Healing of Blind Bartimaeus (Mk 10,46-52) in the Markan Context: Two Ways of Asking

This dissertation is a practical example of predominantly synchronical exegesis of Mark's gospel as practised in recent years. It is about the healing of Bartimaeus (Mk 10,46-52) in its Markan context. The larger context comprises of Mark 8.27-10.52. The immediate context began with the third prediction of Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection and ended in the Bartimaeus' episode (10,32-52). Very prominent in this immediate context is the request of James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, for places of honour in the Kingdom of Jesus (10,35-45), and this forms a contrast to that of Bartimaeus who asked only to see. Much efforts were taken to work out this constrasting feature, and this has added vigour to the thesis.