The Links to the Bartimaeus Story
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, He stopped and ordered that the man be brought to Him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
Luke 18:35-43
The Zacchaeus Story
Jesus entered Jericho and made His way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, He looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” He said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10
The Similarities:
- Both stories take place in Jericho.
- Both take place in the midst of the crowd.
- In both stories the action takes place at the side of the road.
- In both stories Jesus in going through the town.
- In both stories Jesus stopped.
- Both subjects are sinners in the minds of the Pharisees.
- Both subjects are lost.
- Both men sought Jesus out; they had a desire to meet Him.
- In both cases the crowd are displeased with the interruption by the man in focus.
- In both stories Jesus gives the invitation or the call.
- Both subjects are linked to Abraham – the father of faith.
- Both stories emphasize salvation. [sozo] in the first story; [soteria] and [sozo] in the second story.
The Contrasts:
- One subject is a poor beggar; the other is a rich man.
- One subject is one of the oppressed; the other is an oppressor.
- In the first story the man calls Jesus by name; in the second Jesus calls the man by name.
- One man’s name means “filthy”; the other man’s name means “pure”.
- One man expresses his faith in trust; the other man expresses his faith in a repentant act.
- The second story represents a pinnacle in the purpose of Jesus, Messiah’s coming to earth.
It is clear that Luke has joined these two stories in a couplet; like a stereoscopic pair of lenses, giving us a detailed insight as to why the Son of Man / Messiah came to seek and save the lost. I think Luke has cleverly arranged the stories to lead us toward a deeper look at issues of faith and salvation. Allow me to take your thoughts back to the ground we have covered on the journey to Jericho.
But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?”
Luke 18:8
I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Luke 18:17
A religious leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:18
When Jesus saw this, He said,”How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!
Luke 18:24
He replied,”What is impossible for people is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27
Don’t you think it’s interesting, that we have two stories related to how poor sinners find salvation and mercy. Simply by confessing their need for it and depending on God’s willingness to grant grace and mercy. Interesting isn’t it, that questions are asked about how the rich can be saved? We have had a major parable which concludes with the rich man who trusted in his riches, and finds he doesn’t make it. (Dives, the rich man in the Lazarus story. Don’t forget that his name is not actually Dives. It just simply means the rich man. I use it like a name because it is easier to write it that way.)
It is not by chance that we have a segment asking the question if a rich man can be saved and find eternal life? We have another segment focused on the sinner who asks for mercy. A parallel passage prior to these two stories, focused on the need for the rich man to give away his riches. We have seen in the parable of the Unjust Steward, that he learns the lesson and sacrifices his wealth in order to gain friends. Here in these two stories, it is not a coincidence that one man (Bartimaeus) simply asks for mercy and is told he is saved. A reflection of the sinner praying, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” The other man (Zacchaeus) is the rich man and comes to the point of repentance for the way he has gained his wealth, and is now willing to give it away. The balance of these two stories is brilliant in the way they sum up the development of the themes of all the parables which precede them.
Frankly, there is so much in these two stories that I am not going to cover it all. I am overwhelmed by all the links and significant elements present in this portion of Luke. The end of chapter 18 and the beginning of chapter 19 belong together as a pair of stories. Remember what I have said over and over about reading across chapter boundaries. The chapter break has interrupted Luke’s two stories. In Luke’s arrangement, it is clear that both stories are linked thematically. Why should we be surprised about that? We understand now that thematic sequencing lies at the heart of Luke’s Gospel. His gospel is not ordered chronologically, it is ordered thematically. Jesus’ intention was to pass through Jericho in both stories. But in both stories He stops, and salvation is the result for two more sinners. Does salvation result when you stop? (viz Paul Scanlon’s 15 minute revolution).
There is much more for us to suck from these two stories. Take time overnight to see what you can glean from them. I will close this part of Luke in tomorrow’s Gems. There will be many aspects I will not comment on, although I could and perhaps should. However, I will make comment on some more items of interest and then sum it all up. In the meantime, there is time for you to ponder the pieces and see what you can stitch together of significance, to make sense of it all. You might want to review the initial question, related to the assumed contradictions of Jesus’ interaction with Bartimaeus on entering Jericho (á la Luke) or on leaving it (á la Matt and Mark). See if you can put it all together on numbers of levels.
I leave you now with time to ponder before I bring it to a close tomorrow, and we move on to the last of Luke’s unique pericopes before we head to Bethany and Bethphage.
The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender.
William Booth (Founder of the Salvation Army)
Eventually everybody surrenders to something. If not to God, we’ll surrender to the opinions and expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, to our own lusts or ego.
William Booth
We’re free to choose whatever we surrender to, but we’re not free from the consequences of that choice.
Anon
Too many of us have become preoccupied with our material well-being. Instead of believing God for the salvation of our loved ones, we’re believing Him for houses, cars, holidays, and so on.
Bob Gass
Salvation happened when Jesus stopped. It happened for us all when He stopped on this earth. Does salvation result for someone when you stop?
Ian Vail