35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. (Luke 18:35-43 KJV)
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
Christ came not only to bring light to a dark world and show us what to pursue, but also to give sight to blind souls by healing their understanding so they can see those truths. As a sign of this, he healed many from physical blindness. Here we have an account of one such healing near Jericho. Mark tells of one man, named, whom Jesus healed as he left Jericho (Mark 10:46). Matthew mentions two men healed as they departed Jericho (Matthew 20:30). Luke says it was when he was near Jericho (Luke 18:35), which could mean either coming in or going out.
This poor blind man sat by the roadside begging (Luke 18:35). He wasn’t just blind, but poor, with no means to support himself, a fitting picture of the human condition that Christ came to heal and save—both poor and blind (Revelation 3:17). He begged because he couldn’t work. Those unable to earn a living through no fault of their own should be cared for through charity. Such people, like this beggar, should not be ignored. Christ looked kindly on him. And though some beggars may deceive, we must not judge all of them the same way.
Hearing a crowd pass by, he asked what was going on (Luke 18:36). This teaches us the value of asking questions. Those who lack one sense should make better use of another, like using hearing when sight is gone. That’s what this man did, and he learned that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by (Luke 18:37). It is good to be where Christ is, and when we have the opportunity to come to him, we must not miss it.
His prayer showed strong faith and deep urgency: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:38). He recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah, trusted him as a Savior, and pleaded for help: “Have mercy on me.” Christ is a merciful King. Those who come to him as the Son of David will find him compassionate, and they ask enough when they pray simply, “Have mercy,” for that includes everything.
Those serious about receiving Christ’s blessings will not be discouraged by opposition. The crowd rebuked him, telling him to be quiet, but he only cried louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” (Luke 18:39). Those who seek answers in prayer must be persistent. This story reinforces the message at the beginning of the chapter—that people should always pray and not give up.
Christ shows kindness to beggars others reject. He called for the man to be brought to him. Christ has more compassion for struggling people than his followers often do. Though he was traveling, he stopped and had the man brought over. Those who had silenced him now had to help him to Christ.
Even though Christ knows our needs, he still wants us to express them (Luke 18:41): “What do you want me to do for you?” By clearly presenting our needs to God, we learn to value the blessings we seek. The man answered plainly, “Lord, I want to see.” We should also be specific in prayer.
Prayer grounded in faith and Christ’s promises won’t go unanswered. It not only receives peace but also honor (Luke 18:42): “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” True faith leads to fervent prayer, and both bring rich blessings from Christ. These blessings are even sweeter when received through prayer and faith.
The grace of Christ should be publicly acknowledged for God’s glory (Luke 18:43). The man who was healed followed Christ, glorifying God. Jesus lived to glorify the Father, and those he healed honored him best by praising God. Following Christ brings God glory, especially for those whose eyes he has opened.
The crowd who witnessed the healing also gave praise to God, who had given such power to the Son of Man and through him showed such kindness to humanity. We should praise God not only for blessings we receive personally but also for those given to others.