Here are the readings for this coming Sunday's Scripture readings from the U.S. Catholic bishops website. The Gospel reading is the story of the healing of the blind Bartimaeus in Jericho.You can find my own study (along with Don Schwager's meditation) on my website.
Here also the weekly audio/print meditation on the readings by Dr. Scott Hahn.
And finally, the weekly video by Professor Michael Barber on the Sunday readings.
Discussion and charitible comments are always welcome. Have a blessed and holy Lord's day!
Jericho, where today's reading takes place, has quite an interesting history.
ReplyDeleteIt is the oldest continuously occupied urban site in the Middle East - perhaps the world, dating back to around 8000 BC (by contrast, God's call to Abraham, the first reliably datable historical event in the Bible, took place around 2000 BC). It was an oasis city, know as the City of Palms. Of course, it was the setting for the first great victory by Joshua and the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land around 1400 BC (Joshua 5-6) where "the walls came tumblin' down."
In the New Testament, it was the site of Jesus' encounter with the diminutive tax collector, Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). It was on the dangerous road between this city and Jerusalem that served as the setting for the story of the Good Samaritan. In Jesus' time, it was pretty much a resort city where the rich of Jerusalem would go to relax. If one was a beggar, the edge of town on the road leading to Jerusalem was probably a good place to sit and beg.
The alternative version of this story can be found in Matthew 20:29-34):
ReplyDeleteAs they left Jericho, a great crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "[Lord,]Son of David, have pity on us!" The crowd warned them to be silent, but they called out all the more, "Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!" Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They answered him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight, and followed him. [NAB transalation]
As I mentioned in the study, it tells of TWO blind men, not just Bartimaeus, and that perhaps Mark mentions only one because Bartimaeus was the bolder of the two and the one who displayed the most faith. Also, the fact that Mark pointedly mentions Bartimaus' name (and even interprets it's meaning for his non-Jewish readers) hints at the possibility that Bartimaus (and even his father, Timaus) were persons of some prominence in Mark's immediate target audience (the Gospel of Mark, according to tradition, was written by Mark, a companion of St. Peter, to the Greek speaking Christians in Rome).
That's interesting. Thank you for sharing that and thank you for all the wonderful links you provided to go with it. It helps to get a good perspective and understanding of all that is being revealed . I'm sorry I don't have anything to add as I haven't even studied it personally yet in my prayer time but I will and it's good to keep in mind everything that has been said by professor Michael Barber and Scott Hahn . Anyway I'm sure the poor donkey Jesus rode on is a very important aspect of the story, besides what we already know. lol Sometimes in private revelations , Jesus reveals details of things , like he does in the Poem of the Man God by Maria Valtorta. I hope you don't mind me talking about that. My faith sometimes needs more than my reasoning of scripture and that is why I like to read messages in the form of private revelation . Mostly the Poem of the man God and True Life in God. However there are others like Gianna Tallone Sullivan. I'm just saying . Of course the magisterium and the Church is important in getting the right interpretation of scripture too .
ReplyDeleteGod Bless You
Jackie
Oh, there's nothing wrong with gathering personal inspiration from private revelation (provided they are approved by the Church and do not contradict Scripture and Church teachings). Just like the writings of the saints and our other fellow believers, we can often gain fruitful insights from the great mystics. I do, however, believe that they all should be an ending point for personal meditation rather than a starting point when studying the Scriptures. The Scriptures themselves, being inspired, are such a deep, deep well that in and of themselves it is difficult to exhaust their meaning for us today. I think as we go through the Gospels and get past the background and contextual info and into the more personal questions for application and reflection, you will be amazed at the insights, small and large, that emerge from even the most familiar stories like the story of Bartimaeus. Thanks for your contribution, Jackie --it's a valuable part of this discussion! :)
ReplyDeleteNow what about that donkey? None of the accounts in this and the other Gospel accounts mention Jesus riding a donkey into or out of Jericho; however a donkey does figure prominently right after this event when Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-20). Matthew emphasises the point that it is a fulfilment of Scripture about the coming of the Messiah (Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9), and mirrors the entry of Solomom, King of Israel, in his own entry into Jerusalem to take his throne (1 Kings 1:38-40).
Oh my apologies . Of course there is no mention of a donkey in this story . I guess I heard either Michael Barber in his video talking about a donkey and I hadn't read the reading yet . I did know that Jesus rode on a donkey on Palm sunday or as you say the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and you see? I don't know scripture as well as I ought too :( . My timing of events was way off . So the event of Bartimeas precedes the event of Jesus going into Jerusalem . got it .
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Michael Barber video -- is it coming through OK for you? The last two or three weeks the image I get is really choppy and hard to hear, no matter which computer I'm using.
ReplyDeleteNo . It times out a lot .
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jackie; that means it isn't just me. :)
ReplyDeleteOne last interesting thing about this story before we look at the discussion questions from the study.
This is the very last miracle that Jesus will perform in Mark's Gospel until the Resurrection (in the Gospel of Luke, who was a physician, it is noted that Jesus heals the ear of the High Priest's servant Malchus after Peter cuts it off).
