Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
You and I have many times heard the old adage ‘on the road again’, right? I think there may even be some songs that go with that theme. I wonder if you are like my 97-year-old Dad and many other people who love the open road and traveling? I think sometimes the disciples of Jesus may have used that phrase as they left one town, heading down the road on another of their many trips with Jesus.
As you perhaps know Jesus and most of His disciples were from the region of the Galilee, and many of the stories of Jesus take place there. But they also frequently took the long journey to Jerusalem, which would have been at least 60 miles, depending on the route. Let’s join them again today, as they are ‘on the road again’ heading for Jerusalem.
This time it’s different. Why? Because this time, they were leaving the remote town of Ephraim, where Jesus had been trying to stay out of the public eye for a while, because an arrest warrant had been put out on Him from the religious leaders in Jerusalem. (John 11:57) Also, this time, Jesus had said some very strong, even frightening words, to His disciples BEFORE they started this trip to Jerusalem. It was Passover time, which normally would be a highly anticipated, wonderful, celebrative time in Jerusalem.
But this time Jesus had shockingly said: “We are going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him! On the third day He will rise again!” (Luke 18:31-34)
Struggling to wrap their minds and hearts around these very hard to believe, much less imagine, words; Jesus and His disciples started their trek toward Jerusalem for Passover. Ephraim, the village from which they were coming, was described by John as ‘a region near the desert’. (John 11:54) Thus we presume Ephraim was east and south of Jerusalem, perhaps not far from the Dead Sea, in the region where John the Baptist reportedly sometimes went to spend time among the Essene scribes.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Dead Sea Scrolls”? Those scrolls were found in caves in that same region. From there, the road to Jerusalem would have taken them through Jericho, and as we travel with Jesus and His disciples today, Luke tells us they encountered a blind man sitting along the road near Jericho.
“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ The blind man called out ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’. Those who led the way rebuked the blind man and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me’! (Luke 18:35-39)
Perhaps you are wondering, if this is the same Jericho as is present in modern day Israel, and also is it the same Jericho of which we remember the famous story of Joshua and the Israelites marching around it and the walls tumbling down? YES, is the answer to both questions. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world. A visit to modern day Jericho, which by the way is located in what is called the “West Bank” and therefore is a Palestinian town, is built very near the ruins of the ancient city Jericho.
Did you know Jericho has also been referred to as the ‘city of date palms’ for Jericho is surrounded by rugged desert land, yet with some water from the nearby Jordan river and several small oasis springs there are date palm trees groves all around Jericho, even today, providing delicious dates to the world! This blind man is identified by Mark’s Gospel by the name Bartimaeus. (Mark 10:46-52)
Now please don’t be concerned by the fact that Mark says Jesus and the crowd walking along with Him were ‘leaving’ Jericho when they encountered the blind man, while Luke tells us they were ‘approaching‘ Jericho, (Luke 18:35) and Matthew tells us there were TWO blind men that Jesus helped near Jericho that day! (Matt. 20:29-34) Is that evidence that the Bible contradicts itself from time to time? Oh no my friends!
Just as any event in the world today is reported differently by different news reporters because their focus is individually on a different aspect of the same event, so also my understanding of this event is that Jesus actually encountered several blind beggars in Jericho. One or more as he was entering the city, and two at least as He was leaving the city. It is possible that both entering and leaving Jericho Jesus may have used the very same gate into the city! As in the days of Joshua, so in the days of Jesus, Jericho was a walled city with a few carefully guarded gates and at all those gates beggars would gather asking help from those entering and leaving Jericho.
Obviously, this blind man had heard of Jesus and His reputation for healing people and caring compassionately about people in need. He had also heard that Jesus had been raised in Nazareth. Finally, do you notice this blind man understood the significance of the fact that Jesus was born into the royal line of King David. (Luke 1:31-33)
All this tells me this blind man was a careful listener to all the news of the day which he heard as people walked in and out of the Jericho gate by which he sat begging. Matthew, Mark and Luke all report that Jesus could not ignore the cry for help from Bartimaeus, and I hope that gives you hope! Jesus can hear your voice and mine no matter the noise of our world all around us.
In fact, do you remember God said to Moses “I have heard the cries of My people, I have seen their misery, and I am concerned…” (Exodus 3:7,8)
The records of this event tell us Jesus stopped in His tracks and asked that the blind man be brought to Him. When blind Bartimaeus stood before Jesus, Jesus asked him the question which Jesus is asking you and me and every living person in the world, every day: “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Now pause right here a moment and ponder with me. This, like so many events in the Bible, is a picture, for you and me, of our world today, and every day. In the busyness of your life, your world, do you sense Jesus is nearby to you and do you believe that if you cried out to Jesus, that He would pay attention to you and ask you the very same question? Oh, my friends, too many people today would answer NO to those questions…what about you?
So, let’s pause here and think about this, and reach out to Jesus, and we’ll return right here tomorrow to see what happened next. What do you want to say to Jesus and what will He do in your life today if you speak to Him right now, as this blind man did? Here’s a worship song to help us reach to Jesus:
Today’s Scripture: Luke 18:35-41.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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