A Certain Blind Man

Interpreter’s Note:

Was there one man or two? Is this Bartimaeus? Expositors have disagreed.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, has an interesting explanation:

From Jericho (??? ??????). So Mr 10:46. But Luke {Lu 18:35} places the incident as they were drawing near to Jericho (??? ??????). It is probable that Mark and Matthew refer to the old Jericho, the ruins of which have been discovered, while Luke alludes to the new Roman Jericho. The two blind men were apparently between the two towns. Mark {Mr 10:46} and Luke { Lu 18:35} mention only one blind man, Bartimaeus (Mark). In Kentucky there are two towns about a half mile apart both called Pleasureville (one Old Pleasureville, the other New Pleasureville).

Luke 18:35-43

• A blind man begging.  What else could he do in an agrarian economy? How helpless and useless he must have felt.
• Sightless, but hearing, he knew that a crowd was passing by; and he wondered what was happening.
• Learning that Jesus of Nazareth was in the crowd, the blind man cried out for mercy from the one he considered to be the Son of David. There is no doubt of his theology nor of his opinion of Jesus.
• Though others attempted to silence him, he cried out louder. Here was one who could solve his great problem and take away his greatest pain. How could he be silent? Jesus was passing by. This was the opportunity of a lifetime.
• Jesus recognized a voice crying out, and ordered that the man be brought. Jesus asked him specifically what he wanted. The blind man came quickly to the point: “Lord, that I may see again.” (Was he once able to see?)
• His faith in Jesus was rewarded. He received his sight.
• Immediately he glorified God and used his new vision to follow Jesus.
• His healing motivated many others to praise God.

[print_link]