治好瞎子巴底買
（太20‧29－34；路18‧35－43）
46到了耶利哥；耶穌同門徒並許多人出耶利哥的時候，有一個討飯的瞎子，是底買的兒子巴底買，坐在路旁。 47他聽見是拿撒勒的耶穌，就喊着說：「大衛的子孫耶穌啊！可憐我吧！」 48有許多人責備他，不許他作聲。他卻越發大聲喊着說：「大衛的子孫哪，可憐我吧！」 49耶穌就站住，說：「叫過他來。」他們就叫那瞎子，對他說：「放心，起來！他叫你啦。」 50瞎子就丟下衣服，跳起來，走到耶穌那裏。 51耶穌說：「要我為你做甚麼？」瞎子說：「拉波尼，我要能看見。」 52耶穌說：「你去吧！你的信救了你了。」瞎子立刻看見了，就在路上跟隨耶穌。
弟兄姊妹，平安。今天要講的故事來自《馬可福音》第十章46 – 52節的故事，那就是瞎子巴底買得到耶穌醫治的故事。這只是耶穌進入耶路撒冷之前的一個小插曲，但在這個故事中，我們也可以看到關於信心的深刻教訓。
這時候耶穌的名聲已經傳播得很廣，許多人都在跟隨他，無論是支持他的或是反對他的，都不在少數。特別是在耶利哥這個祭司之城，更是如此。即將到來的逾越節，讓很多人往耶利哥和耶路撒冷聚集。
當耶穌和眾人來到這座城市時，人群圍繞著他。在這個時候，我們聽到了一個尖叫聲，來自一位瞎眼的乞丐，他名叫巴底買。儘管有許多人試圖阻止他，巴底買卻毫不猶豫地高聲呼喊著耶穌，求他憐憫，求他施行神蹟，讓他能看見光明。
這段故事中展現了一個充滿盼望的人，他不顧一切地呼喚著耶穌的名字，即使他看不見，但他深信耶穌會經過這裡。他的呼喊讓在場的人感到困擾，甚至有些人覺得他的行為不禮貌，但巴底買卻毫不動搖地堅持下去。這反映了一種對神的渴望和信心，他知道自己需要什麼，並且毫不猶豫地向耶穌祈求。不顧眾人的阻止和敵對的態度。
當巴底買引起耶穌的注意時，耶穌呼召他過來。巴底買的反應非常迅速，他立刻就把衣服丟下，全心全意地朝耶穌走去。他沒有等待，沒有猶豫，也沒有找藉口。他只是毫不猶豫地回應說：“主啊，我來了。”
然而，耶穌問他說：“你要我為你做什麼？”這似乎有點令人驚訝，因為耶穌難道不知道他是瞎子嗎？難道不知道他最渴望的就是恢復視力嗎？這個情節提醒我們，有時候我們在禱告中可能會陷入一個誤解，認為上帝已經知道一切，我們何必再多說些什麼呢？但事實上，上帝渴望我們與祂對話，分享我們的內心深處。禱告不僅僅是向上帝說出我們的需要，更是讓我們自己深入思考、反省和與神交流的過程。
當我們敞開心扉，坦誠面對自己的渴望和缺乏時，禱告就成為了一個充滿意義的時刻。透過禱告，我們不僅向上帝傾訴，也更清楚地認識自己的內心。因此，讓我們明白，禱告中所說的話語不僅僅是給上帝聽的，更是讓自己聆聽、認知和成長的過程。這是一個重要的自我反省的步驟，我們自身都可以從禱告中得益處。
巴底買非常清楚自己需要什麼，因此他毫不猶豫地表達了他的請求：“拉波尼，我要能看見！” 注意他這句話的表達方式，他絲毫沒有表現出任何猶豫或懷疑，”夫子啊，如果你能，求你讓我得醫治“ （像是那個想為兒子趕鬼的父親）也沒有浪費時間解釋他為什麼瞎掉，或自己的困境（像是那個在畢士大池躺了三十八年的瘸子）。他直截了當地說：“夫子啊，我要看見！”簡潔明瞭，這句話展現了他內心堅定、坦誠而毫無保留的懇求。這也是我們向上帝禱告時所應有的信心，充滿著堅定的心，毫無掩飾。你幾乎可以聽到他話語中的堅定，看到他迫切懇求的那的畫面。
在禱告時，我們是否常常感到猶豫不決？我們是否擔心所求之事是否合神心意，是否符合神學？巴底買的例子告訴我們，即使我們對神學一無所知，甚至對耶穌的身份也不完全理解，我們仍然可以擁有堅定的信心。有時候，在我們初信時，我們的信心可能更加單純和真摯，因為那時我們只是相信耶穌是我們的救主，他曾為我們的罪而死，並且復活。
我每天晚上都會在睡前和我的孩子一起背誦使徒信經和主禱文。他們完全不考慮這些文本的神學含義或者正確性，他們只是單純地認為這是一種好的禱告方式，所以他們很開心地背誦，也很快樂地在心中保存。這種單純的信心提醒著我們，我們可以在信仰中保持著清晰而堅定的方向，不受猶豫和懷疑的困擾。
然而，當我們開始學習神學，尤其是作為牧者或傳道人時，是否有時會發現我們對上帝的信心開始動搖？我們是否會開始對一切產生疑問？這是否意味著學習神學反而成為我們的絆腳石？難道我們不能像孩子一樣，保持著簡單而純潔的信心，或者像巴底買那樣，直接且堅定地向上帝呼求嗎？
最後，巴底買被醫治後，立刻跟隨耶穌。在路加福音17章記載，十個長大麻瘋的人中，只有一個回來感恩歸榮耀給神。而這個人竟然是一個撒瑪利亞人，並非正統的猶太人，被猶太人瞧不起的人。
很多人會成為基督徒或進入教會，是因為在他們人生的某個時候，教會的弟兄姊妹幫助了他們，又或是上帝解決了他們當時生活中正面對的某些問題。然而，問題解決之後，我們是否真正跟隨耶穌，又或者，問題解決後，我們就遠離了教會，遠離了上帝？
巴底買的故事提供了我們很多啟示，深刻地反映了人性。讓我們仔細思考這一點。
明天，我們讀到耶穌光榮地進入耶路撒冷，開始復活節的故事。讓我們預備心靈，因為復活節即將到來，願我們能夠深刻地思考耶穌受難的故事。
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight, Mark 10:46-52
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.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?”Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,”said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Brothers and sisters, peace be with you. Today's story comes from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 46 to 52, the story of the blind man Bartimaeus being healed by Jesus. This is just a brief episode before Jesus enters Jerusalem, but in this story, we can also see profound lessons about faith.
