, your faith has healed you,” and Bartimaeus instantly recovered his sight and followed Yeshua down the road.
The healing of a blind man at Beit-Tzaidah (Bethsaids) is a unique miracle performed by Yeshua that is recorded exclusively in the Besora of Markos 8:22-26. It is distinct because it is the only miracle in the Sifrei HaBesorah (Books of the Gospel) where the healing happens progressively in two distinct stages rather than instantaneously. The event unfolds through several deliberate actions:
The Location: Rabbi Yeshua arrives in Bethsaida, a fishing village on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is notable that Bethsaids is the hometown of several of Yeshua’s Talmidim (disciples) including Keifa, Andrei, and Philip. The village serves as the backdrop for this unique miracle performed by Yeshua, which is recorded only in the Besora of Markos.
The talmidim (disciples) of Yeshua are linked to both Beit-Tzaidah (Bethsaida) and Kefar Nachum (Capernaum), with some prominent disciples sharing history in both locations as they transitioned during Yeshua’s ministry.
Beit-Tzaidah (Bethsaida)
This fishing village was the original hometown and birthplace of at least three of the main talmidim:
Shimon Keifa (Simon Peter): Born and raised here before relocating later in life.
Andrei (Andrew): Keifa’s brother, who grew up fishing these local waters.
Phlipos (Philip): Explicitly stated to be from the same town as Peter and Andrew
The Isolation: People bring a blind man to Yeshua but instead of healing him publicly, he takes him by the hand and leads him outside the village.
Stage One: Yeshua applies spit to the man’s eyes, lays his hands on him, and asks, “Do you see anything?” The man looks up and replies, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
This indicates that the blind man was not born blind from birth. For he knows what trees and people look like. We also see that his vision at first was only partially restored. For his vision was distorted and blurred.
Stage Two: Yeshua then places his hands on the man’s eyes a second time. This time, his sight is fully restored, and he sees everything clearly.
The Secrecy: Yeshua sends the miraculously healed blind man straight home with strict instructions not to enter or talk to anyone in the village.
The Talmidim’s Spiritual Blindness: The story acts as a perfect visual depiction of the spiritual vision problem of Yeshua’s talmidim. Situated right at the midpoint of Marko’s Besora (Gospel), it reflects how the talmidim could partially “see” who Yeshua was—Keifa confesses him as Messiah right after this—but were still spiritually unable see what the ultimate mission of the Messiah was; that is redemptive death and resurrection.
Judgment on Bethsaida: Leading the man outside the town and forbidding him to return is viewed as a judgment on Bethsaida. In other Besora accounts (like Mattai 11:21), Yeshua denounces Bethsaida for its persistent corporate unbelief despite the many signs and wonders performed there.
The Messiah Revealed – Seen;
Messianic Identity: By calling Yeshua the “Son of David,” Bartimaeus publicly recognized him as the promised Messiah. This is notably one of the few instances in the Besora of Marko where Yeshua accepts this title openly without commanding secrecy.
A Model of Faith: Bartimaeus is a model of faith. because he refused to let the discouragement of the crowd stop him from reaching out to God.
Spiritual Sight: The story serves as an illustration of spiritual sight. While the physically sighted crowds and talmidim (disciples) often struggled to understand Yeshua’s true mission, the physically blind beggar clearly saw who he was.
Parallel accounts of blind men being healed outside of Jericho also appear in Mattai 20:39-34 (which mentions two unnamed blind men) and Luke 18:35–43 (which mentions one unnamed man). Marko is unique in providing a specific name—“Bartimaeus.”
From Shame to “Son of Honor”:
The name Bartimaeus literally means “son of Timaeus”. It is an Aramaic-Greek hybrid name found in the Brit HaChadasha.
The Etymology: The Aramaic prefix Bar (בר) means “son of.” The second part is tied to the Greek word timē (τιμή), which translates to “honor,” “value,” or “highly prized” or to the Aramaic root meaning that means “defiled” or “unclean”. The latter reflecting an ancient societal belief that physical disabilities originate from a root cause of sin.
The Meaning: According to today’s context the final translation of Bartimaeus must mean “Son of Honor” and “Son of the Highly Prized One”.
The Irony: Bartimaeus is a blind beggar reduced to sitting by the roadside. His name creates a powerful irony: a man whose name means “honor” is an “outcast” living a life of complete societal uncleanness, shame and poverty.
The Good News:
When the Messiah appears everything changes: Due to his spiritual sight, his faith, Bartimaeus is able to be healed and see for the first time who he really is; and what does he see? He sees what God sees: He is a “Son of Honor” a “Son of the Highly Prized One!”