Matthew 20:29

Mat_20:29-34

And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by.

Jesus of Nazareth passing by

The time of this transaction was critical. He never was to come that way again. It was necessary for these blind men to be by the way while Jesus was passing. Had they been elsewhere they could not have received their sight. They caught the first sound of the approaching Saviour. Some men are too buried in their merchandize to know that He is passing. It is not enough to sit idly by the way side. These men made no demands but for mercy.

1. Their earnestness. They felt their need.

2. The difference between the unfeeling multitude and the compassionate Saviour. Put thine ear to the gospel and listen. He calleth thee. (E. Griffin, D. D.)

Spiritual blindness

I. Men are blinded by reason of sin. They do not see the truths of religion.

II. It is proper in this state of blindness to call upon Jesus to open our eyes. If we ever see, it will be by the grace of God. God is the fountain of light, and those in darkness should seek Him.

III. Present opportunities should be improved. This was the first time that Jesus had been in Jericho, and it was the last time He would be there. He was passing through it on His way to Jerusalem. So He passes among us by His ordinances. While He is near we should seek Him.

IV. When people rebuke us, and laugh at us, it should not deter us from calling on the Saviour.

V. The persevering of cry of those who seek the Saviour aright will not be in vain.

VI. Sinners must rise and come to Jesus. Cast away everything that hinders their confine.

VII. Faith is the only channel through which we shall receive mercy.

VIII. They who are restored to sight should follow Jesus. Wherever He leads-always-none else. He cannot lead astray. He can enlighten our goings through all our pilgrimage. (A. Barnes, D. D.)

The blind taught to see

Mr. MacGregor, in his recent Voyage, gives a most interesting account of Mr. Motts mission to the blind and lame at Beirut. He says, Only in February last that poor blind fellow who sits on the form there was utterly ignorant. See how his delicate fingers run over the raised types of his Bible, and he reads aloud and blesses God in his heart for the precious news, and for those who gave him the avenue for truth to his heart. Jesus Christ will be the first person I shall ever see, he says, for my eyes will be opened in heaven. Thus even this man becomes a missionary … At the annual examination of this school, one of the scholars said, I am a little blind boy. Once I could see; but then I fell asleep-a long, long sleep. I thought I should never wake. And I slept till a kind gentleman called Mr. Mott came and opened my eyes-not these eyes, pointing to his sightless eyeballs, but these, lifting up his tiny fingers-these eyes; and oh! they see such sweet words of Jesus, and how He loved the blind.

Hearing of Christ

Happy it was for these two blind beggars that, though blind, they were not deaf. They had heard of Christ by the hearing of the ear, but that satisfied them not, unless their eyes also might see Him. They waylay, therefore, the Lord of Light, who gives them upon their suit both sight and light, irradiates both organ and object, cures them of both outward and inward ophthalmies at once … Few such knowing blind beggars nowadays. They are commonly more blind in mind than body, loose and lawless vagrants; such as are neither of any church or commonwealth; but as the baser sort of people in Swethland, who do always break the Sabbath, saying, that it is only for gentlemen to sanctify it; or rather, as the poor Brazilians, who are said to be without any government, law, or religion. (John Trapp.)

Necessitous

men:-Here we have-

I. Such persons making the best of their opportunities-Christ was passing by.

II. One class of such failing to sympathise with another-the multitude rebuked.

III. Founding their appeal on the right ground-mercy.

IV. Presenting a right condition of will what will ye, as if all things were placed at the disposal of the right will. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Keep in the way of blessing

Be still in the Kings highway, in the use of the means, for though the natural use of the means and Gods saving grace have no connection, yet there is far less a connection betwixt that grace and the neglect of means. The poor beggar, that needs an alms from the king, goes to the kings highway, where he passes; and surely he is nearer to his purpose than if he should go to the top of a mountain where the king never comes; so, be you still in the use of means, in the Lords way. (Erskine.)

A wise use of the means of salvation

Those that wait upon the Lord in the use of the means and ordinances, they hereby spread their sails, and are ready for the Spirits motions which bloweth where it listeth. There is more hope of these than of such who lie aground, neglecting the means of grace, which are both as sail and tackling. The two blind men could not open their own eyes; that was beyond their power, but they could get into the way where Jesus passed, and they could cry to Him for sight, who only could recover it. Those that are diligent in the use of means and ordinances, may sit in the way where Jesus passes by, who uses not to reject those that cry unto Him. (Clarkson.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 20:29. And as they departed from Jericho — As he went out of Jericho with his disciples: (Mark,) behold two blind men — Mark and Luke mention only one of them, blind Bartimeus, who, it seems, was far the more eminent of the two, and spoke for both. These blind men, hearing the multitude pass by, asked what it meant, (Luk 18:36,) and being told that Jesus of Nazareth passed by, they cried, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. The multitude rebuked them, because, &c. — The original words in this place, επετιμησεν αυτοις ινα σιωπησωσιν, should rather be rendered, charged them to hold their peace — And so they will rebuke and charge all who begin to cry after the son of David: but let all those who feel their need of him, and want help from him, imitate these blind men, and cry the more, otherwise they will fall short of a cure.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 108. — THE HEALING OF THE BLIND MEN, Mat_20:29-34.

29. From Jericho — He has left Perea, crossed the Jordan, and is again in Judea. See note on Mat_20:17, and consult map. From the Jordan he goes up by a desert path until, in a green spot lying like an island in the surrounding waste, he finds the ancient town of Jericho, or “city of palm trees.”

Jericho was a stronghold of the Canaanites, and was the first city subdued by Israel after the crossing of Jordan and entering the Holy Land. At the time of our Saviour it had been lately enlarged and beautified by Herod the Great, who often made it his residence. Departed from Jericho — Luke says, “He was come nigh unto Jericho.” On this celebrated discrepancy of language between the two evangelists, a full discussion belongs to a comment on the passage in Luke. But we may here say, that there were more than one Jericho, namely, an old and a new. If our Saviour was really leaving one and approaching the other, both expressions would be literally true.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES

Mat_20:29. Jericho.—See p. 480.

Mat_20:30. Two blind men.—Here occurs one of the most marked of the apparent discrepancies of the Gospels. According to Matthew, Jesus healed two blind men on departing; according to Mark, one blind man on departing; according to Luke, one blind man on entering the city. The older Harmonists assumed that there were two miracles; that one blind man was healed at the entrance, and two at the departure, of Christ; and that Mark gave prominence to Bartimæus as the better known of the two persons. Ebrard thinks that Matthew combined the two accounts of Mark and Luke, and placed them in the departure from the city. (So also Wieseler.) It may simplify the matter if we consider that Jesus did not enter Jericho by the Jordan gate from Peræa, but came from Ephraim, and therefore probably made His exit by the same gate through which He entered. The blind man cried out upon Jesus, was threatened and restrained; he cried louder, and Jesus then regarded and healed him. But the Lord might have kept the blind man waiting till His return, to test him; and thus the Evangelists record the same event—the one, however, connecting it with the entrance, the other with the exit. Further, it is not difficult to suppose that in the interval another blind man joined company with the first, Bartimæus; and that both encouraged each other in the louder cry (Lange). The discrepancy does not in the slightest degree affect the credibility of any of the witnesses; it only serves, together with the other variations, to show the independence of the different accounts (Gibson).

Mat_20:31. The multitude.—The caravan of Galileans and others going up to Jerusalem for the passover (Carr).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Mat_20:29-34

A lesson in prayer.—Much has been written on some of the minor details in which this story and the parallel stories of St. Mark and St. Luke appear, at first sight, to differ. Judging from what has happened in regard to other parts of the Bible, we are content to believe that, if only our information on the subject were fuller than it is, we should find these to be points on which their agreement was only concealed for a time. 2Ki_5:7; Daniel 5 end of Mat_20:16; and Luk_2:2, are cases in point. What was supposed in these passages, at first sight to be proofs of inaccuracy, have since been seen, with fuller light on the subjects discussed, to be evidences of correctness. It is certainly not unfair, therefore, to suppose something similar to he true in this case; and, if we do nothing more, at least to suspend our judgment till all the evidence has been heard. Passing, therefore, to those more important features in regard to which all the stories are found visibly to agree, we shall find that they teach us the three following great lessons as to the great duty of prayer—that it must be believing in its origin; urgent in its character; specific in its aim.

I. Believing in its origin.—This was evidently so in the case of the first prayer recorded in this story. As they sit by the wayside, near the city of Jericho, the blind men hear sounds which greatly excite their attention. Many voices are heard speaking, multitudes of feet are heard passing, as they sit there. Naturally, they ask some among those passers-by to tell them what it all means. When they learn what it is, they are naturally excited very much more. Evidently they had heard before of Jesus of Nazareth—of His character, as full of mercy—of His greatness, as full of power—of His claims, as Son of David. Evidently they believe, also, in what they have heard. “Faith,” in their case, has come by “hearing” (Rom_10:17), and therefore it is that they cry out in the manner they did—appealing to Christ for that mercy of which they have heard—relying on Him to display that power of which they have heard—calling upon Him by that title which they hear He has claimed (Mat_20:30). In every way, therefore, we see that their prayer proceeded from faith. How, indeed, if we think of it, can any true prayer do anything else? As the Scripture has said (Heb_11:6), “He that cometh to God” at all “must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Much more is this true of those who come in supplication. How can they think of praying except to One whom they believe able to hear it? How are they likely to do so except to One whom they believe willing as well? And why should they do so unless they also believe that He can do what they ask? This is prayer, therefore—this is the root of it—asking in faith.

II. Urgent in character.—It is with prayer as it is with a stream. There are sure to be obstacles in the way of a stream, wherever it flows. But these obstacles never do more than check its flow for a time. The continual weight—the continually increasing weight—of the water behind, continually tends to press forward the water before. The greater, in fact, the obstacles in its way, the greater is the increase in the amount of water behind; and the greater, therefore—ever increasingly greater—its consequent pressure and weight. The more you check it, in fact, the more strong it becomes. Even if not much at first, by trying to stop it, you make it formidable indeed in the end. Just so it is with that true prayer which has its source in true faith. That there will be obstacles, sometimes, in the way of its immediately succeeding, follows, as it were, from the mere fact that it is offered in faith. There would be no call for faith if there were no difficulties, no hindrances, in the way. But such hindrances never eventually check the flow of true faith. They only arouse in the heart that offers it a greater sense of its need, a deeper perception of the nature of the emergency, a profounder conviction that the only way out of it is by perseverance in prayer. And they only, as it were, therefore, by the increasing pressure of these feelings, give greater strength to its flow. This is strikingly exhibited in the next thing to be noticed in the story before us. The multitude try to stop the blind men from pressing their request upon Jesus. They even go so far as to rebuke them for applying to Him at all. But it has no effect in the way of stopping them—none in the least. They do not pray less, they pray more, than before. If the multitude will not listen, all the more reason for still appealing to Jesus. If others will not assist them, all the more reason for exerting themselves. If others bid them be silent, all the more reason for “crying out” more (Mat_20:31). We see what it is. “They know in Whom they have believed”—where their only help is, their only hope, their only prospect of good. Greater, therefore, is the energy behind than all the impediments in their path.

III. Specific in aim.—For success in prayer this is just as essential as perseverance and faith. There must be a correct aim as well as a strong bow if the arrow is to arrive at its mark. Where we have a definite need there must be a definite description of it if we are to obtain our desire. It pleases God, as a general rule, to be inquired of by us before He grants our requests. This is brought out strongly in the last thing of which we are told in this story. There was everything in the case and attitude and behaviour of these men to show what it was they desired. Their evident blindness—their well-known helplessness, their sightless eyeballs, their eager countenances, their persevering outcries, told this plainly enough. But for all this, before Jesus grants it to them, they must express it in words. They have come up to Him. They are standing before Him. The multitudes also far and near are standing around. All are listening, all looking on, all awaiting the issue. Then, before them all, and in the hearing of all, the Saviour makes His inquiry: “What will ye that I should do unto you?” Then, in the same silence, and the same hearing, they make their reply. “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” And then at last, and then immediately, their desire is fulfilled (Mat_20:34). Why so? Because now nothing more is required. To their faith they have added perseverance. To their perseverance they have added definiteness. There is nothing more to be done. It is like a man who has succeeded in finding the right key to a door; and who has subsequently made his way with much expenditure of time and trouble to the door of that house; and has finally put the key into the lock of that door, and shot back its bolt. He has nothing to do now but go in!

What is that we, individually, desire and need at Christ’s hands? Let us think of it now in the light of these truths. Let us think of it in faith. Do we believe Him to be willing and able to grant it? To grant it exactly in the shape that we ask? Or in some other equivalent and perhaps much better shape? Have we asked for it as long and as earnestly and in the face of as many difficulties as the men in this story? And have we as yet succeeded in putting our request into as definite and clear a shape as they finally did with their prayer? Perhaps if we think of these questions, and the lessons they involve, and try to put them into practice, we too shall be able, as was done by these men, to turn delay into promptness, and hindrances into helps, and disappointment into hope, and hope into fruition, and darkness itself into light.

