The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-03-21
BLIND BARTIMEUS.
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH "a.

LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH "a.
Text of the Lesson. Mark Z. <6-52-Com-
NIT to Memory Verses 81. s2-Golden
Text. Mark <, 48-Commentary by the
Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
lCompiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by
permission of H. s. Hoffman. publisher. Phila
delphia.l
40. "And they came to Jericho" Jesus is
drawing near to Jacusalem, there to accom-
plish that decease or exodus of which Moses
and Elijah talked on the mount OF transfig-
uration and Of which He Himself had SO
often spoken John ii, 1921, Matt. xii, so, 40;
Mark viii, 81 tx, 81; <. 3d. 81, 45); the death
prefgured in all the sacrifices since the Lord
God first clothed Adam and Eve with the
coats of skins Gen. Iii, 2Ds 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 NE history Of Jericho since we
first hear OF it in connection with the en-
camping of Israel Sin the plains of Moab, on
tlio citA0 ooAQ<AlI, Wy VCl t4tuiti AAlI, ~.
The three fold parting of the waters of Jor-
dan, the new captain of the Lords host I'M
der whom Joshua so meekly took his posi-
ton, 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; iii, 13; II Chron. xviii, 15)
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 tEx. XIV, 21 to the
palms Of the redeemed in glory Rev. vii, 81.
'As 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 luke xviii, IS; xix, u; 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 BartimRus the SOD of Tim9us.'
The one name explains the other, Bar signi-
fui in of Wi Acts iv %
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 somewhat
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.
(I4u. x, 20.)
'Sat by the highway side begging Only
a 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 tRev. lii, IN, but if sim
ners were only as sensible of their blindness
and poverty as BartiaBus, how good it
would be for them.
~. "He heard that il was Jesus Of Naza-
reth." He had otter heard of Him, for His
fame had spread over all the land, and as he
listened to the reports of His wondrous
works. making the deaf to hear, the dumb to
speak, the blind TO see, the lame to walk, the
sick to be whole, and even the dead to live
again, he became convincA that this was
none other than the one of whom the
prophets had spoken and foretold that He
would do these very things lisa. xxxv, 5, o.,
ln,,bf Il, = |, Joxy
Jesus might pass that way SO that be might
cry unto Him and be healed, for he had
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"
Cps. lxxii, 12.)
s'He began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Son
of David, have mercy on me-" Would it be
strange if, as he heard the crowd approach
ing, he inwardly felt that the day Of his de-
liverance had come, and nervously asked,
Who is it9 What is comingi Then as they
told him that it was Jesus, with what earn
estness he must have cried out Here was
the opportunity he had longed for, the
Mighty One of Israel was at hand, and he
must cry unto Him; to do otherwise would
indicate either indifference or unbelief.
49, 'Many charged him that he should hold
his peace" As well tell man who is drown
ing or in the third or fourth story of burning
| building with no apparent means of escape,
| to hold his peace; as well tell this man that
| he is not blind, and poor, and needy, or that
| Jesus can't stop to attend to beggars He
knows better, he has long realized his sad
condition and he believes that Jesus of
| Nazareth, the Son of David is de-
| lieverer for just such as he, and there
| fore they cannot shut him up, but
their efforts to do SO only make him
cry the more a great deal that the Son
of David would have mercy on him.
49, "Jeus stood still and commanded him
to be called" Blessed Jesus, hearer of the
cry of the needy, Thou dost not respect the
rich because of his riches, nor despise the
poor because of his poverty. The poor mans
| Importantly has prevailed and the Lord of
Heaven and earth stops.
So HE, casting away his garment, rose
and came to Jesus" The Revised Version
says that he "sprang up;n he lost no time,
and that he might not be hindered, he casts
aside his outer garment and quickly came to
Jesus.
81. ''What wilt thou that should do unto
tbee" They are now face to face, the helper
and the helpless, the Almighty and the un-
| done, and these are the words of Jesus to the
beseeching and expectant heart Of the poor
blind beggar. 1t is written that Ahasuerus
said to the queen, 'What wilt thou, Queen
| Esthera and what is thy requests it shall be
even given thee to the half OF the kingdom"
| (Esth. V, 3; and also that Solomon gave to
| the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever
| she asked III Chron. TX, 12; but a greater
| than either of these kings is here, even the
same who said to Solomon that night at
Gideon, ASK what / shall give thee" Ill
Chron. i, ~ The same who says to US, IF
ye abide in Me, and ~ words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye Will and it shall be done
| unto you" John xv, ~
"The blind man said into Him, Lord, that
| might receive my sight" He did not say
am slow of speech, cannot speak before
| this multitude, l cannat find words to tell
my need, but simply, definitely and In few
words he tells his need. The most helpful
prayer meetings evsr attended were those
| where the prayers consisted of but two or
three sentences right from the heart, telling
out the real felt need CT the soul, and many
such prayers in quick succession