Mark 10:52

The expression "the way" occurs three times in this chapter. In verse 17 it is connected with the young ruler. The Lord tested this rich young man. If you really want eternal life, go your way and part with the things that will hinder you. Then come My way, and the end will be eternal life. In the last verse of the chapter we get the third occurrence. The Lord had opened the eyes of the blind man, saying to him exactly what He had said to the rich young ruler. He says to one, "Go your way… and follow Me"; and to the other simply, "Go your way." Does it not seem that the blind man says, "Lord, You have opened my eyes. Now there is only one way I can go. Your way is to be my way"? What a contrast!

Notice that the Lord never makes a man follow Him. He would not make him a compulsory follower, if I may put it that way. Whoever follows Him must love to follow, and that is exactly Bartimaeus' case… There is no compulsion. If I told you that you must follow Jesus, you would not do it. But you may follow Jesus. If you learn His love, you will follow Him.

Sight, not money, was what he wanted; sight he asked for; sight he got. But more, the Lord spoke a word commending his faith: "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well." A beggar could receive blessing, because it did not depend on anything any man could give or do, but on faith in the Lord to heal. Where faith draws out the blessing, the rich man has no advantage over the poor man, even if the poor man is a beggar.

Mercy was what the blind man craved, though the people, who did not understand mercy of a divine sort, would have silenced him. Mercy however he got, and it went beyond his thoughts, for it not only gave him sight but enlisted him as a follower of the One who showed the mercy. Bartimaeus showed his faith by calling Jesus the Son of David, though others spoke of Him only as Jesus of Nazareth. His may only have been little faith, since he did not rise to the height of calling Him Son of God. Yet little faith receives an abundant answer as surely as great faith does.

His eyes were opened, and what was the first object he saw? Jesus! And that is what happens when the eyes of the sinner are opened. He sees Jesus.

There is no doubt that this man received both natural sight and spiritual sight on that memorable day. The way he chose then was to "follow Jesus on the way." The climb from Jericho to Jerusalem is extremely steep — about 3,600 feet in 13 miles. We may be sure it meant nothing to him compared with his joy in following the Lord Jesus.

He also followed Jesus on the way. For this is what His sheep do. It is their instinct of life in Him; and it is His word to them, so that they may be kept in a world of evil, snares, and danger. The Lord Jesus guides and guards His own. He does it as they hear His voice and follow Him all the way through.