HOMILIES ON THE VERSES

Mat_20:29-34. The cure of two blind beggars.—

I. Their address to Christ (Mat_20:29-30).

1. The circumstances of it are observable. As Christ and His disciples were departing from Jericho, in the presence of a great multitude. Two blind men concurred in the request; these joint sufferers were joint suitors, etc.

2. The address itself is more observable. “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David”; repeated again (Mat_20:31).

(1) Here is an example of importunity in prayer; they cried out as men in earnest. Cold desires do but beg denials.

(2) Of humility in prayer. Only have mercy; they ask not for silver or gold, though they were poor; but mercy, mercy.

(3) Of faith in prayer. It is of excellent use in prayer to eye Christ in the grace and glory of His Messiahship; remember that He is the Son of David, whose office it is to help and save; and plead it with Him.

(4) Of perseverance in prayer, notwithstanding discouragement (Mat_20:31).

II. The answer of Christ to this address of theirs. The multitude rebuked them; but Christ encouraged them. It were ill for us if the Master were not more kind and tender than the multitude.

1. He “stood still and called them” (Mat_20:32).

2. He inquired further into their case.—“What will ye, etc.?” Which speaks:

(1) A very fair offer. “Here I am; let Me know what you would have, and you shall have it.”

(2) A condition annexed to this offer, which is a very easy and reasonable one, that they should tell Him what they would have Him do for them.

3. He cured them.—He did not say, “Seek in vain.” What He did was an instance of

(1) His pity;

(2) His power. “They followed Him.” None follow Christ blindfold; He first by His grace opens men’s eyes, and so draws their hearts after Him. They followed Christ as His disciples, to learn of Him; and as His witnesses, eye-witnesses, to bear their testimony to Him, and to His power and goodness.—M. Henry.

Mat_20:29. Jericho.—On the way to Jerusalem lay the beautiful city of Jericho. The place now called by that name is such a wretched assemblage of miserable hovels that it is difficult for the traveller to realise that the Jericho of the days of our Lord was not only the most luxurious place of resort in Palestine, but one that might vie with its fashionable rivals throughout the Roman Empire. Since the days of Herod the Great it had been the winter residence of the Court. Jerusalem being on the cold hill-top, it was convenient to have within easy reach a warm and sheltered spot in the deep valley of the Jordan; and with a delightful winter climate and a rich and fertile soil, Jericho needed only the lavish expenditure of money to make it into “a little Paradise,” as Josephus calls it. With its gardens of roses and groves of palm, it was, even before the time of Herod, so beautiful a place, that, as a gem of the East, Antony bestowed it on Cleopatra as an expression of his devotion; after it passed into the hands of Herod, a theatre was erected and an amphitheatre and many other noble and costly buildings; and during the season it was thronged by the rich and the great of the land, among whom would be distinguished visitors from foreign parts. What effect would all this grandeur have on Christ and His disciples as they passed through it on their way to Jerusalem? We are not told. Two things only are noted as worthy of record; the salvation of a rich publican (Luk_19:1-10), and the healing of two poor blind men. Not the gardens and palaces of the city, but its sins and sorrows, engage the Saviour’s thoughts and occupy His time.—J. M. Gibson, D.D.

Mat_20:31. Crowds around Christ.—Crowds gathered daily around Jesus Christ. He was thronged, pressed, almost persecuted, by the ever-accumulating multitudes. It is evident that this was not always, if it was ever, an advantage. The crowd was rather hindersome than helpful.

I. What of the crowds around Jesus Christ to-day?—Who are they, and what is their social effect? There is a crowd:

1. Of nominal followers.

2. Of bigots.

3. Of controversialists.

4. Of ceremonialists.

II. See how difficult it is for a simple-minded and earnest inquirer to find his way to Jesus Christ through such throngs.—

1. As a question of mere time they make it difficult.

2. They distract the inquirer’s thoughts.

3. They chill the inquirer’s love.

III. Against this set the glorious fact that there is no crowd, how dense or turbulent soever, through which, an earnest inquirer may not find his way.—There is a way to the Master; seek and thou shalt find; the Master, not the crowd, must redeem and pardon the sons of men.—J. Parker, D.D.

Mat_20:30-34. Jesus gives sight (A children’s sermon).—

I. Let us talk about these two men.—Notice three things concerning them.

1. They were blind. Many ways in which people lose their sight: accident, sickness, etc. Very likely these men had been born blind. Better to be born blind than to lose one’s sight afterwards. I think such people are happier because they really do not know what they lose in not having sight. Although these men were blind they were not dumb. They used their tongues in order to get eyes.

2. They were not only blind, but poor. Some blind, but not poor; e.g. late Professor Fawcett.

3. They were not only blind and poor, but beggars. Luke tells us that one was a beggar (Luk_18:35), and I think we may conclude that his companion was a beggar also.

II. The Person to whom they spoke.—Jesus. The right Person.

III. They asked the right Person at the right time.—When a life-boat comes out to a vessel that is sinking in the sea the poor sailors who are clinging to the rigging feel that now or never they must leap on board. What was it that made these blind men cry out so loudly, “Have mercy on us,” etc.? Was it not because they felt that if they did not get their sight now they might be blind all their days?

IV. They would not leave off crying to Jesus until He noticed them.—The people told them to be quiet.

V. Let me now speak to you about the power of these men’s prayers upon the Lord Jesus.—They made Jesus stand still. He touched their eyes, etc.

Learn: I. Whatever your trouble may be, Jesus is the right Person to whom to go for help.

2. Now is the time to go to Jesus.

3. Never leave off praying because somebody tells you to do so.

4. Make the same use of your eyes as the blind men did. They “followed Jesus in the way.” We follow people when we try to do as they do.—W. Harris.

Mat_20:32-34. The compassionate Christ.—

1. Christ taketh notice of such suppliants as the multitude doth despise. He standeth still to hear these blind men’s suit.

2. Where there is faith and sincerity the Lord will draw it forth to open view, for His own glory and the good of the believer; therefore He asketh what they would have, that it might be known that they did not seek money, but the fruit of His Divine power.

3. When misery is laid forth in faith before Christ, He meeteth it with compassion, as here in these blind men.

4. It is easy for Christ to do every greatest work, as here, to open the eyes of the blind, and to give sight to them; for He touched their eyes and they immediately received sight.

5. It is reason that what gift we get of Christ, we employ it for His honour, for their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.—David Dickson.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

THIRD SECTION

THE WRETCHED KEPT BACK FROM THE LORD, THE KING OF MERCY

Mat_20:29-34.

(Mar_10:46-52; Luk_18:35-43; Luk_19:1-10.)

29And as they departed from [were going out of]25 Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by [was passing by, παράγει], cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David [Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David].26 31And the multitude rebuked them, because [that, ἵνα] they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David [Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David].2 32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do 33, unto [for] you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched [Then Jesus, moved with compassion, touched, [σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰσ. ἥψατο] their eyes: and immediately their eyes [they]27 received sight, and they followed him.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Chronology.—According to Joh_12:1, Jesus came to Bethany six days before the Passover. As the feast fell upon the 15th of Nisan, or began on the evening of the 14th, this note of time takes us back to the 9th of Nisan. The day of the crucifixion was the 15th;28 and therefore the 9th was the Sabbath previous. The Jewish customs at the feast throw much light upon all these events. On Friday, the 8th of Nisan, in the year 783 from the foundation of Rome, or in the year 30 of our common reckoning (Wieseler, in his Chronol. Synopse, p. 176, shows that the first day of the Passover fell on a Friday in that year), Jesus went, with His disciples and some friends, from Ephraim to Jericho. Here He remained in the house of Zacchæus. Thus the procession set out too late to reach Jerusalem before sunset, that is, before the Sabbath. He therefore tarried, for the quiet observance of the festive day, in the customary tents near the Mount of Olives. Whether He spent the night in these tents, or in Bethany, cannot be decided,—at any rate, John dates from the next day; for on the evening of the next day, probably when the Sabbath was ended, that feast was prepared for Him in the house of Simon the leper, at which Martha served and Mary anointed Him, and to which many friends from Jerusalem had come to salute Him. On the following Sunday, early in the morning, the festal company set out from Bethany and from the tents, and assumed the form of a triumphant procession. After considering all these points, it will appear only an inexactness, and by no means a discrepancy, in the first three Evangelists to conduct the procession without any break from Jericho to Jerusalem, and to insert the anointing afterward: Mat_26:6; Mar_14:3. They had a definite motive for the transposition of this supplementary narrative of the anointing. It was their purpose to show how the idea of the betrayal ripened in the soul of Judas through the effect produced by the anointing; and also to connect the history of the anointing with the indication of the traitor at the Paschal feast. At the same time, they would bring the anointing as near as possible to the Supper, on account of its internal prophetical relation to that holy ordinance.

Mat_20:29. And as they were going out of Jericho.—Luke records the delay in Jericho, and the Lord’s stay in the house of Zacchæus, Mat_19:1; as also, the parable of the ten servants and the ten pounds, which was connected therewith. Jericho, יְרִיחֹח ,יְרֵהוֹ ,יְרִיחוֹ; variously written in the Greek also. According to the first form, it signified “the fragrant city;” according to the second, “the city of the moon.” The former, however, is the more probable derivation. It lay not far from the Jordan (60 stadia, or two hours), and was separated from Jerusalem by a waste and wretched wilderness.29 It was in the tribe of Benjamin, on the borders of Ephraim. The district was a blooming oasis in the midst of an extended sandy plain, watered and fruitful, rich in palms, roses, and balsam: hence probably the name (from רֵיח, scent, odor). It is true that the poisonous serpent was not wanting in this paradise also. The city was built by the Canaanites, and taken and destroyed by Joshua (Jos_6:26). At a later date it was built again and fortified, and became the seat of a school of the prophets. Herod the Great beautified it, and at this time it was one of the most pleasant places in the land. The balsam trade required that a chief publican should be there; and it was also inhabited by priests and Levites. In the twelfth century scarcely a vestige of the place remained; there is now a wretched village, Richa or Ericha, with about 200 inhabitants. Robinson, however, locates the old Jericho in the neighborhood of the fountain of Elisha [two miles north-west of Richa]. The palms have all vanished, and the climate is hot and unhealthy. [Robinson: “Only a single palm-tree now remains of the ‘City of Palms.’ ”—P. S.]

Mat_20:30. Two blind men sitting by the way side.—Here occurs one of the most marked of the apparent discrepancies of the Gospels. According to Matthew, Jesus healed two blind men on departing; according to Mark, one blind man on departing; according to Luke, one blind man on entering the city. The older Harmonists assumed that there were two miracles: that one blind man was healed at the entrance, and two at the departure, of Christ; and that Mark gave prominence to Bartimæus as the better known of the two persons. Ebrard thinks that Matthew combined the two accounts of Mark and Luke, and placed them in the departure from the city. (So also Wieseler.) It may simplify the matter, if we consider that Jesus did not enter Jericho by the Jordan gate from Peræa, but came from Ephraim; and therefore, probably, made His exit by the same gate through which He entered. The blind man cried out upon Jesus, was threatened and restrained; he cried louder, and Jesus then regarded and healed him. But the Lord might have kept the blind man waiting till His return, to test him; and thus the Evangelists record the same event,—the one, however, connecting it with the entrance, the other with the exit.30 Further, it is not difficult to suppose that in the interval another blind man joined company with the first, Bartimæus; and that both encouraged each other in the louder cry.

Mat_20:31. That [not: because] they should hold their peace.—This is a feature of the narrative that could not have been invented. It marks the feeling of the great festal procession, which was disposed to regard the cry of these wretched blind men, at such an hour, as an impertinent interruption. It was as if a multitude of courtiers should strive to keep the interruption of misery from throwing a discordant element into a royal feast. Hence the tone is characteristically changed, when Jesus stood still, and commanded the blind to be brought to Him; it is now:—Be of good courage, rise; He calleth thee: Mar_10:49.

Mat_20:32. And Jesus stood still.—At the cry, Lord, Son of David; which was, according to Luke, on His festal departure from Jericho at the head of the people. This also shows evidently that that great crisis of the Lord’s life was come to which we have already made allusion. He suffers Himself now to be publicly appealed to as the Messiah, in the presence of all the people, which He had never done before: compare Mat_9:27. The time for His acceptance of, and sympathy with, the Messianic hope of His people had now arrived.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. Joshua proceeded from Jericho to the conquest of the promised land—without, however, entirely effecting it. From Jericho, the city of palms, the Messianic procession set out; and it ended with His being delivered over to the Gentiles. But in a higher sense, the conquest of the promised inheritance with the sword of the Spirit was now decided.

