Background Material

This is the last miracle which Mark records. It concludes Mark's thrilling reports of the wondrous blessing which Christ bestowed upon the blind, the sick, the deaf, and even the dead. This particular miracle was reported by other Evangelists, who do not name the beggar. It is Mark alone who furnishes the name of Bartimaeus, which means son of Timaeus. It is somewhat curious how Mark had this information. Did he ask the man's name at the time of the miracle? Was the man a familiar beggar at this spot and thus generally known?

Although he was blind and could not see, he could hear a crowd coming along the road. The trampling feet and the conversations of the approaching group caught his attention. Out of curiosity he asked those around him to explain who was causing th…