The Complete Sayings of Jesus

Sight Restored to Two Blind Beggars — Parable: The Nobleman, the Servants, and the Money (Pounds).

A.D. 30. Age 33 Jericho.

Luke 18, 35-43; 19, 1-27: Mark 10, 46-52.

A MULTITUDE followed Jesus. Nigh¹ unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: and hearing the multitude, he asked what it meant. They told him, Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus commanded him to be brought; and asked him, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. Immediately he received his sight. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

As he went out² of Jericho with his disciples, blind Bartimeus sat by the highway side begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying, Be of good comfort; he calleth thee. Casting away his garment, he came to Jesus. He said unto the man, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? The blind man said, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. Immediately his eyes received sight, and he followed Jesus in the way.

Jesus [had] entered and passed through Jericho. And a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and rich, sought to see Jesus who he was, and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. He ran before, and climbed into a sycamore tree to see Jesus: for he was to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw Zaccheus, and said, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down: for to day I must abide at thy house. He came down, and received Jesus joyfully. When they saw it, they murmured, He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. Zaccheus said unto the Lord: Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Jesus said, This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. And he added a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin; for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

Footnotes:

¹Luke 18, 35-42: "As Jesus was come nigh unto Jericho ." Mark 10, 46-52: "As Jesus went out of Jericho..." The two narratives are enough alike to imply but one blind beggar. Matthew, however, has two blind men, but sitting side by side; pleading at the same time, and cured at the same time, the dialogue being strikingly similar (Matthew 20, 30-34).

²Compare this passage (Luke 19, 12-27) with the similar passage in Part 73 of this book (Matthew 25, 14-30).