Article May 18, 1957 Issue

"THAT I MIGHT RECEIVE MY SIGHT"

HAROLD TAYLOR WEEKS

Mark's Gospel records an instantaneous healing of blindness. To the plea of Bartimaeus (10:51), "Lord, that I might receive my sight," the Master replied, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole." The record concludes, "And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

One might ask, "What manner of faith was this?" On page 23 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy describes two kinds of faith—trustfulness and trustworthiness—faith which trusts in another and faith which includes spiritual understanding.

Was not trustfulness exemplified in the plea of blind Bartimaeus? And was it not Jesus' great spiritual understanding which made it possible for Bartimaeus immediately to receive his sight? What Jesus did for Bartimaeus on this occasion is explained by Mrs. Eddy's statement (ibid., p. 259), "The divine nature was best expressed in Christ Jesus, who threw upon mortals the truer reflection of God and lifted their lives higher than their poor thought-models would allow,—thoughts which presented man as fallen, sick, sinning, and dying." That Bartimaeus afterward followed Jesus in the way is further proof of Bartimaeus' spiritual receptivity and his love of God.

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