2. The history of the blind man at Jericho symbolical of the endeavors of the great in God’s kingdom to interpose between Christ’s throne and the wretched.

[3. John J. Owen: “This miracle of healing the blind men has often been employed to illustrate the spiritual blindness of men, the earnestness with which they must apply to Christ (who, by His Spirit, is always passing by) for His healing mercies, and the readiness of the Saviour, on any such application made in penitence and faith, to put forth His healing power. Thousands have read this simple and touching story as a truthful history of their own spiritual blindness, and its removal through the abounding grace of Jesus Christ.”—P. S.]

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The procession of the Lord from Jericho to Jerusalem the great turning-point in His life. 1. What it signified—the Lord’s acceptance of His people’s Messianic hopes; He suffered Himself to be publicly heralded as the Messiah. 2. How the Lord’s friends regarded it—as a coronation procession, which no cry of misery should disturb. 3. How Christ Himself treated it—as a journey of redemption for believers.—The difference between a legal procession, and the journey of Christ led by the Spirit: the one would fanatically prevent disturbance by anything in the way; the other makes every seeming interruption augment its festal character, Act_2:13.—The difference between a worship which repels the wretched, and that which attracts them.—The coronation journey of Christ is glorified by every seeming interruption.—The Holy King and His unholy courtiers.—Christ, even through the multitude of noises, detects the individual cry of the petitioner.—What will ye that I should do unto you? Christ’s kingly word to the mendicant blind.—He whose eyes are opened by Christ, lifts them first upon His regal procession.—They who receive their sight from Christ follow Him in the way.—The fellowship of misery: two blind men, ten lepers; and so throughout the evangelical narrative.—The Church is a fellowship both of the needy and the saved.—The gift of the eve: 1. It is the revelation of the soul to the world; 2. the revelation of the world to the soul; 3. the symbol of the inner light of knowledge; 4. of the illumination from above.—The true procession of Christ a swelling stream of the grateful saved.—The wilderness of Jericho changed into a figure of Christ’s work in the world: 1. Once a corner of robbers and murderers, now enlivened by the cry of salvation; 2. once the scene of Christ’s temptation, now the scene of His glorification.—How and wherefore the Lord permitted the joyful acclamation of His people before His sufferings.—The self-renunciation in which the Lord, with the presentiment of His cross upon Him, surrenders Himself to the joy of His disciples: they did not understand the whole issue, which He clearly foresaw; they erred concerning the nearest issue; but in a higher sense they were right, inasmuch as the final issue could be no other than His glorious reign.

Starke:—They who are one in misery should unite their prayer.—The loss of physical sight is to man a great distress; but he is not so much troubled about his soul’s blindness.—Zeisius: We must not be hindered in our prayers by the devil or the world, by flesh and blood.—Cramer: Turn not away your eyes and ears from the cry of the wretched.—Christ is much more willing to help than we to ask Him.—The following of Christ is the best gratitude.

Rieger:—He who easily yields his point to threats, is for the most part without the strong urgency of a true heart.—Happy he whom nothing restrains in his faith and believing cry.

Footnotes:

[With this chapter closes Mr. Edersheim’s translation in the Edinb. edition. The remaining chapters of the Commentary on St. Matthew were translated by the Rev. W. B. Pope (or some inferior assistants), as we learn from a note on the back of the title-page to vol. 2—P. S.]

[25] Mat_20:29.—[The strict rendering of ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν. In Mar_10:46 the E. V. has: As he went out of Jericho. Luke says (Mat_18:35): As he was come nigh unto Jericho On this chronological discrepancy between Matthew and Luke, see the Exeg. Notes on Mat_20:30.—P. S.]

[26] Mat_20:30.—[Text. rec: Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, κύριε, υἱὸς Δαβίδ. But the best authorities read: Κύριε, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, υἱὸς Δαυείδ, Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David. Cod. Sinait. reads in Mat_20:30 : ελεησον ημας ιησου υιε Δ., and in Mat_20:31 : κυριε ελεησον ημας υιε Δ.—P. S.]

[27] Mat_20:34.—The words: αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί (their eyes) after ἀνέβλεψαν are wanting in Codd. B., D., L., Z., [and Cod. Sinait. which generally agrees with the Codd. just named], and in the Latin Vulgate. They are omitted by Lachmann and Tischendorf [not in the large ed. of 1859, where the words are retained. Alford omits them, but in his apparatus he neglects to notice the difference of reading.—P. S.]

[28][According to others, the 14th of Nisan. See Introduction to Matthew 26 below.—P. S.]

[29][We have here corrected the original, which makes evidently a mistake (faithfully copied, as usual, in the Edinb. trsl.), by stating the distance of Jericho from Jerusulem (instead of from Jordan) to be two hours. According to Winer, Bibl. Realwörterbuch. i. p. 543 (3d ed.), and Robinson Palestine, vol. i. p. 565, Jericho was 60 stadia west from the river Jordan, and 150 stadia east from Jerusalem; according to other statements, 5 English miles from the Jordan, and 18 or 20 miles east-north-east of Jerusalem. The difference arises in part from the uncertainty of the site of ancient Jericho. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem is exceedingly difficult and dangerous, ascending through narrow and rocky passes amid ravines and precipices, and infested by robbers, as in the time of the good Samaritan (Luk_10:30-34).—P. S.]

[30][Similarly Wordsworth, who assumes that the blind man was not healed till the next day, and that Luke in his account anticipated the result by a prolepsis not uncommon in Scripture. He adds the remark that the frequent practice of anticipation and recapitulation agrees with the divine author of the Bible, to whom all time is present at once. Rabbi Jarchi, in Genesis 6, applies to the Bible what is said of God: “Non est prius, aut posterius, in Scriptura.”—P. S.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 20:29-34.

Two Blind Men Healed Near Jericho

Found also in Mar 10:46-52 Luk 18:35-43. Our Lord and his disciples and the accompanying throng on the way to the Passover, had crossed the Jordan, and were within one day’s journey of Jerusalem. They had probably crossed by a ferry-boat several miles higher up the river than the point opposite to Jericho. Such a ferry exists there now, and existed in that vicinity at an early day. (2Sa 19:18) The river just before the Passover must have been comparatively high and swift, and only the more adventurous of the multitude would attempt to ford. As to the Jordan, see on Luk 3:6. Jericho, as flourishing and fortified with strong walls at the coming of the Israelites, and as destroyed by them, is well known from the Book of Joshua. The curse of Joshua (Jos 6:26) was fulfilled against the man who rebuilt it, (1Ki 16:34) and may have been regarded by some as exhausted in his case. The plain west of the Jordan is there some eight miles wide, the great fountain which bursts forth near the ancient site is so copious as to irrigate several square miles, there is another fountain northward and streams from the mountains lying west, while artificial irrigation from fountains higher up the valley could make all the lower plain richly productive. There were doubtless many dwellers in that plain at all periods. (2Sa 10:5, 2Ki 2:1-22; Neh 7:36) In the time of the Maccabees, about B. C. 160, a Syrian general "repaired the fort in Jericho." (1Ma 9:50) Pompey, B. C. 63, destroyed two forts that protected the entrance to Jericho. In speaking of this, Strabo (16, 2, 41) describes Jericho as a plain everywhere irrigated, filled with dwellings, abounding in the finest palm trees and other fruit trees, and says that here was "the paradise of balsam," a bush whose coagulated juice was highly valued as a medicine and the wood for its aroma, and which was found here only. The plain is so far below the level of the Mediterranean as to be extremely hot. Josephus says that linen clothes were worn at Jericho when there was snow in Jerusalem; and it may be added (from personal experience) that mosquitoes abound in the end of February. Accordingly the productions were tropical in character and in luxuriance. (Josephus "War," 4, 8, 3.) The Roman allies of Herod plundered the city in B. C. 39 ("War, "1, 15, 6), finding "the houses full of all sorts of good things."

The great revenues of Jericho, especially from the balsam, were presented by Antony to Cleopatra (Josephus "Ant.,"15, 4, 2), and at a later period made the chief revenue officer notably rich. (Luk 19:2) Herod built a fortified palace and a new town northward from the old site ("Ant.,"16, 5, 2), and died there ("Ant.," 17, 6, 5). Eusebius says of Jericho ("Onom."): "Which our Lord Jesus Christ thought worthy of his presence. But when it also was destroyed at the siege of Jerusalem on account of the unbelief of the inhabitants, there arose a third time another city which is shown even now. And of the two former also the traces are even now preserved. "We know not whether our Lord took any special interest in the fact that his own genealogy included Rahab of Jericho; (Mat 1:5) but we may be sure he delighted in the well-watered and verdant plain, with the spring flowers and fruits." It was not the season of figs "on the Mount of Olives yet (Mar 11:13 R.V.), but they were ripening at Jericho. The juicy green almonds were delicious to the taste. The "rose plants in Jericho" (Ecclus Sir 24:14) were famous through the land. Every sense was gratified to the utmost as he and his followers came up the successive terraces from the river into this magnificent plain. And yonder precipitous rock mountain that overhangs the city on the west, was it indeed the scene of that forty days’ temptation which began the ministry now so soon to end?

Jesus spent the night at Jericho, and may have stayed there longer. Luke gives a deeply interesting account (Mat 19:1-28) of Zaccheus, at whose house he abode, and of a parable he spoke to modify the supposition that "the kingdom of God was immediately to appear," which parable in an altered form will be repeated a few days later. (Mat 25:14-30)

As they departed from Jericho. So Mark. But Luke, (Luk 18:35) ’as he drew nigh unto Jericho.’ This celebrated "discrepancy" has not been explained in a thoroughly satisfactory way. The older explanations are very poor: as that he healed one man in drawing near and two others in leaving, thus making three in all; or that Matthew has thrown together the two eases described by Mark and Luke; that Jesus tarried some days, and the healing occurred while he was going in and out of the city; that ’draw nigh’ means simply to be near (which is not true), etc. Our choice at present must be between two possible views. (1) Calvin presents as his "conjecture," followed by Maldonatus, Bengel, Trench, Wordsworth, EIlicott, Hackett, Morison, that the blind man made his request as Jesus approached Jericho (Luke), but was not heeded, in order to develop his faith, as in Mat 15:23 ff., and in the closely similar case Mat 9:27 ff.; and that he renewed the application as Jesus was leaving Jericho, accompanied now by another, and they were healed. Then we understand that Luke, meaning to tell of Zaccheus and the parable and so pass on to the ascent to Jerusalem, (Luk 19:28) finishes the matter of the blind man in connection with his original application. Such prolepsis, or anticipation, is common in all histories. (2) Farrar quotes from Macknight the supposition, and Godet quotes it from a German periodical of 1870, that the healing occurred at a point between the old and the new city, and so could be described as occurring either when they went out from Jericho or as they drew near to Jericho. The same view presented itself independently on the spot a few years ago to Prof. H. H. Harris, D. D., of Richmond College, Va.[1] Each of these explanations seems laboured, but either is entirely possible. It will not do to say that the accounts are irreconcilable, and therefore involve inaccuracy, if the apparent conflict can be explained in any reasonable way. These discrepancies in the Gospels show the independence of the narratives, and their verisimilitude, and thus do not diminish but add to their historical credibility, provided there be any reasonable explanation. It may nowadays be affirmed that nearly every case has received satisfactory explanation. The present example, and a few others, would probably be plain enough if we knew some slight circumstances not mentioned; and may be fully cleared up hereafter, as some have been by the discoveries and researches of every recent generation. We must not nervously insist on the adequacy of our explanations in every case, nor arrogantly assume that the difficulty cannot be removed. A great multitude followed him. So also when he was approaching the city. (Luke.) They seem to have come with him from Perea, perhaps many of them from Galilee (compare on Mat 19:1), en route for the Passover.

[1] Dr. Harris writes in a private letter, Richmond, Virginia, September, 1885: "Suppose Jesus spent a night as he would likely do in the city of his foremother Rahab, and that Zaceheus had his office in the Roman town and his residence in the West End. 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 from Jericho,’ i.e., the old city. But Luke, a Gentile or Hellenist, and writing to a Gentile, says ’as he drew nigh unto Jericho,’ i.e., the Roman town, and going on to tell about Zaecheus adds ’he entered and was passing through Jericho.’" Dr. Harris says he was not aware that this idea had been suggested by others.

