Walking With Christ

Today, let’s compare two names in the Bible—Bartimaeus and Barabbas—and explore the deeper meaning behind their stories.

Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43, Matthew 20:29-34) is a blind beggar who, despite the crowd’s attempts to silence him, persistently cried out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus called him forward, and in faith, Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, anticipating healing. Mark uniquely identifies him as “Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus.” The Hebrew word “bar” means “son of” and the name “Timaeus” in Greek means “honored” or “highly prized,” making Bartimaeus a “son of honor.” Though blind and marginalized, his faith led to his restoration by Jesus, showing that God elevates the humble.

Barabbas (Matthew 27:16-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:18-25, John 18:40) stands in stark contrast. His name means “son of a father,” bar and abba which means father, and he represents rebellion and sin. When Pilate asked the crowd to choose between Jesus and Barabbas, they chose Barabbas. This moment highlights humanity’s tendency to reject the true “Son of the Father” (Jesus) in favor of a counterfeit.

Mark’s habit of providing Hebrew words alongside Greek meanings invites us to consider the significance of these names. Bartimaeus was restored by faith, while Barabbas, the son of a father, was freed as an act of substitution—representing all of us for whom Jesus took the cross. Pontious Pilate said, “Would you rather have Jesus, the Son of the Father, or this guy, the son of a father?” The choice Pilate presented is the same choice we face today: Will we follow Jesus, the Son of the Father, or settle for a counterfeit substitute?

Take time to study the meaning behind these names. They remind us that Jesus came to lift the humble (like Bartimaeus) and to take the punishment deserved by all sinners (like Barabbas). His compassion, mercy, and grace extend to everyone.

How does this subtle shift in how these stories are read ripple through the rest of the bible? If the only person who was directly healed by Jesus in the bible was Lazarus, how does that deepen the connections and patterns found in almost every other miracles Jesus performed? If Barabbas wasn’t a name but instead a generic reference to “some random person”, how does that reinforce the idea that Jesus went to the cross for everyone and not just Barabbas?

I would say that even if these were the actual names of the individuals, the meaning behind their names would and should cause the same shift in understanding of the cross and how it applies to our individual lives. Humanity chose faux power in the garden and a counterfeit son from Pilate. Humanity consistently chooses the forgery. I think this speaks on a much deeper level about the truth of our broken nature and our natural preference to deny the painful truth of our condition. Fortunately, the fallen son of favor was restored by grace through faith and the real Son shed His holy blood to make a way for anyone who was willing to face the bitter truth and embrace His love for us to be fully restored with the one true Father.