46 "And they came to Jericho; and as He went out from Jericho, with His disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timæus, Bartimæus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the wayside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many rebuked him, that he should hold his peace; but he cried out the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and said, Call ye him. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good cheer; rise, He calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered him, and said, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And the blind man said unto Him, Rabboni, that I may receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And straightway he received his sight, and followed Him in the way."
Golden Text: "Lord, that I might receive my sight." Mark 10:51.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) How was Jesus accompanied as He left Jericho? Who was sitting by the wayside? What was the condition of this man? V. 46. Note 1. (2) What did the blind man find out as the crowd was passing him? What did he at once begin to do? V. 47. (3) What did the people do who heard him? What did Bartimæus continue to do? V. 48. (4) What did Jesus do? What command did He give? What did they say to the blind man as they called him? V. 49. (5) What did Bartimæus immediately do? V. 50. Note 2. (6) What question did Jesus ask Bartimæus? What did the blind man answer? V. 51. (7) In answer to the blind man's prayer, what did Jesus say to him? What immediately followed this declaration of the Saviour? Having received his sight, what did Bartimæus do? V. 52. Note 3.
NOTES.
1. As He went out from Jericho.—In Luke's account of the same occurrence it reads, "as He was come nigh unto Jericho." Mr. Robinson gives the following explanation of the apparent discrepancy: "In the time of Christ there were two Jerichos, each of which has an individual history given to us in the Bible. And even now there is pointed out a small village on the spot, and ruins in either direction mark the site of both of the former cities." One was ancient Jericho, the other a more modern city. Dr. Broadus says: "Now locate the healing at a bank on the roadside about half way between the ruins of the two cities where a beggar might naturally sit. Matthew and Mark speak of it as when he went out of Jericho; that is, the old city. But Luke, a Hellenist, and writing to a Gentile, says, 'as He drew nigh unto Jericho;' that is, the Roman town."
2. Casting away his garment.—"This was his cloak or mantle, which is often used by the poor at night for a covering, and which the law of Moses gave them a special claim to, that it should not be kept from them overnight when it was given as a pledge."—Jacobus. "This was an unwonted act for a blind man, who would ordinarily be most careful to keep his garment within reach."—Clarke. The fact that he was not careful about his garment shows that he had implicit faith that Christ would restore his sight. He could easily find his garment when the Saviour had healed him. When the Saviour called, there was immediate response. If we sensed our need of healing as the blind man did, we would fly to the Saviour with as much earnestness as he manifested.
3. And followed Him in the way.—Luke adds, "glorifying God." Bartimæus' condition is typical of the condition of every one outside of Christ. No doubt Bartimæus had many times heard of the miracles of Christ, especially in the healing of the blind, and he now had faith to believe that Jesus could and would heal him. Jesus was passing by; and tho Bartimæus did not know it, yet it was the last time Jesus would ever pass that way. If he let this opportunity go by, he would probably remain in darkness forever. How like the sinner, sitting in moral darkness! Jesus will sometime pass his way for the last time. Bartimæus' "experience of salvation is now the argument by which he can persuade others to come to Jesus, and thus help to save the world from spiritual darkness." The reclaimed sinner knows by his own experience what Jesus can do for others.
