The Blind Man's Eyes Are Opened And He Presses Into The Kingly Rule of God (18:35-43).
It can be no accident that this incident follows the depicting of the disciples as ‘blind' to the truth about Jesus. They are going forward blindly into Jerusalem, where eventually their eyes will be opened. Compare Mark 8:18 with 23 where a similar ‘blindness' on the part of the disciples is followed by the healing of a blind man.
In this passage the blind man recognises Jesus as the Son of David, and refuses to be quiet until he is brought to Him. His determination to see Jesus parallels the idea of those who press into the Kingly Rule of God and refuse to take ‘no' for an answer (Luke 16:16). Then, once his eyes have been opened, he follows Him.
Analysis.
a ‘And it came about that, as He drew near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging' (Luke 18:35).
b Hearing a crowd going by, he enquired what this meant, and they told him, that “Jesus of Nazareth passes by” (Luke 18:36-37).
c ‘And he cried, saying, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:38).
d Those who went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but he cried out the more a great deal, “You son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:39).
e ‘And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to him, and when he was come near, He asked him' (Luke 18:40).
d “What do you wish that I should do to you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” (Luke 18:41).
c ‘And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has made you whole” (Luke 18:42).
b ‘And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God' (Luke 18:43).
a ‘And He entered and was passing through Jericho' (Luke 19:1).
Note that in ‘a' He drew near to Jericho, and in the parallel He continued on through Jericho. In ‘b the crowd was going by and told him that Jesus of Nazareth was there, and in the parallel both he and they give glory to God because of what Jesus has done for him. In ‘c' he cries out to Jesus for mercy (to be healed) and in the parallel Jesus responds to his cry and heals him. In ‘d' he calls on Jesus for mercy, and in the parallel Jesus asks what he wants and is told what his cry for mercy was all about. Centrally in ‘e' he is brought to Jesus face to face.