Luke 18:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Who is so blind as My chosen one, so blind as the servant of the Lord? You have seen many things, but have not observed; your ears are open, but you do not hear" (Is. 42:19-20). The blindness of the spirit is also highlighted by the Savior, who admonishes the Pharisees, asserting: "Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matthew 15:14). A soul that disregards the divine law and turns a deaf ear to the Lord's calling is not deaf in a physical sense, but rather in its willful disposition. The Savior invites, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15), not implying that some who were present lacked physical ears, but rather illustrating that having the ability to physically hear does not equate to an inclination to heed the divine truth found in His teachings. External hearing provides no value if the spirit remains internally unresponsive. Furthermore, the soul also suffers from a form of leprosy, not characterized by physical symptoms but rather by inner darkness. What is bodily leprosy if not a disfigurement of the skin? The spiritual leprosy manifests as duality in thought. "Woe to the sinner who walks in two ways" (Sir. 2:12)! If an individual is torn between belief and skepticism, caught between mercy and harshness, their soul reflects a state of disunity, much like how leprosy disrupts the integrity of the skin. Just as physical ailments call for healing, so should each person cry out for their spiritual wounds and seek Jesus, the physician of both souls and bodies, echoing the blind man’s plea: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

It should not seem that we have disregarded the blind man, leaving him behind as we turn our attention to the wealthy Zacchaeus. We ought to pause for him, much like the Lord did; let us inquire of him, for Christ also asked him questions. Our inquiries arise from ignorance, while His arose from knowledge. We seek to learn the nature of his healing, while He desired for us to understand how to see the Lord through one individual. His questioning invites belief in the necessity of confessing the Lord for true healing.

It is noted that "immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, praising God..." (Lk. 18:43; 19:1). The blind man would not have been granted his sight had he not chosen to follow Christ, proclaim the Lord, and abandon worldly ties. Likewise, we must be mindful of the rich—we do not intend to slight them. Our hope is for healing to extend to all, ensuring that those stung by the comparison to the camel do not feel justly slighted by Zacchaeus if we prematurely overlook them.

Likewise, Luke describes the moment when Jesus, nearing Jericho, found a blind man situated along the way, stating, “But when Jesus was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man sat in the way.”

It is clear that there were indeed two blind men. The individual Mark refers to was observed by the Lord Jesus while leaving Jericho, and the other, mentioned by Luke, was encountered as Jesus entered the city. While Luke does not provide the man’s name, Mark identifies him as “Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus.” Thus, Matthew, who authored his Gospel before both Mark and Luke, references two blind men in his account, as the events involved both individuals. Mark subsequently focused on the experience of just one, while Luke detailed the account of the other, noting that “This blind man sat by the way,” requesting alms.

The second discrepancy can be understood by considering that the incident involved two distinct moments in time and space. Initially, as Jesus was entering the city, the blind men called out to Him, imploring for healing, but the Lord did not respond, perhaps to test their faith. Later, as He was leaving the city, they again cried out, at which point the Lord beckoned them and healed them. The details regarding the healing itself illustrate how the Evangelists complement one another. When the blind men heard a crowd moving along the road, they inquired, "What is this?" (Luke). Upon learning that it was Jesus of Nazareth, they began to exclaim, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" The crowd attempted to silence them, likely because Jesus was engaging in teaching, and many wished to absorb His words. Nevertheless, the blind men persisted, calling out to the Lord for His mercy. At that moment, the Lord summoned them to come closer. Those nearby encouraged the blind men, saying, "Take heart, get up; He is calling you." This news instilled a sense of hope within the blind men, prompting them to strip off their outer garments for ease of movement as they rushed toward their Healer. After recognizing their need, the Lord touched their eyes and declared, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately, they regained their sight and followed Jesus, praising God.

While Matthew and Mark portray the healing as occurring as they left Jericho, Luke depicts it as happening upon Jesus' approach to the city. Bishop Michael clarifies that the Greek term *eggidzein*, used by Luke, signifies being near something from any direction, suggesting that Luke's reference can be interpreted as when He was near Jericho. Thus, if Luke indicates the miracle happened in proximity to Jericho, it reconciles with the narratives of Matthew and Mark regarding the location of the miracle.

The discrepancy regarding the number of blind individuals remains. Matthew mentions that Jesus healed two, while Mark and Luke refer to one. Similar apparent contradictions arise in their accounts of the healing of the demoniacs in the land of the Gerasenes, as noted in John Chrysostom's analysis. This scenario with the blind men is no different: Matthew highlights two men, but one, Bartimaeus, was likely more prominent, possibly due to his vigorous cries, which drew more attention and may have overshadowed the other.

The absence of mention of the second blind man by Mark and Luke does not discredit Matthew’s account of there being two. Ultimately, the essence of the miracle performed by Jesus is what the Evangelists aimed to convey, focusing on the significance of the event rather than the exact number healed. Given the multitude of those healed, the specifics of how many is of lesser consequence.

The plain gradually ascends from the steep ravine of the Jordan, situated significantly lower than the Mediterranean Sea to the west. About twelve versts from the river, perched seven hundred feet above its surface, lay the renowned city, historically significant as the first to capitulate to the Israelites upon their entry into the Promised Land. Although the city had endured numerous trials throughout its history, even with the curse pronounced by Joshua, it now stood majestically over the surrounding landscape, shining in the intense sunlight from the white walls of its fortifications and palatial structures erected by King Herod. As Jesus and His disciples made their way toward this city, another of His miracles for the benefit of those in need unfolded at its gates. Two blind beggars sat at the entrance, soliciting alms from those who passed by, one of whom was named Bartimaeus (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43). While they may have hoped for generous donations from the worshippers journeying nearby, they were unaware of the fortuitous blessing that awaited them.

The arrangement of events in the Gospels is not strictly chronological, as illustrated in various passages throughout.

Luke uniquely highlights the impact of Christ's miracle on the crowds, similar to his accounts in other instances, such as in Luke 5:26, 7:17, 9:43, and 13:17. This enthusiastic response from the people can be seen as a precursor to the hosanna that greeted Jesus when He entered Jerusalem shortly thereafter (Luke 19:37-38 and parallels).