Hold Your Peace - Mark 10:48

Mark wrote how Jesus and His disciples, “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, you Son of David, have mercy on me”, and in chapter ten and verse forty-eight of his book, Mark shared how the people around Bartimaeus “charged him to hold his peace” where we read:

And many charged him that he should hold his peace:

but he cried the more a great deal, You Son of David, have mercy on me.

The verse reads, “And many charged him that he should hold his peace:” Mark began with the words, “and many” which means “and a lot of people in the crowd around Bartimaeus” “charged him” or “ordered and commanded Bartimaeus” “that he should hold his peace” which means “to be silent, involuntarily still and quiet”. Mark shared how the people around Baritmaeus commanded him to be “quiet and still”.

The verse goes on to say, “but he cried the more a great deal, You Son of David, have mercy on me.” Mark continued with the words, “but he cried the more” which means “however, nevertheless, notwithstanding, moreover and Baritmaeus vociferate, speak with a loud voice and cry aloud even louder” “a great deal” or “with more force and volume“”, “You Son of David” which means “you offspring and progeny of King David of Israel”, “have mercy on me” or “be compassionate and show divine grace upon Bartimaeus himself”. Mark shared how “Bartimaeus” began to “cry out” even louder for Jesus to “be compassionate” toward him when people around him tried to make him be silent.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how the crowd's attempt to keep “Bartimaeus” quiet only motivated him to “cry out” louder. Those who come to Jesus must sometimes tune out the noise that would keep them from doing so, and Bartimaeus believed if Jesus saw Him, He would help him. God loves people to “cry out” to Him in desperation, and as they realize His Son Jesus is the only source for the healing of “spiritual blindness”, all they need to do is to “cry out” to Him who is ready and able to save.

Next time Mark shares how Bartimaeus is, “casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus” , so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".