Mark 10:40-52

10:40 but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared.” ¹ 

10:41 Now ²  when the other ten ³  heard this, ⁴  they became angry with James and John. 10:42 Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 10:43 But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 10:44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave ⁵  of all. 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ⁶  for many.”

Healing Blind Bartimaeus

10:46 They came to Jericho. ⁷  As Jesus ⁸  and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. 10:47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to shout, ⁹  “Jesus, Son of David, ¹⁰  have mercy ¹¹  on me!” 10:48 Many scolded ¹²  him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 10:49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So ¹³  they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! Get up! He is calling you.” 10:50 He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 10:51 Then ¹⁴  Jesus said to him, ¹⁵  “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied, “Rabbi, ¹⁶  let me see again.” ¹⁷  10:52 Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately he regained ¹⁸  his sight and followed him on the road.

[10:40]  ¹ sn After the first passion prediction in 8:31 Jesus rebuked Peter as having been used by Satan. After the second passion prediction in 9:31 the disciples were concerned about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. After the third passion prediction in 10:33 James and John asked for positions of honor and rulership in the kingdom, revealing their complete misunderstanding of the nature of the kingdom and exposing their inadequacy as true disciples of Jesus. Jesus replied that such positions were for those for whom it has been prepared.

[10:41]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[10:41]  ³ tn Grk “the ten.”

[10:41]  ⁴ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[10:44]  ⁵ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. 1). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[10:45]  ⁶ sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Matt 20:28 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in humanity’s place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that was deserved for sin.

[10:46]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:46]  ⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:47]  ⁹ tn Grk “to shout and to say.” The infinitive λέγειν (legein) is redundant here and has not been translated.

[10:47]  ¹⁰ sn Jesus was more than a Nazarene to this blind person, who saw quite well that Jesus was Son of David. There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).

[10:47]  ¹¹ sn Have mercy on me is a request for healing. It is not owed the man. He simply asks for God’s kind grace.

[10:48]  ¹² tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.

[10:49]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

[10:51]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[10:51]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς is redundant and has not been translated.

[10:51]  ¹⁶ tn Or “Master”; Grk ῥαββουνί (rabbouni).

[10:51]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “that I may see [again].” The phrase can be rendered as an imperative of request, “Please, give me sight.” Since the man is not noted as having been blind from birth (as the man in John 9 was) it is likely the request is to receive back the sight he once had.

[10:52]  ¹⁸ tn Or “received” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in v. 51).