Here is the first question for reflection as provided on the Scripture Study:
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the mood of the crowd was as they thronged around Jesus (see the First Reading, Jeremiah 31:7-9)?
according to Jeremiah , they probably were starving and hungry for the word of God, like chicks underneath their mothers wings , after being in exile for so long . I was listening to another catholic homily today at airmaria.com about Jericho vs Jerusalem, Jericho being the city of man and Jerusalem , the city of God . I think they were all spiritually dead as in blind and lame. Jeremiah 31:9 says "They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them . They needed healing .
ReplyDeleteMy original answer is on my blog =)
Peace
I would think they were all happy to be in the presence of the Messiah . Wasn't everyone happy to be around Jesus? lol
ReplyDeletelol. You would think so, but a lot of people --some of the Pharisees and Sadducees, Herod, etc --were not happy being around Jesus at all. Either they were threatened by him or they ignored him as inconsequential. Somewhat like people think of Jesus today.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone in the crowd was caught up in the excitement of seeing someone who was possibly the long-awaited Messiah on his way to Jerusalem -- to throw the hated Romans out and to re-establish David's throne. Of course, almost none of them had any idea of what kind of Messiah Jesus really was. Most of them probably saw him as a military conqueror who would have power and influence. Maybe some of them were annoyed at Bartimaeus because he was ruining the mood, or trying to horn in on what gain they themselves expected to derive by hanging around with Jesus.
Even the disciples were probably not above excluding Bartimaeus because he wasn't part of the group -- and as a blind man, couldn't expect to be anyone special. As we've seen earlier in this and the previous chapter, they were very jealous of their positions in the kingdom.
That's true, you make a good point about the pharisees and sadducees . Of course they felt threatened , sadly. No doubt the crowd would have thought Jesus was supposed to be some sort of political leader . But they were all blind as Bartimeaus was a type of all of us .
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I hope more people will discover your bible study too. did I tell you I also like it because it's free? lol
There is nothing wrong in discussing this sundays readings all week until the following sunday comes around. I always felt it better to discuss it that way instead of before. What do you think? Do you know what I mean?
lol! Free is good, and it will stay that way. I do it out of love for God's Word and my desire to share it.
ReplyDeleteI think I might start posting the Study for discussion slightly earlier in the week just so there will more time to discuss it. I had an online discussion forum like this a few years ago and it seemed to work out really well for everyone that way. Most people seem to start looking forward to the Sunday readings after Wednesday.
I am hoping we'll get more participants too. Las time I did this, we probably had 9-10 regulars before I had to close it. That Scripture discussion group started out small too, but it grew during it's short life-span. God willing, this one will too!
By the way, I liked the answers you gave to the refelection questions on your blog. Would you mind repproducing your answer to the second question here?:
In what uncharitable and unthinking ways do we often exclude others from our fellowship?
Sure. I said Bartimaeus was considered to be an outcast and that is why the crowds told him to be quiet. I tend to exclude others in my ignorance and prejudism too.
ReplyDeleteI think we all do. I'm afraid I've judged a book by it's cover more than once, been impatient with those who "aren't up to speed," and lacked compassion on those who's stories I don't know.
ReplyDeleteAs I've grown older, I've learned to listen more, not be so quick to speak or condemn. I still make snap judgements (maybe that's part of the human condition --my human condition, at any rate), but I am working on not acting so quickly on them.
I always find it amusing how the crowd in the story suddenly change their tune when Jesus over-rides their exclusiveness and orders them to call Bartimaeus. Why wasn't it they who extended the invitation in the first place?: "Come on, Bartimaeus --let me introduce you to Jesus!"
Perhaps the one's who finally extended the invitation were different individuals than the one's who tried to hush him up -- but still, they could have spoke sooner! :)
I wonder if we don't all think Jesus does the calling, with the rest of us busy doing other things?
What can we say about the next question in the
ReplyDeletestudy?:
What is significant about the way that Bartimaeus addresses Jesus (vv. 47, 48)? See also 1 Samuel 2:10, 2 Samuel 7:8-16.
Bartimaeus cried out in humility " Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
ReplyDeleteHis shouting was certainly directed at Jesus , but I am confused by the question. Sometimes I find the questions a little difficult . 1 and 2 Samuel certainly refer to Jesus, but not about the way Bartimaeus addresses Him . Anyway......
1 Samuel 2:10 is from the song of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. It is very much like Mary's Magnificat. Verse 10 is her prophecy about the Messiah (the Anointed One), who will also be a king who will judge the whole earth.
ReplyDelete2 Samuel 7:8-16 completes the picture where we find out that this Messiah will be David's descendant --the Son of David. Bartimaeus is actually the first one in the Gospels (except for the apostles) to identify Jesus by this Messianic title.
I've never thought of this before, but maybe that's another reason why the people were trying to quiet him: If the people expected a military Messiah -- one that would free them from Roman oppression -- applying the title to Jesus in such a loud manner in such a public place might have been considered subversive.
Jumping down a couple of questions: How is the request that Bartimaeus makes of Jesus different from that of James and John in Mark 10: 36-37?
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