NT16 Bartimaeus Does Not Shut Up

Translation by Au Huen Hollander

When one passes through the store of Timaeus, a pottery baker in Jericho, one could always hear him singing. Timaeus is a cheerful believer and a wonderful singer. And if you would listen very well, you could hear his blind son sing along. Listen ……

“Rommenoe, rommenoe, Adonai, Adonai, Israel…”

With his foot, Timaeus turns the wheel around. Skilfully, his callous hands produce another beautiful pot.

Behind Timaeus, on a bench, sits his son. He plaits a rope Timaeus hangs his pots along the ropes, his son has made. The two are always together. Whenever the pottery baker leaves the shop, an anxious voice calls out: “Abba, where are you, abba?”

People call the boy, Bartimaeus. This means: Son of Timaeus. His own name is never mentioned …

When the song is finished, Bartimaeus says: “Abba, it is as if there is light when you sing. Then I forget all the unpleasant things.”

“What unpleasant things, my child?”

Bartimaeus does not look at his father, but raises his head up and searches some light with his blind eyes. “Like yesterday, abba. As I was walking on the road, a wild, barking and creepy dog jumped on me. I was so afraid … And sometimes, the boys of the neighbourhood trip me or they give me a rotten apple. I can hear them laughing. Oh, I wish I were dead, abba. Then life would be so dark.”

Timaeus washes his hands in a bowl of water and dries them off with an old towel. Are there tears in his eyes? “Come sit on the bench with me.”

He takes out a scroll from the shelves and draws Bartimaeus nearer to him. Bartimaeus feels the scroll. “Are you going to read me something, abba?”

“Ahumm!” answers the pottery baker. “The darkness you just described is also mentioned in this scroll by Isaiah. People can hurt each other so badly, eh? But when the Messiah comes, everything will be made right.”

Timaeus reads the part from the scroll with a warm and gentle voice. Oh, it is so beautiful. The words fill Bartimaeus’ heart with comfort. Listen! One day the Messiah will come. He will be a descendant of King David. He will bring eternal Peace. How long do they have to wait?

The years pass by. Bartimaeus is married and must earn a living by begging. Everyday, he sits at the same place at the gate. Sometimes his father walks along with him.

Look, there they go … Bartimaeus’ stick ticks against the wall and swings along the road. A begging bowl and water-jug are attached to his belt around his waist. His father first checks to see if there are any snakes on the floor. When there is nothing dangerous, he spreads an old cloth on the ground for Bartimaeus to sit down.

“See you tonight!” he says. “I will pick you up.”

“Alms, please!” Bartimaeus asks the people.

The coins fall jingling in his bowl. A lot of it are very small coins; they are not worth a lot, but enough for him and his wife to survive. “Alms, please!”

Not everybody is friendly to him. Oh, no! Sometimes when it is very busy and he sits a bit more to the road, they would walk over his legs. That hurts very much. Some would even curse him …

Does he think back to the times when his father read from the scroll? Of course, he does. These past days even more, because there are so many rumours about a rabbi from Galilea, who performs many miracles? His name is Jesus. If all the stories are true, then this Jesus is the Messiah. Bartimaeus would love to meet Him. And one day, he does. Listen!

Why is it so quiet on the road?

Where is everybody?

Bartimaeus, sitting at the same place, hears a noise from the city as if there are a lot of people talking. The noise is coming closer. Suddenly a boy rushes through the gate, shouting: “There He comes!”

“Who ….?” asks Bartimaeus.

No answer. There are more sounds of footsteps, talking and laughing approaching.

“Who is coming?” he shouts, while moving to the back

“Jesus of Nazareth!” somebody answers.

What ….? Bartimaeus is perplexed. Jesus? Is it really true ….? Oh, he wants to meet Him. This is his chance. Shall he ask somebody to bring him to Jesus ….? No! They may laugh at or bully him. He must find Jesus himself. He shouts as loud as he can: “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”

The bystanders are frightened by his voice.

“Be quiet!” they all say. “Shut up. You cannot call Jesus, the son of David.”

But he shouted all the more: “Jesus, son of David!”

He does not even dare to stand up; he is afraid his knees will give up because of the pressure. Yes! Jesus has heard him.

“Call him!” He says. Suddenly, the bystanders are very helpful.

“Keep courage. Stand up! He is calling you,” they say.

Bartimaeus knows enough. He jumps up. He throws off his coat, and sticks out his hands to find his way to Jesus…

Can you imagine this? Here is the Messiah, who he desired to meet for so long. How he love to see Him. Bartimaeus feels Jesus’ warm hands on each of his shoulders. “What do you want me to do for you?” he hears him say.

Bartimaeus cries out from the depth of his heart: “Master, I want to see!”

Does the Lord Jesus not know that he longs for a life without hatred and darkness?

“Go. Your faith has healed you” says Jesus.

It is as if there is light in Bartimaeus’ heart. Now, he can see Jesus. See …? Yes! He can really see Him. He sees His eyes, His coat, and His hands. He is not blind anymore. In adoration, he kneels down …

In the distance, there is a man running towards the crowd. It is Timaeus. Never before has Bartimaeus seen his father … What a wonderful moment.

A little while later, there are two happy persons dancing on the road; with arms around each others shoulders. Timaeus and Bartimaeus sing praises to God. And all of Jericho celebrates with them.