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Since we are coming into the season of our Lord’s Passion, I began to think about the records of Jesus on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. As He headed down the Jordan River valley He passed through the town of Jericho. The Jericho highway was the main road from the valley to the city, so this is the most likely place for the entourage to head up to Jerusalem. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of this final entrance into Jericho and each speaks of blind men in some form that are healed.
Luke is different from the other two in that it records Jesus entering INTO Jericho while the other two gospels talk of Him leaving the town. Let’s have a look at Luke;
Luke 18.35-19.1
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God. He entered Jericho and was passing through.
Here Jesus is coming into Jericho and a blind man hears about and begs for mercy. Jericho was called the City of Palms, for its oasis-like atmosphere and semi-tropical environment. It was a main destination for the wealthy and many historians believe it was the wealthiest city in the Eastern Roman Empire. Because of this the beggars were relegated to the outskirts of the city, and could not come into the city where the “good’ people were. We see this here as the man cries out as they are entering into the town. Matthew records the record of Jesus as He has already passed through Jericho and is leaving the other side of the town to begin the arduous climb up the Jericho road to Jerusalem.
Matthew 20.29-34 NAS
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, we want our eyes to be opened." Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
From the record here, we can see that Jesus was on His way out of town and this time there were two blind men that cried out for mercy. The same scenario happens in that the people try to shush them but they cried out more until Jesus acknowledges them and they both receive their healing. So far in this one trip through Jericho we have seen three miraculous healings in the realm of sight. I would say that this is prophetic in that as He goes to Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus is about to open everyone’s eyes in more ways than anyone can imagine. The prophecy from the beginning of His ministry in Luke 4.18 is coming down the pike. Mark also records the exit from the City of Palms, but here we have one blind man only his name is given, or at first glance looks like his name.
Mark 10.46-52 NAS
Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." So they *called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you." Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And answering him, Jesus said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And the blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
In the famous Rococo Library located at St Gallens, Switzerland, there are over 150,000 manuscripts of antiquity. The library was built by Gallus in the 7th Century and was originally an abbey. Within the library is a document, written in 1600 by a lawyer turned Jesuit from Naples named Bernardino Realino. In this discourse written in legalese, he liberally uses the writings of Cyprianii of Carthage who had written about the life of Jesus in about 248 A.D. It this document he relates the story of the record of the death of Jesus’ earthly father, the story of Zacchaeus and the one in which we are discussing here, Bar-Timaeus.
One can see from the name given here that it is not really a name or surname but a statement of lineage. Bartimaeus or bar-Timaeus means literally the son of Timaeus. Realino states that Tantautius the Arab had written that this healing of bar-Timaeus made quite a stir among the Romans, and that by the time Jesus had reached Jerusalem, the high standing that He had held had diminished greatly due to this event outside of Jericho. Realino tells us that the Tantautius writing states that the blinding of bar-Timaeus took place in 22 A.D. under the direction of the procurator Valerius Gratus. Gratus, an aristocrat, had a residence in Jericho complete with military guards and supplies. The steward of this residence was a man named Timaeus.
Timaeus had a 24 year old son named Infatius, who at the time led a raid on the compound to obtain weapons. He was attempting to become an arms dealer, making money by selling these weapons to warring factions in the Galilee area. It was strictly a business opportunity since his father worked in the compound. He was caught and was convicted of “profiting by sedition.” This was a crime not punishable by since he was Roman citizen, but his seventeen accomplices were crucified on the northern hill that overlooked the city. Only treason was punishable by death to any Roman citizen, which is why in the days of Jesus’ trial the final Pilate asked Him if He was “King of the Jews.”
Instead of crucifixion, Infatius had his eyeballs burned out with a red hot sword blade and was forced to where a red stained tunic to show that he had tried to profit from Caesar and the Roman authorities. He was not allowed to leave the Jericho area not was he allowed in the city ever again. Instead, Infatius bar Timaeus or bar-Timaeus as Mark calls him, was forced to beg for his survival outside the city of Jericho. When Infatius heard that Jesus the Messiah was passing by he called out for mercy, believing that this Galilean Roman Jew, the Messiah was destined to overthrow all Roman authority. When Jesus called him to come, what do we see bar-Timaeus does? “Throwing aside his cloak” he makes his way to Jesus. He throws off the symbol of his punishment by the Romans and declares to Jesus when asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Mark states that he wanted to receive his sight, but it is here that Tantautius says that Infatius declares, “I want to avenge my sight!” which is clearly a cry to the Messiah to avenge his punishment before the Romans when he comes into His kingdom. Either way he is healed.
The healing then provokes the Roman authority which until now in Jesus’ ministry were nothing but impressed and enthralled by Him. This action alone precedes Him to the capitol city of Jerusalem so that by the time He arrives there, all are against Him and He can then accomplish the final task He was sent to undertake; the redemption of all mankind. And now you know a little bit more of the rest of HisStory.
Excerpts taken from The Search. A historians Search for the Historical Jesus, by Dr. Ron Charles
