Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
(Matt. 20:29–34; Luke 18:35–43 )
(Mark 10:46-52 NKJV) “(46) Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. (47) And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (48) Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (49) So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” (50) And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. (51) So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” (52) Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.”
V46 “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.” Probably this was his usual place for begging. It is on the main highway. Was Jesus coming to (Luke 18:35) or going away (Mark 10:46 and Matthew 20:29) from Jericho?
(URCT) notes: “But the words εν τω ενγιζειν αυτου εις Ιεριχω, en to engidzein auton eis Ieriko, may be rendered “When he was nigh Jericho,” which is equally true of him who is gone a little way from it, as of him who is come near it; and as it is probable that Jesus stayed some days in the neighbourhood, this might occur as he went out of the city during that time, and he might afterwards re-enter it.”
Warren W. Wiersbe: “A large crowd of Passover pilgrims followed Jesus and His disciples to Jericho, about eighteen miles from Jerusalem. There were actually two cities named Jericho: the old city in ruins, and the new city a mile away where Herod the Great and his successors built a lavish winter palace. This may help explain the seeming contradiction between Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35.”
Henry M. Morris: “Evidently there was another blind man with Bartimaeus who was healed with him (Matthew 20:29-34), but only Bartimaeus, as the spokesman for the two, is mentioned by Mark.”
V47 “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His eyes may have been blind, but his ears were open. He heard a large crowd going by and found out that Jesus was there. Immediately, he began to call out for the Lord’s mercy. We learn from this example—pray for help from the one who can help.
V48 “Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Son of David is a messianic term. See 2 Samuel 7:12-16, which is the promise to David that the descendants of David’s throne will be eternal. Also see Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33, and Revelation 22:16. The King who is a descendant of King David needs to come through David’s son Nathan, because the line through Solomon was cursed (Jeremiah 22:28-30). Joseph, Jesus’s guardian, was of the line of Solomon; Mary was from Nathan’s line.
V49 “So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” Good news indeed. Jesus heard His cry and had compassion. Even though others told him to be quiet, he would not. This is the principle of Luke 18:1 to continue to pray.
V50 “And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.” He didn’t care if he left his outer garment in the dust. This was a priority. He didn’t worry about finding the garment after his blindness was healed. Spiritual blindness is even worse than physical blindness. Spiritual blindness leads to hell. See 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 and John 9:39.
V51 “So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Note his humble prayer. There was no fancy language, just a simple plea. A principle we learn—pray simply and come.
V52 “Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.” Note the importance of faith. Faith is believing in God. Compare deliverance from God’s wrath and other things in Jonah 3:5, John 3:15-18, and Romans 4:3.
We learn:
- Jesus hears the simple prayers of people.
- Jesus has compassion.
- Faith, believing in God, pleases God.
Questions:
- Do you believe?
- Do you pray?