By the wayside, near Jericho, as Jesus passed along, sat blind Bartimaeus, begging. "And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, You son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace; but he cried the more a great deal, You son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; He calls you." (Mark 10:47-49)
The result is well known. As soon as Bartimaeus said, "Lord, that I might receive my sight," (Mark 10:51)
Jesus replied, "Your faith has made you whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." (Mark 10:52)
All men are blinded by nature, "For all have sinned," (Romans 3:23) and sin is blindness. "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." (Titus 3:11)
With a word Jesus gave to blind Bartimaeus his sight. That was written for our sakes, that we might know His power to open our sin-blinded eyes. Said He, "I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
His word is light and life, and the same word that gave sight to Bartimaeus, can remove the blindness of sin. "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1)
In another article we have seen that Jesus as our Advocate, is our Comforter. It would have been better if the translators had put "Comforter" in the text, instead of "Advocate," since the latter word is associated in so many minds with the idea of a lawyer before a judge; but if we take the word "advocate" according to its derivation, we shall find the same comfort.
If we consult a dictionary we shall find that the word "advocate" is made up from two Latin words, meaning to call to. Thus an advocate is one who calls to another. In law it has come to mean one who speaks for another; but we will adhere to its original use.
Now let us read the first with this definition of "advocate." If any man sin we have with the Father One who calls to us. God does not turn away from us, but calls to us in Christ, who is in the bosom of the Father. So we read, "God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:9) "I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you in the grace of Christ." (Galatians 1:6,RV) "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
Jesus said, "The word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." (John 14:24)
Therefore it is God who calls to us, "Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
If any man sin, we have One with the Father who calls to us. And what does He say? "I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace unto His people." (Psalm 85:8)
He says, "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near." (Isaiah 57:19)
Also He speaks righteousness. "I the Lord speak righteousness." (Isaiah 45:19)
God has set Christ forth "to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed." (Romans 3:25)
When Christ speaks righteousness to a sinful soul, then there is righteousness there, just the same as there was light when He said, "Let there be light." (Genesis 1:3)
And so again we find that Christ as Advocate is a Comforter. The voice that calls out to us, "Peace," comes from God himself, for our Advocate is "with the Father." (1 John 2:1) "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
The righteousness which it speaks is the righteousness of God. And He is calling to all; all may have the comfort, if they will hear His voice. "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live." (Isaiah 55:3)
What greater comfort could there be than to know that a voice from God is calling to us to come to Him? Whosoever reads this, "To you is the word of this salvation sent." (Acts 13:26)
Are you weary with groping in the darkness of sin? "Be of good comfort, rise; He calls you." (Mark 10:49)--Present Truth, November 2, 1893.