Editorial December 14, 1992 Issue

The role of expectancy in healing

William E. Moody

Jericho—known as the city of palm trees, the oldest city in the world. From Jerusalem, Jericho was seventeen miles by foot. And two thousand years ago, this was one of the places Jesus visited to bring his ministry to the people of Judea. Apparently a large crowd gathered around him while he was there, for as Jesus was leaving the city with his disciples, "a great number" of the townspeople followed him. On the roadside a man was sitting who made his meager living as a beggar. The Bible tells us his name was Bartimaeus, and he was blind.

Undoubtedly there was a stir among the people as Jesus headed out of Jericho. And when Bartimaeus heard who it was that was passing by, he cried out, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." Many of the people attempted to quiet Bartimaeus but their efforts only caused him to be more insistent. He must have known of Jesus' extraordinary work as a healer. Perhaps he even felt something right then of the presence of the Christ-power. As Bartimaeus realized that he might actually be able to speak to the Master, was the hope of healing now kindled in his heart? Did the faith that Jesus would see in Bartimaeus indicate some inner conviction, some expectation, in fact, that he would be healed?

Mark's Gospel in the New Testament concludes the remarkable encounter between Christ Jesus and this humble, blind beggar by relating how Jesus stopped on the road when he heard the man's cry, how Jesus called for Bartimaeus. "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him. Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way" (see Mark 10:46–52).

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