And they came to Jericho. As He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus the blind man, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging.
On the road to Jericho we meet a man who, outwardly, seems insignificant: blind, poor, and a beggar. He is sitting by the roadside, yet along that very road passes the Light of the world. His name is mentioned—Bartimaeus—which shows the reality of the account and God’s care for the individual. People could see him as a beggar, but Christ sees him as one who is to receive mercy. This episode is also a beautiful contrast to the previous ambitious conversations: while the disciples were arguing about greatness, the Lord stops for a blind beggar.