Mat 20:30 f. Two blind men. Luke ’a certain blind man,’ and Mark gives his name, ’the son of Timeus, Bartimeus.’ Here, as in Mat 8:28 (See on "Mat 8:28"), we have to suppose that one of the two was more notable, and thus alone named by Mark and Luke. The supposition is somewhat difficult, but certainly by no means impossible, and on every account far more probable than that of a flat error. The balsam of Jericho was "a wonderful remedy for headache (neuralgia), and for incipient cataract, and dimness of vision." (Strabo 16, 2, 41.) But no balsam could open the blind eyes. Sitting by the wayside, Luke ’begging,’ Mark ’a beggar.’ Heard that Jesus was passing by, Mark and Luke ’Jesus of Nazareth,’ a title by which the teacher and healer had doubtless been heard of throughout the land. Thou Son of David, so also Mark and Luke, meaning that he was the Messiah, compare On Mat 9:27, Mat 15:22, Mat 22:42. We cannot tell how they reached this conviction. As to their particular request, they had doubtless heard of his healing the blind elsewhere, perhaps of cases in Galilee, (Mat 9:27) more likely of the man born blind healed at Jerusalem six months before. (Joh 9:1 ff.) The multitude rebuked them. Luke ’they that went before,’ Mark simply ’many.’ They were vexed that mere blind beggars should disturb a procession, and annoy the principal personage, from whom they may have been eagerly expecting further teaching. (Compare Mat 19:13) Beggars in the East are almost always offensive and often disgusting, and it is hard to feel compassion for them, even when blind. Because, or, that they should, for the Greek construction see on Mat 5:29; so also, that our eyes may be opened. Hold their peace, an old English phrase, the Greek being literally be silent. As they were needy and hopeful, opposition only stimulated a louder cry. The Greek word denotes a harsh cry, compare Mat 8:29, Mat 9:27, Mat 15:23, and Mark and Luke have the imperfect tense, describing a continued crying.

Mat 20:32-34. Called them. Mark gives vivid particulars; Jesus directed those near him to call; they spoke cheeringly; and Bartimeus, "casting away his garment, his loose outer garment, (See on Mat 5:40), sprang up, and came to Jesus." We easily suppose that the other and less noticeable blind man followed. Jesus had compassion, see the Greek word explained on Mat 9:36. Touched their eyes, not mentioned by Mark or Luke, a sign to them that he was the healer, as in Mat 9:29. Mark and Luke relate that Jesus said, "thy faith hath made thee whole," saved thee, healed thee, as above in Mat 9:22, and compare Mat 9:29. And they followed him, Mark ’in the way,’ Luke ’glorifying God.’ They probably accompanied him to Jerusalem. Luke adds: "And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God."

(Compare Mat 9:8, Mat 15:31) Jesus here shows no desire to prevent his miracles from becoming generally known, as he did in Mat 9:30 and often. The crisis of his ministry is now near at hand, and publicity will make no difference.

Homiletical And Practical

Mat 20:31. And the multitude rebuked them. (1) Men sometimes despise, as unfit to be Christians, those whose case afterwards brings great glory to God. (2) Religious decorum must sometimes give way to intense earnestness. (3) Attempted hindrance becomes for earnest souls a stimulus to greater exertions. (4) Christ’s followers may hinder when Christ himself stands ready to hear. Chrys.: "See how not poverty, not blindness, not their being unheard, not their being rebuked by the multitude, not anything else, impeded their exceeding earnestness." Augustine: "When any Christian has begun to live rightly, to be fervent in good works and despise the world, in the very novelty of his works he suffers blame and contradiction from frigid Christians. But if he perseveres, and overcomes them by endurance, and does not fail in good works, then they turn and begin to say, ’A great man, a holy man’—like that crowd that were with the Lord."

Mat 20:34. The objects of Christ’s compassion. (1) They were very needy. (2) They pleaded for pity. (3) They believed in his mission. (4) They persevered and grew more earnest. (5) They knew just what they wanted. (6) They followed him in gratitude and devotion.

John A. Broadus, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (American Baptist Publication Society, 1886) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Healing of Two Blind Men. Mat 20:29-34

The cry:

v. 29. And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.

v. 30. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David.

v. 31. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace; but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David.

Jesus did not go to Jerusalem by the direct route, but by way of Jericho, thus gaining opportunity for further works of saving grace and for this double miracle. For Matthew here combines the recital of two healings in one brief account. Jesus undoubtedly entered and left the city by the same gate, that toward the east. When He entered, there was a blind man sitting near the gate, Luk 18:35-43. And the miracle performed in this case became known during the stay of Jesus and so encouraged blind Bartimaeus, Mar 10:46-52, that he pleaded for sight in the same words which had proved so potent in the case of his fellow-sufferer. Attracted by the conversion of Zacchaeus and by the teaching of Jesus in the city, a great multitude followed after Him. And in either case, the tumult and the shouting of the passing crowd informed the blind beggar of the passing of the Lord. Their plea is that of the right, of the saving knowledge of the Savior. They recognized and confessed Him as the Son of David, as the promised Messiah, who, in His mercy, could cure them. Mercy only they pleaded for, they felt their unworthiness because of their sin, they realized the necessity of pleading for mercy in the presence of Him who was so infinitely above them. After the manner usually followed in such cases, many of the crowd harshly bade them keep their peace, helpless cripples being regarded as a nuisance and treated accordingly, with heartless severity. But they redoubled their energy in sending forth their cry for mercy and help.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

THE BLIND MEN AT JERICHO

Mat 20:29-34; Luk 18:35-43; Mar 10:46-52. “And they are coming into Jericho. And He and His disciples and a great multitude going out from Jericho, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, was sitting by the wayside begging. And hearing that it is Jesus the Nazarene, began to cry out, and to say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me! And many continued to rebuke him, that he must keep silent; and he continued to cry out much more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!

And Jesus, standing, said that he should be called. And they called the blind man, saying to Him, Take courage, arise; He calls you. And laying aside his cloak, rising, lie came to Jesus. And responding, Jesus says to him, What do you wish that I shall do to you? And the blind man said to Him, Master, that I may look up. Jesus said to him, Go, thy faith hath saved thee; and immediately he looked up, and follows Jesus in the way.” As you see, Matthew, Luke, and Mark all give this narrative. However, it is pertinent to observe that Matthew says He healed two blind men as He came out from Jericho, while Luke speaks of but one, whom He healed as He was coming into Jericho; Mark alone giving us the name of Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, and stating that he was sitting by the wayside begging as the multitude passed out of Jericho. Doubtless his home was near by, and he made his living by begging of the travelers along the highway from Jericho to Jerusalem. On hearing the tread of the multitude, and learning that the Prophet Jesus is passing by, and as he had heard so much about His wonderful miracles, restoring sight to multitudes of the blind who had been enabled to reach His ministry in His peregrinations through Galilee, Judea, Perea, Samaria, and other countries, and having determined to avail himself of the opportunity if He should ever pass that way, and doubtless already having information that He had crossed the Jordan, out of Perea into Judea, the day preceding, and was traveling toward Jerusalem, and would certainly come that way, the only great road leading through the wilderness of Judea from Jericho to Jerusalem, he now cries aloud incessantly, “O Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” As the prophecies revealed that the Messiah was to be the Son of David, in this appellation He really acknowledges His Christhood.

I always met many beggars in that country. While they all have their places, and unhesitatingly speak out in their language, asking for a contribution, I never heard one scream and roar as this one did. Luke uses the word eboese, which is from boao, which, you observe, if you will pronounce it loudly, makes a noise like the lowing of an ox. Hence we see that this man threw his mouth open, and roared aloud, refusing to be quiet, though many of the multitude rebuked him for his impetuosity and disorder. Jesus, however, gives His fur approval to his persistent roaring by calling him to Him unhesitatingly. Consequently, throwing aside his outer garment for the sake of expedition, rising, he hastens to Jesus, who immediately opens his eyes, certifying to him, “Thy faith hath saved thee;” thus laying an illimitable emphasis on the grace of faith, as Jesus is accustomed to do. O how wonderfully does Jesus preach salvation by faith! Blind Bartimeus not only received his eyesight, but the salvation of his soul, through simple faith in Jesus. Therefore we are not astonished that, having now become a disciple, he falls in with the crowd, and follows Jesus, doubtless, the remnant of his life, and is now playing on his golden harp. This is a notable case of whole-hearted, importunate seeking of Jesus. When they did their utmost to moderate him, telling him that screaming and roaring in the presence of that great multitude was so indecorous, you see he only roared the louder. Find a penitent on that line, and look out! — something wonderful is going to happen.

Now, as you see, Matthew tells of two blind men restored as Jesus passed out of Jericho; Luke speaking of but one, and that one as he entered into the city; while Mark tells us of Bartimeus as he came out. How do we reconcile this apparent disharmony? There is no need of any reconcilement. I have no doubt but He did, as Luke says, restore a blind man as He went in, and, as Luke says, two as he came out, of whom, doubtless, Bartimeus was one; as you must remember that many of our Lord’s great miracles are not found now in the inspired records, but only a few salient ones.

The Jericho so celebrated in the days of Joshua stood on the plain of the Jordan, near the base of the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus was tempted by Satan, and ten miles from the ford of the Jordan where Israel crossed over and Jesus was baptized. You know when this city was destroyed, Israel having shouted down the walls, God forbade its rebuilding. So it has never been rebuilt. However, they built a new city, two miles south, where the road from Jerusalem reaches the foot of the mountain and proceeds out, crossing the plain of the Jordan. This was the Jericho in the days of Christ. In the desolation of Judea by the Roman armies, soon after the crucifixion of Jesus, Jericho was destroyed. When the Crusaders conquered and took possession of the Holy Land, A. D. 1099, they rebuilt Jericho, about two miles farther east, along the road to the Jordan ford. This Jericho is still standing. I lodged there during both of nay visits in that country.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Subdivision 1. (Mat 20:29-34; Mat 21:1-22.)

The King.

The presentation of the King occupies the first subdivision here, which ends with the judgment of the fig-tree. All is quickly over, for the decision of the people has been really made before, and here they but re-affirm it. Babes and sucklings may welcome Him, but the people are far from being of the spirit of such, and therefore far from the Kingdom. The cry "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord" will have, as the Lord declares, to be taken up again and in earnest at a future time.

1. The royal proclamation begins at Jericho, the city of the curse; which does not and cannot, however, prevail over the blessing. Jericho, which even in Joshua’s day had witnessed the salvation of Rabat, from its own doom, now witnesses the grace of the Son of David. Two blind men, sitting by the wayside, cry out to Him as this, only to find the rebuke of the multitude, as by and by a remnant of Israel will awake up to their darkness and their need of Him, only to meet the opposition of a growingly apostate mass. But they cry the more, until He who can never turn away from the voice of need answers and heals them. The light dawns upon those sightless eyes, and the Person of their Saviour becomes revealed to them; then they follow Him.

The two men in this case, where in the other synoptics is but one, are, as we have seen; characteristic of Matthew, as the two blind men before (Mat 9:1-38) and the two demoniacs (Mat 8:1-34), in both which cases Mark and Luke speak but of one. There is surely, therefore, design in this difference, which in Matthew, no doubt, speaks of witness-bearing to the Lord, now in the character which at this time He is taking. And this witness He does not, as in the former case, forbid; as the healing also is now in public. Publicity He designs, as His time is at last come for "showing Himself to the world;" and these, delivered from the "land of darkness and of the shadow of death" are suited witnesses.

2. Accordingly now upon His approach to Jerusalem, at Beth-phage, the "house of unripe figs," - and the typical significance of the fig comes shortly into prominence, - He sends two of His disciples to claim for His service the ass and colt, upon the latter of which He rides into the city. The animal was characteristic of the Prince of peace, in contrast with the war-horse upon which we see Him in Revelation (Rev 19:11). The young animal also, before unridden, shows the new and free spirit of obedience which alone could bring Him into His place among His people - thus to be "willing in the day of His power" (Psa 110:3).

As to the other ass accompanying, it is impossible not to think of the past in connection with it, as the patristic commentators did. Is it more suitable to regard it merely as necessary to quiet the foal for its service to its Creator? Those who can think so we must leave to such sober interpretation. It was a time when the very stones were ready to cry out, and all, we may be sure, has its significance for us. The "foal of a beast of burden" seems even as if it were intended to remind us, not surely of the unbelieving synagogue, nor yet of the law itself, which imposed, but did not bear, burdens, but rather of those who as belonging to the legal dispensation could be so pictured, even though the true people of God by faith. Thus only, as inheritors of that faith, could the after-generation; destined to freer service, be counted as their offspring. But with these the elder generations could be seen; as linked with them in the triumph of the Christ now come.

Thus all is surely consistent, though even for that time it was but a gleam of light which, as far as Israel nationally was concerned, went out in darkness. And the prophecy of Zechariah is carefully abridged on this account. "He is just and having salvation" is omitted, because in fact salvation could not then come. The crowds might exhibit a temporary enthusiasm, and genuine disciples add their truer homage to the King, - the city meets it with a question merely, however "moved;" and the "Hosannas to the Son of David" weaken sadly into the how different reply, "This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." The King of glory is for them already discrowned.

