Blind Bartimaeus - the highlight of Jesus' ministry

We tend to use the gospel reading for the coming Sunday for our mid-week communion, so here's my thoughts on Mark 10:46-52, the story of Bartimaeus.
What originally struck me was that this is Jesus' final miracle in Mark's gospel. It's immediately before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is the high-point of Jesus' ministry. You'd never guess from the story. As a miracle, it's a little underwhelming. Jesus heals a blind man. Compare this to John's use of the raising of Lazarus as the high point of Jesus' ministry. Now there's a serious miracle. So what makes this story special? Three things. First, we are given exact details - this is about Bartimaeus, son of (I've forgotten who, but it's right there in the text, go read it if you don't believe me!). The reader is expected to know who it's about. Second, the blind man calls out to 'Jesus, Son of David' - a Messianic title, he's acknowledging Jesus to be the Messiah - and is told it is his faith that has healed him. And third, he follows Jesus (even though, confusingly, Jesus tells him to 'go'). I'm guessing that Bartimaeus was a known follower of Jesus in the early church. This isn't the high point of Jesus' ministry because it's a fantastic healing, it's the highpoint of Jesus' ministry because it shows someone choosing to follow him, someone well known in the early church. Mark chooses the story of someone acknowledging Jesus to be the true King of Israel to bring the account of Jesus' ministry to an end before moving into the account of Jesus' passion in Jerusalem.