Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-03-22
BLIND BARTIMEUS
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH "a.

Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by
permission of II Hoffman, publisher, Phila
delphia
46 "And they came to Jericho" Jesus Is
drawing near to Jerusalem, there to accom-
pish that decease or exodus of which Moses
and Elijah talked on the mount of transfg.
uration and of which He Himself had SO
often spoken John ii, 1921 Matt xii, 80, 40
Mark viii, 81; tx, 81; x, 80, "a, 45), the death
prefigured in all the sacrifices since the Lord
God first clothed Adam and Eve with the
coats of skins Gen. iii, 2D; the atonement
which provides the only salvation for sin
ners, sufficient for the sins of the whole
world efficient for all who receive it.
How many interesting incidents are con
nected with the history of Jericho since we
first hear of it in connection with the ell
camping of Israel "in the plains of Moab on
this side Jordan by Jericho Mum. xxi, y:
The three fold parting of the waters of Jor.
dan, the new captain of the Lords host un.
der whom Joshua so meekly took his posi-
tion and the miraculous falling of the walls
of Jericho the salvation of Rahab and her
kindred, the translation of Elijah and the
healing of the waters by Elisha The name
jericho" according to Young signifies
fragrant" and surely these incidents in its
history give forth the fragrance of Him who
is the Captain of our salvation, the all power
full healer and deliverer. Four times is it
called "the city of palm trees" (Deut xxxiv,
3, Judg. /, l6; ill., 10, ii Chron. xviii, l5)
and the associations of the palm tree in the
Scriptures form a most interesting, profit
able and practical Bible study, reaching from
the palm trees of Elm lex. XIV, % to the
palms of the redeemed in glory REV vii, o..
LAS He went out of Jericho" Luke says
that He healed blind man as He came nigh
to Jericho and that He then entered and
passed through duke xviii, 35, xix, y, Mat
thew says that as they departed from Jeri-
cho there were two blind men sitting by the
wayside, and that He healed them both
Matt. Xxx, 1884 these accounts read in the
simplest way seem to indicate that there
were three blind men healed at this time,
one as He entered Jericho and two as He
left it, Bartimeus being one of the two.
There is no need to attempt to reconcile these
accounts so as to try and make out that
Jesus healed at this time only one or two
blind men. there is nothing here to reconcile
except our hearts to the Saviour, and that
we become as little children, believing what
He says.
"Blind Bartimaus, the son of Timeus."
The one name explains the other Bar signi
flying a son as in Matt. xvi, II, Acts, iv, Sc
We are not often told the names of those
who were healed, and just why we should be
| told the name of this blind man is S, mewhat
of mystery. What an honor to have his
name recorded in this Book of Books and
handed down to all generations as one whom
Jesus healed, but think of the greater honor
| of having our names written in Heaven.
Nu. X, 20)
Sat by the highway side begging" Only
Il poor blind beggar, picture OF utter help
lessness, having nothing and unable to do
anything but piteously ask aims of those
who were passing by, what picture OF the
sinner, wretched and miserable. and poor
and blind and naked Rev iii, ~. but ii sin
ners were only as sensible of their blindness
and poverty as Bartmeus, how eood il
would be for them
A.. HE heard that it was Jesus of Naza-
reth." He had otter heard of HIM, for His
fame had spread over all the land, and as be
listened to the reports of His wondrous
works, making the deaf to hear, the dumb tc
speak, the blind to see, the lame to walk, the
sick to be whole, and even the dead to live
again, he became convinced that this wa:
none other than the one of whom the
prophets had spoken and foretold that He
NOulu ~ luSSe Yer lulut5S lisa. AAAN, D. "
longing no doubt, III his heart that some day
Jesus might pass that way SO that he might
cry unto Him and be healed for he hac
heard that it was written in the Scriptures
"He shall deliver the needy when he crieth
the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
lPs. Xxi, l2l
"He began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Sol
of David have mercy on me" Would it l.,
strange if, he heard the crowd approach
ing he inwardly felt that the day of his de
liverance had come, and nervously asked
Who is it. What is coming' Then as they
told him that it was Jesus with what earn
estness he must have cried out Here wa
the opportunity he had longed for, tn,
Mighty One of Israel was at hand, and b.
must cry unto Him, to do otherwise would
indicate either indifference or unbelief.
IS. MANY charged him that he should hole
his peace" As well tell man who is drown
ing or in the third or fourth story of a burning
building with no apparent means of escape
to hold his peace. as well tell this man tina
he is not blind, and poor, and needy, or tina
Jesus can't stop to attend to beggars. H
knows better, he has long realized his SAL
condition and he believes that Jesus o
Nazareth, the Son of David is de
lieverer for just such as he and there
tore they cannot shut him up, bu
their efforts to do so only make hin
cry the more great deal that the Sol
of David would have mercy on him.
40 Jesus stood still and commanded hin
to be called Blessed Jesus, nearer of tn
cry of the needy, Thou dost not respect tn
rich because of his riches, nor despise tn
poor because of his poverty. The poor man
Importantly has prevailed and the Lord O
Heaven and earth stops.
so HE, casting away his garment, ros
and came to Jesus" The Revised Verso
says that he "sprang up" he lost no time
and that he might not be hindered, he cast
aside his outer garment and quicklJ came t
Jesus.
81. what wilt thou that should do unit
thee" They are now face to face, the helpe
aud the helpless, the Almighty and the vi
done, and these are the words of Jesus to tn
beseeching and expectant heart of the poe
blind beggar 1t is written that Ahasueru
said to the queen, What wilt thou, Quee
Estheri and what is thy requesti it shall /
even given thee to the half of the kingdom
(Esth v, 81 and elso that Solomon gave I
= a ,,uaan of Shaha all her DESIRE " a ve