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Mark 10

And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.

And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.

And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

What does Mark 10:52 mean?

Explanation

Mark 10:52 describes a scene where Jesus heals a blind man, Bartimaeus, who had shown his faith in Jesus' ability to restore his sight.

This verse captures the moment of healing and its immediate effect.

"Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole," indicates that Jesus attributes the man's healing not to Jesus' own action but to the man's faith. The healing is both physical, as the man received his sight, and spiritual, signifying restoration and wholeness.

The phrase "followed Jesus in the way," suggests that upon being healed, the man became a disciple, following Jesus both physically and spiritually.

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Historical Context

Mark is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament of the Bible and is thought to have been written around 70 AD.

The historical setting is Jewish Palestine under Roman occupation.

Society at the time had a strong belief in the supernatural and divine miracles.

Begging was often the only means of survival for those with disabilities.

The healing of Bartimaeus would have been a significant sign of Jesus' authority and compassion, challenging social norms surrounding illness and purity.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is an affirmation of faith as a key element in experiencing God's healing and grace.

Different theological viewpoints might emphasize various aspects of this healing story:

Traditional Christian theology might stress the divine authority of Jesus and the importance of individual faith in receiving miracles.
Liberation theology could highlight Jesus' attention to a marginalized individual, reflecting a commitment to social justice.
Prosperity theology might view the healing as a sign of the physical and spiritual blessings available to those with faith.

Practical Applications

This passage encourages individuals to have faith in difficult situations, trusting that such faith can lead to transformation and healing.

It underscores the importance of acting upon one's beliefs, as the healed man immediately followed Jesus, suggesting a life change.

In daily life, this verse can inspire believers to persist in their convictions, seek personal growth, and extend help to those in need, mirroring the compassion of Jesus.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:22: "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

And the woman was made whole from that hour."

Luke 18:42-43: "And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God."

Mark 5:34: "And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language from this verse include:

"Thy faith" (πίστις, pistis): Often implies trust, belief, or confidence in someone, in this context, Jesus.
"Hath made thee whole" (σέσωκέν, sesōken): From the root word "σῴζω" (sōzō), which has connotations of saving, healing, and preserving.
"Immediately" (εὐθέως, euthys): Suggesting instantaneously, without any delay.
"Received" (ἀναβλέψας, anablepsas): The act of regaining sight, to recover clear vision.
"Sight" (βλέπω, blepō): The ability to see, in this context refers to both the physical and spiritual vision.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison with other ancient myths and religions, this story shares some common themes of miraculous healings and the importance of faith or belief.

For example, in the Greco-Roman tradition, gods such as Asclepius were believed to offer physical healings.

Similarly, various religions emphasize the necessity of an individual's faith as a prerequisite for divine intervention or miracles.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understanding of blindness involves biological causes that typically cannot be instantaneously reversed.

While faith and positive attitudes can significantly affect a person's psychological well-being, spontaneous physical healings such as the one described in Mark 10:52 are not explainable by current medical science.

This verse is often considered a supernatural event beyond scientific explanation or as a psychosomatic response.

Commentaries

Commentators have various interpretations of this verse:

Some see the verse as an illustration of Jesus' divine power to perform physical healings as well as spiritual transformations.
Others focus on the communal aspect, noting the public declaration of the man’s faith and Jesus’ public affirmation.
Still, others stress the personal nature of the encounter between Jesus and Bartimaeus and the personal decision to follow Jesus after the healing.
Many scholars consider the passage as a part of Mark's overall theme of discipleship and the cost of following Jesus, evidenced by Bartimaeus' immediate response to follow Jesus upon his healing.

Mark 10

Mark 10

What does Mark 10:52 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 10:52 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?