Stroll through Scripture for Sunday February 25, 2024 — Second Sunday in Lent

Based on Mark 10:32–52

The Narrative Lectionary lists this Sunday’s reading as “Bartimaeus Healed.” Bartimaeus was a blind beggar. The healing is one of the three sections of this Scripture passage, but the summary title misses the important discussions preceding it. Maybe that’s on purpose though. In a way, all three of the stories have to do with what those around Jesus can and cannot see.

It’s important to note that the verse before this Sunday’s selection states: “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mark 10:31). This verse is about to be lived out in three different stories.

The first one is Jesus walking with his disciples and telling them for the third time about the beating, death, and resurrection that awaits him in Jerusalem. They are literally walking into harm’s way and it seems like the disciples either don’t get it or put their own spin on what they hear. He’s told them three times about this at this point. We’re on the other side of the events so we know how the story goes. It’s quite easy for us to look back and say things like “why can’t the disciples see what is happening?” Put ourselves in their shoes for a moment — they don’t know what’s going to be happening relatively soon. Sure, they hear what Jesus is saying, but Jesus has a way of talking in mysterious parables. Is this talk about beatings and death and resurrection just another parable? Is it hyperbole to grab their…