3. But He, not dependent on the voices of the multitude, goes on into the temple which was in fact the place of His throne, but now desecrated by the abominations of priestly avarice, for which the people, three years before the destruction of the city, themselves suppressed the traffic that defiled it.* There it was before His eyes, with its loud-voiced iniquity, just as He had met it at the beginning of His ministry, and then purged out the defilement as He afresh purges it now. Quick work for Him to establish His authority there in the very presence of His fiercest enemies, in the heart of Jerusalem, in His Father’s house itself, which, as He tells them, they had changed from the "house of prayer" for which it should have been known; into a robber’s den. And there, in the now empty place, "the blind and the lame" (characteristic and concurrent types of those that needed the touch of the true King) "came to Him in the temple and He healed them." Thus He is owned of God and of man alike, - though of man, alas, unchanged and hostile still. There are no "willing people;" and for them it cannot be the "day of His power." He may prove His title, but cannot take His throne.

{* Edersheim, vol. 1, p. 372.}

This is for Him, then, no triumph: only the children’s voices make music for Him now, with whom the hosannas that have died out in the streets are taken up again. What is hidden from wise and prudent is revealed to babes; and the rebuke which they look for from Him as to it, they find themselves. No: they had never read that "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He perfected praise." How much of our Bibles, it may be, we have never read, though our eyes may have often enough been upon what they have never seen there! Had they been spiritually little ones, would they not have seen this? Even our involuntary ignorance may tell - must tell - thus against us!

They were not little ones, and therefore for that generation of Israel the Kingdom could not come. The Lord withdraws from the city to spend the night at Bethany among those whose hearts had answered to the grace that was seeking men.

4. In the morning He returns early to the city, and is ahungered. A fig-tree is before Him by the wayside, and He comes to it to satisfy His hunger, but finds no fruit. Mark tells us that it was not the season yet for figs; but the leaves upon this tree promised for it fruit, as Israel stood alone among the nations in the profession of allegiance to the One True God. Fruit therefore could be expected from her, if nowhere else; and He with hunger of soul unsatisfied had been seeking it. His own parable of the fig-tree had been long before spoken (Luk 13:6-9) with evident application to the people also; and now the judgment is to be pronounced. "Let no fruit be henceforth on thee for ever," is answered by the rapid withering away of the fruitless tree.

The disciples are in amazement when they see the fig-tree withered; but the Lord uses the miracle to assure them of the power which was ready to manifest itself for them in response to faith. Not only should they do what was done to the fig-tree, but if they had faith and doubted not, even a mountain standing in their way should be removed and cast into the sea, and whatsoever they asked in prayer, believing, would be done. We may well see in this a veiled assurance of how Israel, now nothing but an obstacle in the path of faith would disappear politically in the sea of the nations. But the promise here is of course, of very various application, and it would be entirely wrong in any way to limit it, save as the Lord Himself does; who distinctly makes His last assurance as full as possible. To faith nothing shall be denied; but it is not limitation to insist that faith must be faith.

F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20:29-34 The blind men’s expression of faith in the Son of David was an acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah (see 21:9; 22:42; 2 Sam 7:12-16).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 20:29. Ὄχλος πολύς, a great multitude) which had been in that city.[896]

[896] And were subsequently present at His royal entry.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_20:29. Comp. Mar_10:46 ff.; Luk_18:35 ff.

Καὶ ἐκπορ. αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Ἱεριχώ] The Synoptists make no mention whatever of the visit to Ephraim and the journey to Bethany (mentioned in Joh_11:54; Joh_12:1); indeed, their narrative (Mat_21:1 f.) positively excludes at least the latter of these. This divergence, and not a mere want of precision, should be fairly acknowledged (comp. note on Mat_21:1), and not explained away by means of ingenious conjectures (Paulus, Schleiermacher, Neander, comp. also Sieffert, who suppose that Jesus may have entered Bethany along with the rest of the pilgrims in the evening, and may have left it again next morning or the morning after; see, on the other hand, on Joh_12:17 f., note). A further discrepancy is to be found in the fact that Luke represents the healing as having taken place ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεριχ., and that Mark and Luke mention only one blind man, although the first mentioned divergence has been turned to account in the way of supporting the hypothesis that Matthew has blended together two distinct cases of healing, one of which is supposed to have taken place when Jesus was entering the town, the other when He was leaving it (Theophylact, Neander, Wieseler, Ebrard, Krafft). The difficulty connected with the mention of two men is not removed by a supposed reminiscence of Mat_9:27 ff. (Strauss), nor explained by supposing that the blind man of Bethsaida, Mar_8:22, may have been included (Holtzmann, Volkmar); but it proves that, in point of authenticity, Matthews account compares unfavourably with the characteristic narrative of Mark, which bears traces of being the original account of what took place. Comp. note on Mat_8:28 ff.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 20:29-34 . Blind men (man) at Jericho (Mar 10:46-52 , Luk 18:35-43 ). The harmonistic problems as to the locality of this incident (leaving Jericho, Mt. and Mk.; entering, Lk.) and the number of persons healed (one Mk. and Lk., two Mt.) may be left on one side, as also the modern critical attempts to account for the origin of the discrepancies. Those interested may consult for the former Keil and Nösgen, for the latter Holtz., H.C., and Weiss-Meyer.

Mat 20:29 . ἀπὸ Ἰεριχὼ , from Jericho, an important town every way; “the key the ‘ Chiavenna ’ of Palestine to any invader from this quarter” (Stanley, Sinai and Palestine , p. 305; the whole account there given should be read), situated in an oasis in the Judaean desert, caused by streams from the mountains above and springs in the valley; with a flourishing trade and fine buildings, Herod’s palace included; two hours distant from the Jordan; from thence to the summit a steep climb through a rocky ravine, haunt of robbers. ὄχλος πολύς , a great crowd going to the feast in Jerusalem.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ by healing these blind men with an only touch, showeth that he is the only light of the world.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(29) As they departed from Jericho.—Looking back to Mat_19:1, which speaks of our Lord having departed “beyond Jordan,” we may believe that He crossed the river with His disciples at the ford near Jericho (Jos_2:7). On this assumption, the imagery of Mat_20:22 may have been in part suggested by the locality. The river recalled the memory of His first baptism, by water; that led on to the thought of the more awful baptism of agony and blood.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. a great multitude] The caravan of Galilæans and others going up to Jerusalem for the Passover. Their numbers would protect them from attack in the dangerous mountain defiles leading to the capital. Jericho was at this time a flourishing city. It was opulent even in the days of Joshua from the fertility of the surrounding plain, its extensive commerce, and from the metals found in the neighbourhood. Levelled to the ground and laid under a curse by Joshua, it was afterwards made a fortified city by Hiel the Bethelite, and regained a portion of its former prosperity. At this period the balsam trade was a principal source of its wealth.

Herod the Great beautified the city with palaces and public buildings, and here he died. After Herod’s death Jericho was sacked and burnt, but restored by his son Archelaus.

“Jericho was once more a ‘City of Palms’ when our Lord visited it. As the city that had so exceptionally contributed to His own ancestry; as the city which had been the first to fall, amidst so much ceremony, before ‘the captain of the Lord’s host and his servant Joshua,’ we may well suppose that His eyes surveyed it with unwonted interest.”—Smith’s Bib. Dict. Art. “Jericho.”

29–34. Two Men cured of Blindness

Mar_10:46-52. Luk_18:35-43.

There are remarkable divergences in the Synoptic accounts of this miracle. Some indeed have supposed that different miracles are related by the Evangelists. St Mark speaks of one man, “blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus.” St Luke also mentions one only, but describes the incident as taking place “when Jesus came nigh unto Jericho,” whereas St Matthew and St Mark state that the miracle was wrought “as they departed from Jericho.”

It is of course possible that St Luke narrates a separate miracle. The only other solution is to suppose an inaccuracy in an unimportant detail.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And behold, two blind men,.... Mark and Luke make mention but of one; which is no contradiction to Matthew; for they neither of them say that there was but one. A greater difficulty occurs in Luke's account; for whereas Matthew and Mark both agree, that it was when Jesus came out of Jericho, that this cure was wrought, Luke says it was "when he came nigh unto it"; which some reconcile by observing, that that phrase may be rendered, "while he was near Jericho"; and so only signifies his distance from it, and not motion to it; but this will not solve the difficulty, because we after read of his entrance into it, and passing through it. Some therefore have thought, that Christ met with, and cured one blind man before he entered the city, and another when he came out of it and that Matthew has put the history of both together: but to me it seems, that there were three blind men cured; one before he went into Jericho, which Luke only relates, and two as he came out of Jericho, which Matthew here speaks of; and one of which, according to Mark, was by name Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus; for so Bartimaeus signifies. Tima, or Timaeus, was a name in use among the Jews: we often read of R. Judah , Ben Tima (k), the son of Tima, or Timaeus. Origen (l) thinks, he had his name from the Greek word which signifies "honour"; and so "Time", with the Jews, is used for honour and profit (m). This man's father might have been a very honourable and useful man, though the son was fallen into poverty and distress, through blindness; for which reason he may be mentioned, as being a person well known to the Jews.

Sitting by the wayside; Mark says, "begging", where such were wont to sit, in order to ask alms of persons, as they passed by;

when they heard that Jesus passed by; who, upon perceiving that there was an unusual concourse of people, might ask the reason of it, when it was told them that Jesus of Nazareth was coming that way: or, without asking, they might hear the people speak of him; and inasmuch as they had heard many things concerning him, and the miracles he wrought, applied to him for help, and

cried out, saying, have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David: in which may be observed the titles of honour they give him, which declare their faith in him; calling him Lord, expressing their sense of his deity, dominion, and power; and "Son of David", thereby owning and professing him to be the Messiah, that being a common name of him, well known among the Jews; See Gill on Mat 1:1, the petition they make is, that he would "have mercy on them", who, through blindness, were in a poor, helpless, and miserable condition; and this was made with great vehemency: they "cried" out aloud, that he might hear them, and take pity on them; being eagerly desirous of having their sight, and firmly believing that he was able to restore it to them.

(k) T. Hieros. Nazir, fol. 52. 1. Erubin, fol. 19. 4. T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 84. 1. Bava Metzig, fol. 94. 1. Massech. Semachot, c. 9. Juchasin, fol. 159. 2. (l) Comment. in Matt. vol. 1. p. 428. Ed. Huet. (m) Targum in Esth. iii. 8. & v. 13. T. Hicros. Peah, fol. 15. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Ver. 29. And as they departed from Jericho] Christ cured one blind man as he went into Jericho, Luk 18:35-43, and two as he went out; for all the haste he had to go to Jerusalem. {a} Hence such multitudes followed him, to make up his ensuing triumph.

{a} Tres in his locis ita curatos esse crediderim. Aretius.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See Mar 10:46-52, and Luk 18:35-43; Luk 19:1, where this account of his restoring to sight two blind men is also recorded. “And as they departed from Jericho.” This was a large town about eight miles west of the Jordan, and about 19 miles northeast from Jerusalem. Near to this city the Israelites crossed the Jordan when they entered into the land of Canaan, Jos 3:16. It was the first city taken by Joshua, who destroyed it to the foundation, and pronounced a curse on him who should rebuild it, Jos 6:20-21, Jos 6:26. This curse was literally fulfilled in the days of Ahab, nearly 500 years later, 1Ki 16:34. It afterward became the place of the school of the prophets, 2Ki 2:5. In this place Elisha worked a signal miracle, greatly to the advantage of the inhabitants, by rendering the waters near it, that were before bitter, sweet and wholesome, 2Ki 2:21. In point of size it was second only to Jerusalem. It was sometimes called the city of palm-trees, from the fact that there were many palms in the vicinity.

A few of them are still remaining, 2Ch 28:15; Jdg 1:16; Jdg 3:13. At this place died Herod the Great, of a most wretched and foul disease. See the notes at Mat 2:19. It is now a small village, wretched in its appearance, and inhabited by a very few persons, and called “Riha, or Rah,” situated on the ruins of the ancient city (or, as some think, three or four miles east of it), which a modern traveler describes as a poor, dirty village of the Arabs. There are perhaps fifty houses, of rough stone, with roofs of bushes and mud, and the population, two or three hundred, in number, is entirely Muslim. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii. p. 443) says of this village, that there are some forty or fifty of the most forlorn habitations that I have seen. And this is Jericho! These houses, or rather huts, are surrounded by a special kind of fortification, made of nubk, a species of bush very abundant in this plain. Its thorns are so sharp and the branches are so platted together that neither horse nor man will attack it.” The road from Jerusalem to Jericho lies through what is called the “wilderness of Jericho,” and is described by modern travelers as the most dangerous and forbidding about Palestine. As recently as 1820, an English traveler, Sir Frederick Henniker, was attacked on this road by the Arabs with firearms, who left him naked and severely wounded. See the notes at Luk 10:30. Jesus was going to Jerusalem from the east side of the Jordan Mat 19:1; his regular journey was therefore through Jericho.

