Mark's Gospel tells the story of Jesus' final healing miracle - restoration of sight to the blind Bartimaeus. Chapters 8-10 are organized around the theme of discipleship. Jesus is portrayed as a teacher, taking his followers through a classroom set in real life. Each encounter, each drama, is presented as a lesson on the true nature and meaning of discipleship. Jesus' dialogues, miracles and pronouncements all help to set up the guideposts and guardrails along the challenging road his followers must travel. It is particularly fitting, therefore, that the final lesson in discipleship concludes with the healed Bartimaeus following Jesus "on the way."

The Bartimaeus story's transitional nature makes it unique in several respects. Unlike other healing encounters, the focus is on Bartimaeus hi…