On Line Bible Study - For the Week June 20-26, 2011
Lesson 498
Luke 18: 35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Jesus healing a blind person is not a 'new' miracle for us. We are aware of the relationship between "spiritual blindness" and physical blindness, and we will explore it in even more depth when we get to the Gospel of St. John.
What might not be immediately obvious to us in this story is the comparison between someone who has everything - that wealthy ruler we read about in verses 18-29, and this person crying out to Jesus for mercy. One wants to know what to do to inherit eternal life; the other wants mercy and his sight. In some ways they are both asking for the same thing. A question to ponder is this: Which of the two are more predisposed to receive what they are asking for?
In a world filled with privileges for some, it may be that not everyone wants to "see". The blind man isn't asking Jesus to take anything away from the wealthy ruler; he just wants to see. In many ways the blind man already does see. And in many ways the rich ruler doesn't want "eternal life" - he is looking for a more enhanced life in the present. He is looking for more intensity in the experience of life because the novelty of his wealth and power are wearing off. They haven't brought him the fulfillment he wants. In fact, he may not actually want "fulfillment"; he may simply want more of the same.
The question Jesus puts to this blind man is important: What do you want me to do for you? Can it be that Jesus gives the man in a physical sense what the man already possesses in a spiritual sense? And can it be that Jesus could not satisfy the rich ruler's request because the ruler wasn't being honest about what he really wanted?
So ... we have some things to ponder:
What might not be immediately obvious to us in this story is the comparison between someone who has everything - that wealthy ruler we read about in verses 18-29, and this person crying out to Jesus for mercy. One wants to know what to do to inherit eternal life; the other wants mercy and his sight. In some ways they are both asking for the same thing. A question to ponder is this: Which of the two are more predisposed to receive what they are asking for?
In a world filled with privileges for some, it may be that not everyone wants to "see". The blind man isn't asking Jesus to take anything away from the wealthy ruler; he just wants to see. In many ways the blind man already does see. And in many ways the rich ruler doesn't want "eternal life" - he is looking for a more enhanced life in the present. He is looking for more intensity in the experience of life because the novelty of his wealth and power are wearing off. They haven't brought him the fulfillment he wants. In fact, he may not actually want "fulfillment"; he may simply want more of the same.
The question Jesus puts to this blind man is important: What do you want me to do for you? Can it be that Jesus gives the man in a physical sense what the man already possesses in a spiritual sense? And can it be that Jesus could not satisfy the rich ruler's request because the ruler wasn't being honest about what he really wanted?
So ... we have some things to ponder:
- Are you blind?
- Do you know what you want?
- Are you being honest with yourself ...
- ... and with God?
posted by Mark D at 7:37 AM
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