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Luke 18:35-43 "LIVING POWERFULLY UNDER THE THREAT OF IMPENDING DEATH"

Day 230 – Luke 18

Text: Luke 18:35-43

LIVING POWERFULLY UNDER THE THREAT OF IMPENDING DEATH

The Disciples may not have fully understood all that Jesus had taught them concerning His impending suffering and death. However, we may be very sure that Jesus had full comprehension concerning His own suffering and death.

Can you imagine how hard it must have been for Jesus to continue to minister to people, because of the knowledge of what would occur shortly? Jesus was both human and divine. He was full human and thus subject to all that human beings would feel.

How would you feel, how would you cope if you were told that nothing but sorrow, suffering and finally death await you? Would you be able to function at all?

We are reminded of a passage in Isaiah that helps us to understand how Jesus could cope with the thought of impending death.

“For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.”
Isaiah 50:7

Jesus could cope so well, because of His faith and His relationship with His Father. He must have drawn great encouragement and strength from the promise of the Father and His Presence. His Father would surely help Him to cope with whatever pain and suffering He must bear.

Strengthened thus, Jesus set His face like a flint to go to Jerusalem. He was nearing Jericho, a city just about 15 miles from Jerusalem, where He knew that He would be delivered to the hands of the Gentiles. He knew that His faith and trust in His Father would not be in vain, and thus He valiantly surged forward to meet His destiny!

STILL CARING FOR OTHERS IN NEED

As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man met Him. In Matthew’s account, he noted that there were in fact two blind men (Matthew 20:29-34). In Mark’s account, the blind man who spoke to the Lord Jesus was given a name, Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52).

There is no need to allow doubts to arise as we look at the different ways in which this incident was recorded. Each author had his own personal perspective to explore. When we read them these accounts together, we have a beautiful composite picture.

There were indeed two blind men. It would not be strange to have two blind people begging together, and being good friends to each other. We can also easily accept that both blind men would have different personalities and characters.

In fact, Matthew recorded two similar instances when two blind men cried out to Jesus and asked to be healed. In Matthew 9, after Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, two blind men came to Him and asked for mercy. They were healed (Matthew 9:27-31). In Matthew 20, another instance was recorded of two blind men crying out to Jesus for mercy. Again, Jesus granted their request and healed them as well (Matthew 20:29-34).

Mark’s note that the man was called Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus (Mark 10:46), would also reveal an important truth. Jesus did not just heal people en masse. He took time to know each of the people He healed individually.

Luke put this incident of healing blind Bartimaeus into this section of the Gospel with great effect. He wanted to show us that Jesus still cared for others, and still took time to heal a blind beggar and his companion, even though He was walking to Jerusalem and to His death. “But we see Jesus…!” How wonderful it is to catch a glimpse of the heart of Jesus.

“JESUS, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!” Luke18:38

Bartimaeus may have been blind and reduced to begging, but he had not lost his faith in the Messianic Hope of Israel. He could not see Jesus with his physical eyes. However, with his spiritual eyes, he knew who Jesus was!

One of the Messianic titles of Jesus was “Son of David”. This term was special in more ways than one.

1. The title and theme, “Son of David” was traced more closely in Matthew’s Gospel than in Luke’s.

2. In Matthew’s Gospel, the author sought to establish the fact that Jesus was indeed the Christ, that is the Messiah.

3. In Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah would come from the line of David. He would become the Messianic King of Israel.

a) In Isaiah, there was a prophecy of “A Rod… from Jesse (father of David) would come one day” (Isaiah 11:1)

b) This Rod was also called “The Son” and He would be given a kingdom… “the throne of David…” (Isaiah 9:7)

Bartimaeus may have been blind, but he believed all that he had heard about Jesus. He had heard about how Jesus healed people who came to Him. He heard about how Jesus taught the Word of God. He was blind, but his ears were still good. More than that, his heart yearned to confess Jesus as the Son of David, his Lord and Master.

The faith of Bartimaeus stood out most significantly. As he cried out for mercy, the crowds reacted against him.

“Then those who went before warned him
that he should be quiet;
But he cried out all the more,
‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ “
Luke 18:39

Remember when Jesus taught at Nazareth, and the crowds who heard Him said,

“Is this not Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:22

What a significant contrast between faith and unbelief! What marvelous faith in a blind man! Bartimaeus’ faith towered above many and was thus appropriately rewarded.