As they departed from Jericho - Luke says, “As he was come nigh unto Jericho.” The original word used in Luke, translated “was come nigh,” commonly expresses approach to a place, but it does not of necessity mean that always. It may denote nearness to a place, whether going to it or from it. It would be rendered here correctly, “when they were near to Jericho,” or when they were in the vicinity of it, without saying whether they were going to it or from it. Matthew and Mark say they were going from it. The passage in Luk 19:1 - “and Jesus entered and passed through Jericho” - which seems to be mentioned as having taken place after the cure of the blind man, does not necessarily suppose that. That passage might be intended to be connected with the account of Zacchaeus, and not to denote the order of time in which these events took place; but simply that as he was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus sought to see him, and invited him to his house. Historians vary in the circumstances and order of events. The main facts of the narrative are observed; and such variations of circumstances and order, where there is no palpable contradiction, show the honesty of the writers - show that they did not conspire together to deceive, and are in courts of justice considered as confirmations of the truth of the testimony.

Mat 20:30

Two blind men - Mark and Luke mention but one.

They do not say, however, that there was no more than one. They mention one because he was probably well known; perhaps the son of a distinguished citizen reduced to poverty. His name was Bartimeus. Bar is a Syriac word, meaning “son;” and the name means, therefore, “the son of Timeus.” Probably “Timeus” was a man of distinction; and as the case of his son attracted most attention, Mark and Luke recorded it particularly. If they had said that there was only one healed, there would have been a contradiction. As it is, there is no more contradiction or difficulty than there is in the fact that the evangelists, like all other historians, often omit many facts which they do not choose to record.

Heard that Jesus passed by - They learned who he was by inquiring. They heard a noise, and asked who it was (Luke). They had doubtless heard much of his fame, but had never before been where he was, and probably would not be again. They were therefore more earnest in calling upon him.

Son of David - That is, “Messiah,” or “Christ.” This was the name by which the Messiah was commonly known. He was the illustrious descendant of David in whom the promises especially centered, Psa 132:11-12; Psa 89:3-4. It was the universal opinion of the Jews that the Messiah was to be the descendant of David. See Mat 22:42. On the use of the word son, see the notes at Mat 1:1.

Mat 20:31

And the multitude rebuked them because ... - They chid or reproved them, and in a threatening manner told them to be silent.

They cried the more - Jesus, standing still, ordered them to be brought to him (Mark)

His friends then addressed the blind men and told them that Jesus called (Mark). Mark adds that Bartimeus cast away his garment, and rose and came to Jesus. “The garment” was not his only raiment, but was the outer garment, thrown loosely over him, and commonly laid aside when persons labored or ran. See the notes at Mat 5:40. His doing it denoted haste and earnestness in order to come to Jesus.

Mat 20:34

And touched their eyes - Mark and Luke say he added, “Thy faith hath saved thee.” Thy “confidence, or belief” that I could cure, has been the means of obtaining this blessing.

Faith had no power to open the eyes, but it led the blind men to Jesus; it showed that they had just views of his power; it was connected with the cure. So “faith” has no power to save from sin, but it leads the poor, lost, blind sinner to him who has power, and in this sense it is said we are saved by faith. His “touching” their eyes was merely “a sign” that the power of healing proceeded from him.

Here was an undoubted miracle.

These blind men were well known. One, at least, had been blind for a long time. They were strangers to Jesus. They could not have, therefore, “feigned” themselves blind, or done this by any “collusion or agreement” between him and themselves in order to impose on the multitude. The miracle was in the presence of multitudes who took a deep interest in it, and who could easily have detected the imposition if there had been any. The people followed him. They praised or “glorified” God (Mark and Luke). The people gave praise to God also (Luke). They were all satisfied that a real miracle was performed.

Remarks On Matthew 20

1. From the parable at the beginning of this chapter Mat. 20:1-16 we learn that it is not so much the time that we serve Christ as the “manner,” that is to entitle us to high rewards in heaven. Some may be in the church many years, yet accomplish little. In a few years, others may be more distinguished in the success of their labors and in their rewards.

2. God will do justice to all, Mat 20:13. He will give to every one of his followers all that he promised to give. To him entitled to the least he will give everything which he has promised, and to each one infinitely more than he has deserved.

3. On some he will bestow higher rewards than on others, Mat 20:16. There is no reason to think that the condition of people in heaven will be “equal,” any more than it is on earth. Difference of rank may run through all God’s government, and still no one be degraded or be deprived of his rights.

4. God does as he pleases with his own, Mat 20:15. It is his right to do so - a right which people claim, and which God may claim. If he does injustice to no one, he has a right to bestow what favors on others he pleases. In doing good to another man he does no injury to me. He violated none of my rights by bestowing great talents on Newton or great wealth on Solomon. He did not injure me by making Paul a man of distinguished talents and piety, or John a man of much meekness and love. What he gives me I should be thankful for and improve; nor should I be envious or malignant that he has given to others more than he has to me. Nay, I should rejoice that he has bestowed such favors on undeserving people at all; that the race is in possession of such talents and rewards, to whosoever given; and should believe that in the hands of God such favors will be well bestowed. God is a sovereign, and the Judge of all the earth will do that which is right.

5. It is our duty to go into the vineyard and labor faithfully when ever the Lord Jesus calls us, and until he calls us to receive our reward, Mat. 20:1-16. He has a right to call us, and there are none who are not invited to labor for Him.

6. Rewards are offered to all who will serve him, Mat 20:4. It is not that we deserve any favor, or that we shall not say at the end of life that we have been “unprofitable” servants, but He graciously promises that our rewards shall be measured by our faithfulness in His cause. He will have the glory of bringing us into His kingdom and saving us, while He will bestow rewards on us according as we have been faithful in His service.

7. People may be saved in old age, Mat 20:6. Old people are sometimes brought into the kingdom of Christ and made holy, but it is rare. Few aged people are converted. They drop into the grave as they lived; and to a man who wastes his youth and his middle life in sin, and goes down into the vale of years a rebel against God, there is a dreadful probability that he will die as he lived. It will be found to be true, probably, that by far more than half who are saved are converted before they reach the age of 20. Besides, it is foolish as well as wicked to spend the best of our days in the service of Satan, and to give to God only the poor remnant of our lives that we can no longer use in the cause of wickedness. God should have our first and best days.

8. Neither this parable nor any part of the Bible should be so abused as to lead us to put off the time of repentance to old age. It is “possible,” though not “probable,” that we shall live to be old. Few, few, of all the world, live to old age. Thousands die in childhood. The time, the accepted time to serve God, is in early life; and God will require it at the hands of parents and teachers if they do not train up the children committed to them to love and obey Him.

9. One reason why we do not understand the plain doctrines of the Bible is our own prejudice, Mat 20:17-19. Our Saviour plainly told his disciples that he must die. He stated the manner of his death, and the principal circumstances. To us, all this is plain, but they did not understand it (Luke). They had filled their heads with notions about his earthly glory and honor, and they were not willing to see the truth as he stated it. Never was there a more just proverb than that “none are so blind as those who will not see.” So to us the Bible might be plain enough. The doctrines of truth are revealed as clear as a sunbeam, but we are filled with previous notions - we are determined to think differently; and the easiest way to gratify this is to say we do not see it so. The only correct principle of interpretation is, that the Bible is to be taken “just as it is.” The meaning that the sacred writers intended to teach is to be sought honestly; and when found, that, and that only, is religious truth.

10. Mothers should be cautious about seeking places of honor for their sons, Mat 20:20-22. Doing this, they seldom know what they ask. They may be seeking the ruin of their children. it is not in posts of honor that happiness or salvation are certainly secured. Contentment and peace are found oftenest in the humble vale of honest and sober industry - in attempting to fill up our days with usefulness in the situation where God has placed us. As the purest and loveliest streams often flow in the retired grove, far from the thundering cataract or the stormy ocean, so is the sweet peace of the soul; it dwells oftenest far from the bustle of public life, and the storms and tempests of ambition.

11. Ambition in the church is exceedingly improper, Mat 20:22-28. It is not the nature of religion to produce it. It is opposed to all the modest, retiring, and pure virtues that Christianity produces. An ambitious man will be destitute of religion just in proportion to his ambition, and piety may always be measured by humility. He that has the most lowly views of himself, and the highest of God - that is willing to stoop the lowest to aid his fellow-creatures and to honor God has the most genuine piety. Such was the example of our Saviour, and it can never be any dishonor to imitate the Son of God.

12. The case of the blind men is an expressive representation of the condition of the sinner, Mat 20:30-34.

(1)People are blinded by sin. They do not by nature see the truth of religion.

(2)It is proper in this state of “blindness” to call upon Jesus to open our eyes. If we ever see, it will be by the grace of God. God is the fountain of light, and those in darkness should seek him.

(3)Present opportunities should be improved. This was the first time that Jesus had been in Jericho. It was the last time he would be there. He was passing through it on his way to Jerusalem. So he passes among us by his ordinances. So it may be the last time that we shall have an opportunity to call upon him. While he is near we should seek him.

(4)When people rebuke us and laugh at us, it should not deter us from calling on the Saviour. There is danger that they will laugh us out of our purpose to seek him, and we should cry the more earnestly to him. We should feel that our eternal all depends on our being heard.

(5)The persevering cry of those who seek the Saviour aright will not be in vain. They who cry to him, sensible of their blindness, and sensible that he only can open their eyes, will be heard. He turns none away who thus call upon him.

(6)Sinners must rise and come to Jesus. They must cast away everything that hinders their coming. As the blind Bartimeus threw off his “garments,” so sinners should throw away everything that hinders their going to him everything that obstructs their progress and cast themselves at his feet. No man will be saved while “sitting still.” The command is, “Strive to enter in;” and the promise is made to those only who “ask,” and “seek,” and “knock.”

(7)Faith is the only channel through which we shall receive mercy. According to our faith - that is, our confidence in Jesus, our trust and reliance on him so will it be to us. Without that, we shall perish.

(8)They who apply to Jesus thus will receive sight. Their eyes will be opened and they will see clearly.

(9)They who are thus restored to sight should follow Jesus. They should follow him wherever he leads; they should follow him always; they should follow none else but him. He that can give sight to the blind cannot lead us astray. He that can shed light in the “beginning” of our faith, can enlighten our goings through all our pilgrimage, and even down through the dark valley of the shadow of death.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mark repeateth the same story, Mar 10:46-52, with several more circumstances.

1. He mentions only one blind man, and nameth him Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. He saith, the blind man was begging.

Mark saith, when Christ called the blind man, they said unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. He further adds, that Christ said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke relates the same, Luk 18:35-43. He saith, As he was come nigh to Jericho. He mentions but one blind man. In repeating Christ’s words he saith, Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. Our Lord presently gives his disciples a demonstration of what he had said, that he came to minister, to serve even the poorest and most despicable creatures. Jericho was a city not far from Jordan, Jos 3:16; it was taken, Jos 6:1-27, and upon the division of the land fell within the lot of Benjamin, Jos 18:21. Our Saviour took it in his way from Galilee to Jerusalem. Probably these blind men, or Bartimaeus at least, who alone is mentioned by Mark and Luke, hearing Christ was coming, sat first on the side of Jericho next Galilee, and then got him on the other side, as our Saviour was leaving the town. Which makes Luke say, as he was come nigh; and the two other evangelists say, as he went out of Jericho, he sat begging. Bartimaeus being (as it should seem) the most known, and the most famous, is alone mentioned by Mark and Luke. Matthew (naming none) saith there were two; which Mark and Luke deny not, but knowing only the name of the one of them, they mention only one. They speak to our Saviour under the notion of the Son of David, by which they owned him as the true Messias; for that was a title by which the Messias was known amongst the Jews, according to the prophecies of him. They ask him for mercy; they continue in their cry, though the multitudes rebuked them, as possibly thinking they only came to ask some alms, and were too importunate, seeing our Lord seemed not to regard them. God sometimes trieth our faith by delays, how it will hold out, but he never frustrateth it. This minds us of our duty, to pray without ceasing. Christ stops, calleth them, asks them what they would have. They seem most sensible of their bodily wants, and answer, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. Jesus hath compassion on them, toucheth their eyes, (Christ sometimes, but not always in healing, touched the affected part), and (as Luke saith) he said, Receive thy sight. The miracle is wrought; they presently are able to see. Luke addeth, that Christ said, Thy faith hath saved thee. We have met with the same phrase before. I have made thee whole, but thy faith in me hath prevailed with me to do it. Their faith in his power was seen,

