In the story of Bartimaeus, Roc O’Conner writes, Blindness serves as a metaphor for the all-too-human unwillingness to recognize whatever wounds, hurts, and diseases keep us from recognizing God, ourselves, and others.
To aid in that recognition, O’Connor [notes] that the Greek word used for blind, or tupholos, relates mostly to idolatry, oppression and willfulness. The word used for seeing is anablepo, which generally is associated with a return to covenant fidelity.
Seeing means following Jesus’ way; it signifies salvation, which involves losing one’s life, surrendering one’s possessiveness, letting go one’s demand to rule, and walking with Jesus to the cross… and receiving the healing of his resurrection, [O'Connor writes].
The journey of the blind beggar illustrates a healthy way to personal growth: from self-awareness to a request for help, to a gracious reception of healing, and then to following the healer. In this way, Bartimaeus’s path to joy, hope and peace is available to each of us.
Image source: William Blake, Christ Giving Sight to Bartimaeus, https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-heals-the-blind-bartimeus-248728
Quotation source
The journey of the blind beggar illustrates a healthy way to personal growth: from self-awareness to a request for help, to a gracious reception of healing, and then to following the healer. In this way, Bartimaeus’s path to joy, hope and peace is available to each of us.
--Rob Hansen
Review of What the Story of Blind Bartimaeus
Teaches Us About Fear, Surrender,
and Walking the Path to Joy
Image source: William Blake, Christ Giving Sight to Bartimaeus, https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-heals-the-blind-bartimeus-248728
Quotation source
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