This is the first time Jesus predicts His death to be at the hands of the Gentiles. 

Why does Luke include this?

It’s important to know that the cross wasn’t defeat. It was the plan from the beginning. We see ultimate courage. He knew what he was walking toward and he kept walking toward it. 

The disciples couldn’t understand what Jesus was saying at least partially because they had such deeply entrenched ideas of what the Messiah would be. Their preconceived notions were so strong that they twisted what Jesus said to try and fit their narrative. 

-When we pick and choose what we want to obey and twist the words of Jesus because we don’t like the clear message we look just as foolish as the disciples. 

Jericho was considered a commuter town where rich priests lived and traveled into Jerusalem to work. 

Compare to Matthew and Mark. Luke is highlighting one blind beggar, but that doesn’t mean that there was only one. Mark tells us that his name was Bartemaus because some of his readers might have known him. There were two Jerichos by this time about a half mile away. It’s possible that this happened between the two Jerichos so it happened both as Jesus was leaving and as he was entering Jericho. 

“Son of David” was reserved for Messiah. The crowd hushed him even though they all believed what he declared to be true. This speaks to how marginalized and ignored in society. 

“Cried out” two different words are translated. He goes from just yelling to a guttural grunt in desperation. Jesus tells the people who told him to shut up to bring the man to Him. They needed to repent and participate in helping the man. 

Any positive response from Jesus could have been “have mercy on me.” Jesus asks “what do you want me to do?” This seems like a pointless question. God loves for ask even though he already knows what we need. It’s an opportunity for faith. 

The blind man doesn’t pull any punches. He doesn’t ask for something lesser. He trusts that Jesus is who he says he is and asks to be healed. 

Sometimes we ask for healing or help with symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem and asking for help with that. 

Jesus says, “your faith has saved you” not your faith has healed you. Not only does this man get to Jesus. He becomes the means by which others come to Jesus.