At this time, Jesus' fame had spread widely, and many people were following him, both supporters and opponents alike. This was especially true in Jericho, the city of priests, as the Passover was approaching, drawing many people to Jericho and Jerusalem.
When Jesus and the crowd entered the city, they were surrounded by people. At this moment, we hear a cry from a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. Despite many people trying to silence him, Bartimaeus loudly cried out to Jesus, pleading for mercy and for a miracle to restore his sight.
This story shows us a man full of hope, calling out to Jesus regardless of the obstacles. Even though he couldn't see, he deeply believed that Jesus would pass by this way. His cry disturbed the crowd, and some even found his behavior rude, but Bartimaeus persisted unwaveringly. It reflects a desire and faith in God; he knew what he needed and unhesitatingly asked Jesus for it, despite the opposition.
When Bartimaeus caught Jesus' attention, Jesus called him over. Bartimaeus's response was immediate; he threw off his cloak and went to Jesus wholeheartedly. He didn't wait, hesitate, or make excuses. He simply responded, "Master, I want to see."
Yet, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" This may seem surprising; didn't Jesus know he was blind? Didn't he know Bartimaeus's greatest desire was to regain his sight? This scene reminds us that sometimes in prayer, we may fall into the misconception that since God knows everything, why bother saying more? But in reality, God desires us to converse with Him, to share our innermost thoughts. Prayer is not just about expressing our needs to God; it's also about deep reflection, introspection, and communion with God.
When we open our hearts and honestly confront our desires and lacks, prayer becomes a meaningful moment. Through prayer, we not only speak to God but also gain a clearer understanding of ourselves. Therefore, let us understand that the words spoken in prayer are not only for God to hear but also for ourselves to listen, understand, and grow. This is an essential step in self-reflection, from which we can benefit.
Bartimaeus knew exactly what he needed, so he expressed his request without hesitation: "Rabbi, I want to see!" Notice the way he expressed it; he showed no hesitation or doubt, simply stating, "Master, if you could, please heal me." He didn't waste time explaining why he was blind or his plight. He straightforwardly said, "Master, I want to see!" Clear and concise, this statement showed his firm, sincere, and unreserved plea. This is the kind of faith we should have when we pray, full of determination and sincerity. You can almost hear the conviction in his words and see the urgency in his plea.
Do we often feel hesitant in prayer? Do we worry if what we ask for is in line with God's will or theology? The example of Bartimaeus tells us that even if we know nothing about theology, or even fully understand Jesus' identity, we can still have unwavering faith. Sometimes, in our early days of faith, our faith may be simpler and more sincere because then we simply believe that Jesus is our Savior, who died for our sins and rose again.
Every night before bed, I recite the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer with my children. They don't consider the theological meanings or correctness of these texts; they simply think it's a good way to pray, so they happily recite them and keep them in their hearts. This simple faith reminds us that we can maintain a clear and steadfast direction in our faith, free from hesitation and doubt.
However, when we start studying theology, especially as pastors or preachers, do we sometimes find our faith in God wavering? Do we begin to question everything? Does this mean that studying theology becomes a stumbling block for us? Can't we, like children, maintain a simple and pure faith, or like Bartimaeus, directly and firmly call upon God?
In conclusion, after Bartimaeus was healed, he immediately followed Jesus. In Luke 17, only one out of ten lepers returned to give thanks and glory to God. This person happened to be a Samaritan, not a mainstream Jew, someone looked down upon by the Jews.
Many people become Christians or enter the church because at some point in their lives, the brothers and sisters in the church helped them, or God solved some problems they were facing at the time. However, after the problem is solved, do we truly follow Jesus, or do we move away from the church and from God?
The story of Bartimaeus provides us with many insights, reflecting deeply on human nature. Let us think carefully about this.
Tomorrow, we will read about Jesus gloriously entering Jerusalem, beginning the story of Easter. Let us prepare our hearts, as Easter is approaching. May we deeply contemplate the story of Jesus' passion.
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