1. In their owning him as the true Messiah; so able to do it.

2. In their imploring his mercy, and going on in their cries of that nature, though they met with a rebuke.

Faith and fervent prayer do great things with God, because of his compassion. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, Jam 5:15. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, Jam 5:16. Nor is any man so mean and contemptible in the world, (these two blind men were beggars), but if they can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, if they will lie in Christ’s way, if they will cry unto him, and not give over their cries, they shall obtain at our Saviour’s hands greater things than these. This miracle gains God glory from the multitude, and from the blind man not only praise, but a resolution to follow Christ. This should be the effect of all salvations wrought for us. Mercy is then duly improved, when it bringeth forth in our hearts glory and praise to God, and engages us to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Saviour had wrought his former miracles in Galilee, where the witnesses of them were remote; he hath now two witnesses in the province of Judea, who go along with him towards Jerusalem, where we shall find him in the next chapter.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 29-34. Healing of two blind men at Jericho. (Mar_10:46-52 Luk_18:35-43) The miracle narrated in this passage is common to the three synoptists, but with some remarkable differences, not one of them agreeing altogether in details. St. Matthew speaks of two blind men, St. Luke and St. Mark of one only, and the latter mentions this one by name as Bartimaeus. St. Matthew and St. Mark make the miracle performed as Jesus quitted Jericho; St. Luke assigns it to the approach to the city. Thus the number of the cured and the locality of the miracle are alike variously stated. It is an easy solution to say, with St. Augustine, Lightfoot, and Greswell, that two, or perhaps three, distinct facts are here related; and it is not absolutely impossible. though altogether improbable, that in the same locality, under identical circumstances, like sufferers made the same request, and received the same relief in the same manner. But we are not driven to this extravagant hypothesis; and the unity of the narrative can be preserved without doing violence to the language of the writers. As to the number of the blind men, we have seen the same discrepancy in the case of the demoniacs at Gadara solved by supposing that one of the two was the more remarkable and better known than the other. Hence, in this incident, the tradition followed by some of the synoptists preserved the memory of this one alone, who may have become known in the Christian community as a devoted follower of Jesus, the other passing into obscurity and being heard of no more. Another hypothesis is that a single blind man first addressed Christ as he entered Jericho, but was not cured at that time. Jesus passed that night in the city at the house of Zacchreus; (Luk_19:1-10) and on the morrow, when leaving Jericho, was again entreated by the blind man, who meantime had been joined by a companion, and healed them both. There are other solutions offered, e.g. that there were two Jerichos an old and a new town and that one blind man was healed as they entered one city, dud the other as they left the other; or that the term rendered "was come nigh" (Luk_18:35) might mean "was nigh," and might therefore apply to one who was leaving as well as to one entering the city. But we weary ourselves in vain in seeking to harmonize every little detail in the Gospel narratives. No two, much less three, independent witnesses would give an identical account of an incident, especially one which reached some of them only by hearsay. Inspiration extends not to petty circumstances, and the credibility of the gospel depends not on the rectification of such minutiae.

Jericho. The Lord was on his way to Jerusalem to meet the death which he was willing to undergo, and to win the victory which he was by this path to accomplish. His route lay through Jericho, as the march of his forerunner Joshua had led. Joshua had set forth to conquer the promised land; Jesus sets forth to win his promised inheritance by the sword of the Spirit. "The upland pastures of Peraea were now behind them," says Dr. Geikie, speaking of the approach to Jericho ("The Life of Christ," 2:384), "and the road led down to the sunken channel of the Jordan, and the "divine district" of Jericho. This small but rich plain was the most luxuriant spot in Palestine. Sloping gently upwards from the level of the Dead Sea, 1350 feet under the Mediterranean, to the stern background of the hills of Quarantana, it had the climate of Lower Egypt, and displayed the vegetation of the tropics. Its fig trees were pre-eminently famous; it was unique in its growth of palms of various kinds: its crops of dates were a proverb; the balsam plant, which grew principally here, furnished a costly perfume, and was in great repute for healing wounds; maize yielded a double harvest; wheat ripened a whole month earlier than in Galilee, and innumerable bees found a paradise in the many aromatic flowers and plants, not a few unknown elsewhere, which filled the air with odours and the landscape with beauty. Rising like an amphitheatre from amidst this luxuriant scene, lay Jericho, the chief place east of Jerusalem, at seven or eight miles distant from the Jordan, on swelling slopes, seven hundred feet above the bed of the river, from which its gardens and groves, thickly interspersed with mansions, and covering seventy furlongs from north to south, and twenty from east to west, were divided by a strip of wilderness. The town had had an eventful history. Once the stronghold of the Canaanites, it was still, in the days of Christ, surrounded by towers and castles. A great stone aqueduct of eleven arches brought a copious supply of water to the city, and the Roman military road ran through it. The houses themselves, however, though showy, were not substantial, but were built mostly of sun-dried bricks, like those of Egypt; so that now, as in the similar case of Babylon, Nineveh, or Egypt, after long desolation, hardly a trace of them remains." A great multitude. A vast crowd of pilgrims, bound for Jerusalem to keep the Passover, accompanied Jesus and his disciples. The number of people that this great festival attracted to the central place of worship seems to us incredibly large. Josephus ("Bell. Jud:," 6:9:3) reckons them at three millions. Doubtless our Lord was followed by many of those whom he had benefited, and others whom he had won by his teaching; and these, at any rate, would witness the ensuing miracle.

Vers. 29-34. The two blind men.

I JERICHO. The Lord had come to Jericho, the famous city of the palm trees, the first city taken by Joshua in his career of conquest. Now in Jericho a greater Joshua opened the eyes of the blind, and brought the good news of peace and reconciliation with God to the house of the publican; and from Jericho he went up to the holy city to meet a mightier foe than any who ever fell before the sword of Joshua to triumph over sin and Satan by the power of the most holy cross.

II THE MIRACLE.

1. The prayer. Two blind men sat by the wayside. One was Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. He was well known in Jericho; he had sat there begging long, perhaps for years. They heard the multitude pass by; they asked what was the meaning of the crowd, the tramp of many feet. It was Jesus, they were told Jesus of Nazareth. They had heard of him; every one had heard of him. He had given sight to the blind; nay, he had opened the eyes of one who was born blind. They begged for the like mercy now: "Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David!

2. The rebuke of the multitude. There was a brief revival of the Lord"s popularity; men hoped that he would at last openly announce himself as the Messiah, and claim the throne of David. A vast multitude attended him in his royal progress. The crowds, absorbed in great expectations, cared not for the blind beggars. They were disturbed by their cries; perhaps they thought that the interruption would annoy the King. They rebuked them, that they should hold their peace; but they cried the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David!" Christians meet sometimes with similar difficulties now, when they first wake to the sense of their spiritual blindness, when they first begin to follow Christ in earnest supplication. Others, who are content with a mere formal religion, find fault with their earnestness; it is felt by the indifferent and apathetic as a reproof to themselves. They must not be discouraged; they must cry the more, "Have mercy on us, O Lord!" The Lord will listen; the Lord will save.

3. The Lord"s compassion. He heard the cry of the supplicants through the noise of the multitude; it arrested his attention. He stood stilt and called them. He could think of the wretched even now, surrounded as he was by an applauding crowd, on his way to his last dread conflict, the shadow of death gathering round him. He will listen to us when we pray. He seems, perhaps, to be passing by; but the cry of earnest supplication will detain him. Only let us pray, as the blind men prayed, with all intensity of entreaty, not ceasing till be hears us, and stands still and calls us. He is passing by; a crowd of worshippers follow, gazing on him in adoration. He will listen to those who feel the misery of spiritual blindness, and weep for their want of faith. Only let them persevere in their prayer, "Lord, increase our faith," lest he pass on out of the reach of their cries.

4. The answer. "What will ye," he said, "that I should do unto you?" "Lord," they said, "that our eyes may be opened." At once the Lord had mercy. He touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight, and followed him. His touch hath still its ancient power; still he can open the eyes of the blind; and still they who with eyes opened by his touch look up upon the Lord, must follow him on the way that leadeth to the cross.

LESSONS.

1. The Lord opened the eyes of the blind; he will open our eyes if we come to him in faith.

2. We must not heed the objections which men make to religious earnestness. We need Christ; we must find him.

3. The Lord is ever passing by, ever ready to hear the prayer of strong desire.

4. His touch can shed the light of heaven upon our souls. Shine into our hearts, O Lord!

Vers. 29-34. The blind men of Jericho.

Jesus is now at Jericho on his last journey to Jerusalem. When he visited the sacred city a few months before, he cured a blind man, and the miracle led to an important investigation and vindication of the powers of Christ (John 9). It is likely that the fame of it reached to Jericho, and that this inspired the faith and hope of the blind beggars. Let us follow them through the course of the incident.

I THEIR HELPLESS CONDITION.

1. These afflicted men were sitting." They could but grope about when they attempted to walk. The glad activities of life were not for them. They sat apart in their misery.

2. They were by the wayside." St. Mark tells us that one of them, at least, was begging. (Mar_10:46) While the throng of country pilgrims passed by on their way to the Passover, a harvest of charity might be reaped. Yet at best this was a wretched way of gaining a livelihood.

3. They were together. St. Mark only tells us of one man Bartimaeus. (Mar_10:46) Probably he was the more energetic and the better known of the two. Yet his obscure friend is with him. Sufferers can sympathize with their brothers in suffering. The more active and confident should bring their diffident friends to Christ.

II THEIR PRAYER OF FAITH.

1. They acknowledged Christ. They named him "Son of David." Thus they anticipated the hosannas of Palm Sunday. Perhaps they helped to inspire those hosannas.

2. They cried for mercy. Mercy was all they could seek, for they could not afford to pay an oculist"s fees. When we come to Christ the richest among us must approach him as beggars. The only plea of the sinner is in the mercy of his Saviour.

III THEIR TRYING DISCOURAGEMENT,

1. The multitude rebuked them as the disciples rebuked the Persian mothers. (Mat_19:13) Their eager cries were irritating. They were but beggars; any one could take it upon him to reprimand such humble creatures. They who would come to Christ are sometimes discouraged by the servants of Christ.

2. Jesus did not respond immediately.

a. Perhaps he did not hear.

b. Perhaps he was occupied with some important teaching.

c. Perhaps he would try the faith of the poor men. The answer to prayer is sometimes delayed.

IV THEIR UNDAUNTED PERSEVERANCE. Now is their opportunity. Soon Jesus will have passed, and it will be too late for them to seek his aid. Yet great is their need. So eagerly do they long for sight, that no discouragement of impertinent strangers shall hinder them. It is the persevering faith of such men as these that conquers in the end like the perseverance of the Syro-Phoenician woman.

V THEIR CLEAR DECISION.

1. Jesus asked what he should do for them. This shows willingness to help. But he must have a clear statement of need. Perhaps he spoke with a smile of amusement at the intensity of their eager cry. As though there were any doubt as to what they needed! His question will calm them.

2. They answered promptly and without hesitations. They know what they want. We should know what we want from Christ.

VI THEIR PERFECT HEALING.

1. It sprang from the compassion of Christ. The blind men asked for mercy. They got more deep sympathy. This is the root and source of Christ"s saving grace.

2. It was immediate. There was delay in finding Christ; there was no delay when he was found.

3. It was just the thing required. They asked for sight, and they received it. We do not always get exactly what we seek for, but if we seek aright we get its better equivalent. W.F.A.

Vers. 29-34. Community and unity.

Journeying to Jerusalem to the Passover, Jesus, with his apostles and other disciples following, was also followed by a crowd. This grew into "a great multitude" as he moved out from the populous town of Jericho. In the scene here described we may study

I COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS PHASES.

1. We see it here in excitement.

(1) "A great multitude." In numbers there is a strange sympathy. This occasions the panics which frequently occur in crowds. They are also subject to fits of passion sometimes generous, sometimes violent, often insane. We should beware of the spirit of the crowd.

(2) The presence of Jesus was the occasion of this excitement. The multitude "followed him." Christ is followed from various motives. Some follow him from love: his apostles and disciples were moved by this holy inspiration. Some follow him from curiosity: the mixed multitude had heard of his character, claims, teaching, and miracles. Many still follow him for the loaves and fishes.

2. We see it here also in suffering.

(1) "Two blind men Bartimaeus and a companion in affliction. Friendships spring of community in suffering. The multitude who enjoyed their vision had little sympathy with those who were deprived of it.

(2) They are sitting by the wayside, viz. in company, and for the same purpose, viz. to beg. (see Mar_10:46) The privation of sight reduced them to this dependence. Sufferings bring with them entailments of suffering. Partnerships come with the entailments.

(3) But privations have their compensations. These blind companions had the use of their ears. Blind persons generally enjoy acute hearing and sensitive touch. We do well, when we meditate upon our afflictions, to meditate also upon our mercies.

3. And we see it in contention.

(1) The blind men cried to Jesus for mercy. Affliction has a voice to Christ.

(2) But "the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace." Probably they thought the cry for mercy was an appeal for alms, and that the blind men might be troublesome to Jesus. Men too readily judge of Christ by themselves. The multitude will ever rebuke those who cry after the Son of David.

(3) But the blind men "cried out the more." So must all who would not come short of a moral cure. We must never heed the counsel that would keep us from Christ. When a true sense of misery urges, neither men nor devils can stop the cry for mercy.

