Jesus gave sight to the blind. This served as a sign of His messianic identity and mission (Lk. 7:18-26; cf. Isa. 29:18; 35:5-6). Luke recalls Jesus’ encounter with a blind man who persistently sought the Lord to be made whole, which unveils an illustrious example of profound spiritual insight and faith. This miracle occurs immediately after Jesus announces, for the third time, His mission to Jerusalem—a mission involving suffering, death, and ultimate resurrection (Lk. 18:31-33). The disciples remain unable to grasp the gravity of the messianic assignment (Lk. 18:34), but their spiritual blindness is contrasted with the remarkable spiritual vision of a man without physical sight. This post will look more closely into Jesus’ healing of the blind man.
Mark recalls the blind beggar’s name was Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus (Mk.10:46). Matthew indicates a second blind man likewise received healing (Matt. 20:30). Mark and Luke note that the news of Jesus’ coming to Jericho moved Bartimaeus to search for the Lord (Mk. 10:46; Lk. 18:35). Matthew recalls Jesus exiting Jericho when the encounter with Bartimaeus took place (Matt. 20:29).[1] Yet, these are only apparent contradictions. Note the nuances between the gospel writers offers a more dynamic portrait of the Bartimaeus’ healing, and lend credibility to their testimonials as independent witnesses obviating any accusation of collusion.[2]
A blind beggar like Bartimaeus back in first century Jericho would have depended upon alms for sustenance. Jewish people considered helping the blind “a righteous deed,” and “Jericho was a prosperous town with a good climate,” which provided opportunities for Bartimaeus to receive support, “especially when pilgrims were passing by en route to the festival” in Jerusalem. [3] But despite his physical blindness, Bartimaeus possesses a clarity of spiritual vision unmatched by many. When he hears that Jesus is passing by, he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Lk. 18:38). [4]
Use of the title “Son of David” unveils a recognition of Jesus’ messianic identity as an offspring of Israel’s quintessential king who would have an eternal reign (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Psa. 110; Isa. 11:1ff; Jer. 33:14-18; Zech. 3:8; 6:12-14). Whereas the Jericho crowds simply perceived the Lord to be Jesus of Nazareth, blind Bartimaeus with faith rightly esteemed Him to be the “Son of David.”
The crowd rebukes Bartimaeus telling him to shut up. Their actions suggest an indifference to the blindman’s struggle. (Perhaps they even doubted that Jesus could really do anything to help the blind beggar.) Yet, Bartimaeus persists and cries out even louder. He refused let the opportunity to meet with Jesus slip away (Lk. 18:39).
Jesus hears the Bartimaeus, and calls the blind beggar into His presence (Lk. 18:40). This is a beautiful depiction of God’s heart for the least, lost, and lowly of the world. “What do you want me to do for you?” asked Jesus (Lk. 18:41a). Bartimaeus’ response is striking in its boldness and hope: “Lord, let me receive my sight” (Lk. 18:41b) Here the lowly blind man bequest of Jesus something only God could provide — the miraculous restoration of eyes! With mere humans such a task would be impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Jesus honors Bartimaeus’ faith and heals him, saying, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well” (Lk. 18:42). A miraculous restoration had taken place. Vision is restored to the man’s eyes. Bartimaeus now able to see immediately begins to follow the Lord, glorifying God. His transformation inspires the surrounding crowd, who also give praise to God. This miracle of Jesus brings to realization the messianic promises spoken about by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 35:4-5; Isa. 42:1).
Bartimaeus very likely apprehended even before the meeting that God must have had come down to visit His people in the person of Christ Jesus of Nazareth. Early church faith Cyril of Alexandria (AD 375-444) once preached,
The blind man must have understood that the sight of the blind cannot be restored by human means but requires, on the contrary, a divine power and an authority such as God only possesses. With God nothing whatsoever is impossible. The blind man came near to him as to the omnipotent God. How then does he call him the Son of David? What can one answer to this? The following is perhaps the explanation. Since he was born and raised in Judaism, of course, the predictions contained in the law and the holy prophets concerning Christ had not escaped his knowledge. He heard them chant that passage in the book of the Psalms, “The Lord has sworn in truth to David, and will not annul it, saying: ‘of the fruit of your loins I will set a king upon your throne.’” The blind man also knew that the blessed prophet Isaiah said, “There will spring up a shoot from the root of Jesse, and from his root a flower will grow up.” Isaiah also said, “Behold, a virgin will conceive and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” He already believed that the Word, being God, of his own will had submitted to be born in the flesh of the holy Virgin. He now comes near to him as to God and says, “Have mercy on me, Son of David.” Christ testifies that this was his state of mind in offering his petition. He said to him, “Your faith has saved you” (Commentary on Luke Homily 126).[5]
The healing of blind Bartimaeus holds a mirror to us all. We are all unable to perceive with our fleshly eyes the reality of the unseen. A veil of invisibility cloaks our faces from the brilliance of divine glory shining throughout all of creation. We are all sufferers of spiritual blindness in one way or another. But through the eyes of faith, like Bartimaeus, we can commune with God. The Son of God has entered this world incarnated as Christ Jesus of Nazareth. With the eyes of faith that we perceive His presence in the world. Sin has marred our ability to see God clearly, leaving us ignorant of His truth and love. Yet, Christ has come to give sight to the blind and redemption to fallen humanity.
When we cry out to Christ, He stops for us, hears our deepest needs, and offers restoration. Bartimaeus’ story reminds us that faith is the key to seeing Jesus for who He truly is. May we, like Bartimaeus, persist in seeking Him and receive the vision to follow Him, glorifying God with renewed hearts and lives.
— WGN
[1] Bible scholar Gleason L. Archer Jr. suggests, “From Luke 18:35 we learn that Bartimaeus first learned of Jesus’ visit to Jericho as He and his followers were entering the town. Then, as the crowd was passing by, he tried to gain Christ’s attention by calling out directly to Him from where he was sitting. Yet it would seem that he was not at first successful; for it was not until Jesus had entered the town, had His contact with Zacchaeus, taught the people the parable of the pounds (or: minas), and was on the point of leaving the city that Bartimaeus finally managed to engage Christ’s attention”(Gleason L. Archer, New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, Zondervan’s Understand the Bible Reference Series [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982], 332).
[2] In The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel observes, “Ironically…if the gospels had been identical to each other, word for word, this would have raised charges that the authors had conspired among themselves to coordinate their stories in advance, and that would have cast doubt on them,” to which New Testament scholar Craig Blomberg replies, “That’s right…if the gospels were too consistent, that in itself would invalidate them as independent witnesses. People would then say we really only have one testimony that everybody else is just parroting” (Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidences for Jesus [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998], 45).
[3] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 18:35.
[4] All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), unless noted..
[5] Cited from Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005).
Love Truth Blog 
Very interesting! Thank you! God bless you, Warren!
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