What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. The blind man said, rabbi, I want to see — the same question asked of James and John (verse 36) is now asked of Bartimaeus. James and John answered with an ambition request; Bartimaeus answers with a need request. Rabbi, I want to see: the simplest possible statement of the most fundamental need. The contrast with the disciples' ambition request is the chapter's final irony — the blind man who cannot see asks for the one thing that will transform everything; the disciples who can see ask for status.

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