The Upside-Down Kingdom

Mark tells this little story to mark the end of a section that started at 8:22, with another account of Jesus healing a blind man. Jesus has left Judea and is steadfastly on his way to Jerusalem, and on the way, he patiently explains to the disciples what awaits him there. They cannot grasp it.

Don't jump all over them because they are spiritually blind. What Jesus is telling them is contrary to anything else they have ever heard. They have been struggling to understand who Jesus is (see Mark 4:41), and now they have realized that he is the Messiah (8:29). This is not what was supposed to happen to the Messiah. Not in their understanding, anyway.

Mark may have had in mind Isaiah 35:5-6, with the blind seeing again, and leaping for joy.

Blindness was common in the ancient Near East, and the sight of a blind man begging was a common sight. Most people would have just ignored him. Jesus did the opposite. And Bartimaeus--the only person Jesus healed whose name we know--did the exact opposite of the rich young ruler who went away sad. He leaped up and followed Jesus.

Isaiah 35 ends with the redeemed entering Zion (Jerusalem) with joy. "They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

A fitting story to end Mark's description of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem.

Respond in Prayer

Lord Jesus, I want to see. Amen

Glynis Belec