Week 5 – Jericho
Jericho is the last main stopover on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, the cross and the grave. It is possibly the most ancient city anywhere in the world.
Remember the walls? Archaeologists are kept busy here, excavating layers of pre-history from Canaanite settlement, to ancient Hebrew and all the way down to today’s modern city.
As always, we have to be a little bit cautious when people make claims about what things are. Sometimes the claim is rather tenuous. Sometimes people have seen and discovered what they want to find. For example, here is what is known locally as Zacchaeus’ Tree. I’m not sure it’s really the 2000 year old tree that Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus!
But hey, I could be wrong. And part of this pilgrimage is not seeing the very tree, or the very spot, but nourishing our creative imaginations to help bring the Bible to life when we read it.
But it’s another Bible story I’d like us to read today:
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Mark 10: 46-52
Jesus arrives in Jericho after a long journey from the North, through hot, dusty, difficult and dangerous terrain. The whole way, he has been teaching.
I can understand why the crowds told Bartimaeus to be quiet and not bother Jesus. But there’s no deterring him. This is his chance. He’s not going to let it pass in order to be polite.
First, he’s called Bartimaeus. He’s not a generic ‘blind man’. He’s an individual with a past and a future, like you and me, a 3D person.
Second, he’s physically blind but he sees something that many others miss, namely that Jesus is the Son of David, i.e. a royal figure, a King. We’re encouraged today not to define people by their disability, in fact to avoid the word ‘disabled’ where possible. Instead, we can say ‘differently abled’. It might sound irksome to some, ‘political correctness gone mad’, but Bartimaeus is more able than most – just in a different way!
‘Jesus stood still.’ An important detail. He’s on a journey, on a schedule, but people come first. He’s not too busy to make time for this man.
‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus doesn’t assume, he is led by Bartimaeus.
There’s a true story about a healing service. A woman in a wheelchair goes up front to ask for prayer. The minister immediately asks for God to make her legs better so she can walk. He finishes. So? Can you feel any strength returning to your legs? Can you move them?
No, says the woman. I actually came up because I’ve got a terrible migraine.
Jesus asks what it is we want. He doesn’t assume he knows best, but he treats his fellow human with respect and dignity.
Do you feel you can be honest and tell Jesus what it is you want?
Bartimaeus casts off his cloak. Jericho is hot! It wasn’t for warmth! His cloak was what he laid out by the roadside hoping pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem might throw in a mina or two. When he casts it aside, that’s a big leap of faith! He is going to leave behind his old life. A bit like Peter and co. leaving behind their nets.
And Bartimaeus joins them on ‘the way’ to Jerusalem. ‘The Way’ was an early expression for the church, the Christian community in Acts. Bartimaeus has become a follower, a disciple.
You’ll not believe the name of the road from here to Jerusalem, by the way – the Valley of the Shadow of Death! As in Psalm 23!
This is the dangerous stretch on which a man was attacked by bandits and left half-dead, until he was helped by the Good Samaritan.
Following Jesus from here means the Valley of the Shadow of Death. We are now in Passiontide, our thoughts turning to what awaits Jesus in the capital.
Join us again on Thursday as we arrive on the outskirts: Bethany and the Mount of Olives.
Greek this Week 