(4) In the prayer of these men we note:

(a) Importunity. The stream of fervency, if stopped, will rise and swell the higher.

(b) Humility. They sought not gold, but "mercy." The cry for mercy disclaims all merit. (see Psa_130:7 Heb_4:16)

(c) Faith. They called Jesus "Lord". (see 1Co_12:3) They identified the Messiah. (cf. Mat_12:23 Mat_21:9 Mat_22:44)

(d) Persistency. (see Luk_18:1) Now or never: Jesus is passing; will soon have passed. Christ did not return to Jericho. "Now is the accepted time.

(e) Here was that concurrence in prayer which is especially pleasing to Christ. (see Mat_18:19)

II UNITY IN VARIOUS CONTRASTS.

1. One leading many.

(1) "A great multitude followed him." Note here the ascendancy of a great character.

(2) Note here also the subordination of the physical to the spiritual. The multitude, as compared with Christ, were as an aggregation of physical units.

2. One compassionating suffering.

(1) "Jesus stood still." His standing rebuked and silenced the thoughtless clatter of the unsympathizing throng. Wherever there is suffering there the Blessed One stands.

(2) He "called" to the blind. What a contrast to the multitude who would have silenced their cry to him for mercy! Jesus invites those whom the world repulses.

(3) The one condition of mercy, viz. to those who are prepared for it, is Ask. "What will ye that I should do for you?" Like as the waterman in a boat who hooks the shore does not so much draw the shore to him as himself to the shore, so do we in prayer draw ourselves to the mercy of the Lord.

3. One wonder-worker.

(1) The blind men raised their voices, not to inquire who was with Jesus, but to cry to him for mercy.

(2) What a sequel (see vers. 33, 34)!

(3) Spiritual blindness is ignorance of the truth. Many who say, "We see" are spiritually blind. (see Joh_9:41) Blindness of heart is a disease of which the patient too seldom complains. This too can be cured only by the one great Light of the world.

(4) Christ is the one Illuminator of eternity. "Earthly blindness may be berne; it is but for a day; but who could bear to be blind through eternity?" (Beecher).

(5) Attendance upon Christ evinces the condition of spiritual illumination. Bartimaeus and his companion now "followed," now only requiring the one great spiritual Guide. No longer are they dependent upon alms. Religion has the premise of the life that now is, as well as that which is to come. It fulfils that promise by opening the eyes of its subjects. J.A.M.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mark x, 46; Luke xviii, 35.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

This chapter concludes with a famous miracle, wrought by Christ upon two blind men, in the sight of a great multitude which followed him.

Where observe, 1. The blind men’s faith in acknowledging Jesus to be the true Messias, for so much the title of the Son of David signifies.

Observe, 2. Their fervency, in crying so earnestly to Christ for mercy and healing; Have mercy upon us, thou Son of David. A true sense of want will make us cry unto Christ for help earnestly, and with undeniable importunity.

Observe, 3. The great condescension of Christ towards these poor blind men: He stood still, he called them, he had compassion on them, he touched their eyes, and healed them. A mighty instance of Christ’s divine power. He that can open blind eyes with the touch of his finger, and that by his own power, is really God, his touch is an omnipotent touch.

Observe, 4. Although Christ well knew the condition of these blind men, yet before he will restore them to sight, they must sensibly complain of the want of sight, and cry unto him for mercy and healing.

Learn hence, That although Christ perfectly knows all our wants, yet he takes no notice of them till we make them known to him by prayer.

Observe, 5. The best way and course which the blind men take to express their thankfulness to Christ for recovered sight, they followed him.

Learn thence, That mercy from Christ is then rightly improved, when it engages us to follow Christ. This should be the effect of all salvation wrought for us. He praiseth God best, that serveth and obeyeth him most; the life of thankfulness consists in the thankfulness of the life.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [CII. Bartimæus Healed].

CII. BARTIMÆUS AND HIS COMPANION HEALED. (At Jericho.) aMATT. XX. 29-34; bMARK X. 46-52; cLUKE XVIII. 35-43.

c35 And it came to pass, as he drew nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. [Jesus came from the Jordan, and was entering Jericho by its eastern gate. As the crowd following Jesus passed by, Bartimæus asked its meaning and learned of the presence of Jesus. Jesus on this last journey went in advance of the crowd, and hence he had already entered Jericho before the sounds of the following multitude roused [558] the beggar to question its meaning. Knowing that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he resolved to avail himself of the opportunity to be healed by him before he left the neighborhood. Not knowing how long Jesus would remain in Jericho, and not being sure of his ability to find him if he entered the city, he appears to have passed around the wall till he came to the southern gate, by which Jesus would depart on his way to Jerusalem. Here he stationed himself and waited patiently for the coming of Jesus. The persistency with which he cried when Jesus again appeared goes far to corroborate this determined preparation and fixed expectation of the beggar. While he waited at the southern gate the events narrated in Isa_64:6). In the race to win the presence of Christ on high, Christians are advised to lay aside every weight-- Heb_12:1, Heb_12:2.] cand when he was come near, bJesus answered him, casked him, band said, aWhat will ye cwilt thou athat I should do unto you? bthee? a33 They say bAnd the blind man said aunto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. cLord, bRabboni, that I may receive my sight. [Bartimæus had cried for mercy without specifying what mercy, and he had asked this mercy of Christ as the Messiah. The Lord therefore in his royal majesty asked Bartimæus to name the mercy, thus suggesting to him the fullness of the treasury of power and grace, to which he came. He was not to blame for this.] a34 And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; b52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; cReceive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. [We can see in this instance what faith really is. It caused Bartimæus to cry out, to come to Jesus and to ask for sight. Thus we see that faith saves by leading to proper actions.] 43 And immediately astraightway they che areceived their bhis sight, aand followed him. bin the way. cglorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. [Being a beggar, it would have been natural for him to hunt first for means of livelihood, but faith and gratitude prompted him to follow Jesus.] [561]

[FFG 558-561]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. As they departed from Jericho. He had now crossed the Jordan. At Jericho he saved Zaccheus. Compare Mark 10:46–52, and Luke 18:35–43. Jericho stood a few miles from the southern ford of the Jordan, on the road to Jerusalem, which was about eighteen miles distant. He left Jericho for Jerusalem on Friday, just a week before his crucifixion.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

This begins an account of Jesus healing two blind men.

As they went

This refers to the disciples and Jesus.

followed him

"followed Jesus"

There were two blind men sitting

This is sometimes translated as "Behold, there were two blind men sitting." Matthew is alerting us to a new people in the story. Your language may have a way of doing this.

When they heard

"When the two blind men heard"

was passing by

"was walking by them"

Son of David

Jesus was not David's literal son, so this may be translated as "Descendant of King David." However, "Son of David" is also a title for the Messiah, and the men were probably calling Jesus by this title.

translationWords

Jericho

Jesus

lord

son

David

mercy

rebuke

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

29–34. TWO MEN CURED OF BLINDNESS

Mar 10:46-52. Luk 18:35-43

There are remarkable divergences in the Synoptic accounts of this miracle. Some indeed have supposed that different miracles are related by the Evangelists. St Mark speaks of one man, ‘blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus.’ St Luke also mentions one only, but describes the incident as taking place ‘when Jesus came nigh unto Jericho,’ whereas St Matthew and St Mark state that the miracle was wrought ‘as they departed from Jericho.’

It is of course possible that St Luke narrates a separate miracle. The only other solution is to suppose an inaccuracy in an unimportant detail.

29. ὄχλος πολύς. The caravan of Galilæans and others going up to Jerusalem for the Passover. Their numbers would protect them from attack in the dangerous mountain defiles leading to the capital.

Jericho was at this time a flourishing city. It was opulent even in the days of Joshua from the fertility of the surrounding plain, its extensive commerce, and from the metals found in the neighbourhood. Levelled to the ground and laid under a curse by Joshua, it was afterwards rebuilt by Hiel the Bethelite, and regained a portion of its former prosperity. At this period the balsam trade was a principal source of its wealth.

Herod the Great beautified the city with palaces and public buildings, and here he died. After Herod’s death Jericho was sacked and burnt, but restored by his son Archelaus.

‘Jericho was once more a ‘City of Palms’ when our Lord visited it. As the city that had so exceptionally contributed to His own ancestry; as the city which had been the first to fall, amidst so much ceremony, before ‘the captain of the Lord’s host and his servant Joshua,’ we may well suppose that His eyes surveyed it with unwonted interest.’—Smith’s Bib. Dict. Art. ‘Jericho.’

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29-34.] Healing of two blind men on His departure from Jericho. Mar 10:46-52.Luk 18:35-43Luk 18:35-43; Luk 19:1, with however some remarkable differences. In the much more detailed account of St. Mark, we have but one blind man, mentioned by name as Bartimæus; St. Luke also relates it of only one, and besides says that it was ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεριχώ. The only fair account of such differences is, that they existed in the sources from which each Evangelist took his narrative. This later one is easily explained, from the circumstance having happened close to Jericho—in two accounts, just on leaving it—in the third, on approaching to it: but he must be indeed a slave to the letter, who would stumble at such discrepancies, and not rather see in them the corroborating coincidence of testimonies to the fact itself (see Olshausen, Comment, i. 752). Yet Mr. Greswell (as Theophylact, Neander,—and Ebrard, Evangelien-kritik, p. 572) strangely supposes our Lord to have healed one blind man (as in Luke) on entering Jericho, and another (Bartimæus, as in Mark) on leaving it,—and Matthew to have, ‘with his characteristic brevity in relating miracles,’ combined both these in one. But then what becomes of Matthew’s assertion, ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Ἱερ.? Can we possibly imagine, that the Evangelist, having both facts before him, could combine them and preface them with what he must know to be false? It is just thus that the Harmonists utterly destroy the credibility of the Scripture narrative. Accumulate upon this the absurd improbabilities involved in two men, under the same circumstances, addressing our Lord in the same words at so very short an interval,—and we may be thankful that biblical criticism is at length being emancipated from ‘forcing narratives into accordance.’ See notes on Mark: and a more curious and more recent example of harmonistic ingenuity, in Wordsw.’s note here. It is highly instructive to us, that a Commentator, with the marks of sequence in time given by ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱερ. and ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Ἱερ., should fly for a solution to the Rabbinical canon, “non est prius aut posterius in Scriptura.”

Jericho, 150 stadia (= 18 rom. miles) n.e. of Jerusalem (Jos. B. J. iv. 8. 3), and 60 (= 7.2 rom. miles) w. from the Jordan (Jos. ibid.), in the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 18:21), near the borders of Ephraim (Jos 16:7). The environs were like an oasis surrounded by high and barren limestone mountains,—well watered and fertile, rich in palmtrees (Deu 34:3: Jdg 1:16; Jdg 3:13), roses (Sir. 24:14), and balsam (Jos. Antt. iv. 6. 1 al.). After its destruction by Joshua, its rebuilding was prohibited under a curse (Jos 6:26), which was incurred by Hiel the Bethelite in the days of Ahab (1Ki 16:34): i.e. he fortified it, for it was an inhabited city before (see Jdg 3:13: 2Sa 10:5). We find it the seat of a school of the prophets, 2Ki 2:4 ff. After the captivity we read of it Ezr 2:34: Neh 7:36: and in 1 Macc. 9:50 we read that Jonathan strengthened its fortifications. It was much embellished by Herod the Great, who had a palace there (Jos. Antt. xvi. 5. 2 al.), and at this time was one of the principal cities of Palestine, and the residence of an ἀρχιτελώνης on account of the balsam trade (Luk 19:1). At present there is on or near the site only a miserable village, Richa or Ericha. Winer, RWB.

30,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29-34. From Mar 10:46-52.

(M)

29. And as they go forth from Jericho, there followed Him a great multitude.] Mk. has: “And they come into Jericho. And as He goes forth from Jericho, and His disciples and a great (ἱκανοῦ) multitude.” Mt. abbreviates, omitting the quite needless statement of the entry into Jericho, including the Lord and His disciples (who have been mentioned in the last paragraph) in αὐτῶν for αὐτοῦ, inserting a verb for the ὄχλος, and substituting the more usual πολύς for ἱκανός

(M)

29-34. Mt 33 and Lk 41 agree against Mk. in Κύριε for Mk.’s Ῥαββουνεί. Cf. also παράγει, Mt 30 = παρέρχεται, Lk 37. Mk. has ἐστι.

O quotations from the Old Testament borrowed from a collection of Messianic prophecies. See pp.61 f.

L the Matthæan Logia.

Bab. Babylonian Talmud.

LXX. The Septuagint Version.

Ox. Pap. Oxyrhynchus Papyri.

E editorial passages.

S Syriac version: Sinaitic MS.

S Syriac version: Curetonian.

al i.e. with other uncial MSS.

M the Second Gospel.

X passages in which Mt. and Lk. agree closely, borrowed from an unknown source or sources.

Burk. Burkitt.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.