The Right Request

 Hey everyone.

Today, I will wrap up my exegesis of Luke 18, sharing the story of the healing of the blind man in Jericho, recorded in Luke 18:36-43.  Here is my translation:

35 It happened that as they neared Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road, begging. 

36 Hearing the crowds as they went by, he asked what was going on. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, 38 The blind man cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” 

39 Those passing in front of him rebuked him, and told him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

40 Jesus stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 

41 “What do you want to do?”

The man responded, “Lord, I want to see!”

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight! Your faith has saved you.”

43 At once, the man was able to see.  He followed Jesus, praising God. And all of the people who saw this praised God, as well.

Jesus is now approaching Jericho on his journey to Jerusalem.  Jericho is about eighteen miles from Jerusalem, so the journey is nearing its end. According to Kenneth Bailey, in the Middle East, when an important person comes to a town, the townspeople will go outside of the town to greet them, and escort them into the town.  Chances are that this is what was occurring in Jericho, with Jesus.  As he was entering the town, a crowd of people went out to greet him, and the crowd was escorting him into the town. (Bailey, 172.) This would explain the crowd moving past the blind beggar in this passage. 

Mark identifies the blind man as Bartimaeus. (Mark 10:46)  As the crowd moves past, he hears them and inquires as to what is going on.  Upon hearing that it is Jesus, he begins crying out to him, shouting “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The crowd rebukes the man.  It is possible that the townsfolk were planning some kind of special event to celebrate Jesus.  Whether that is the case or not, they certainly did not need a blind beggar being a nuisance during this special time.  

Their rebukes had no effect, and the beggar cried out for Jesus even louder. When Jesus hears the blind man, he has the crowd bring the man to him.  Interestingly, the crowd that had been rebuking him, is now escorting him to Jesus. 

Jesus asks the man what he wants.  It seems that it should be obvious what the man wants, but Jesus asks him anyway.  The man wants to see. An interesting note:  You may remember how James and John came to Jesus with the request that they be allowed to sit on his right and his left when he comes in his glory. Jesus responds to James and John, (Mark 10:35-45) and Bartimaeus with almost exactly the same question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus ironically saw things more clearly.    Their request was for glory.  His request to Jesus was for mercy.  In humility, Batimaeus makes the right request, mercy.  This is what we need far more than personal glory.

So, Jesus heals Bartimaeus, and tells him that his faith has saved him.  In gratitude, he follows Jesus, praising him. Bartimaeus makes the right request, and then when it is granted, he makes the proper response. 

     Kenneth Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press Academic, 2008.