BAR-TIMÆUS, or the Son of Timæus, a blind man of Jericho, who sat near the publick road, when our Saviour passed that way, on his journey to Jerusalem. S. Mark Mark x. 46—52.says, that Jesus coming out of Jericho with his Disciples, attended by a great crowd of people, a blind man called Bar-Timæus sat by the way side, begging: And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Then Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Bar-Timæus immediately came. Jesus said unto him, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? the blind man answered, Lord, that I may receive my sight. Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy Faith hath made thee whole, and immediately he received his sight, and followed him.
Matt. xx. 30.But S. Matthew relating the same story says; that two blind men sitting by the way side, and understanding that Jesus was passing by that way, began to cry out, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. Whereupon Jesus called them, and asked them what they would have: they answered, That our Eyes may be opened. Jesus moved with compassion touched their Eyes, and they recovered instantly their sight, and followed him. S. Mark thought fit to set down Bar-Timæus only, because he was more known, or expressed more faith and zeal, that he spoke to Jesus Christ, and distinguished himself most on this occasion. The cure of another blind man mentioned in S. Luke xxiii. 35 — 43. is different from this. That in S. Luke happened, when Jesus was entring into Jericho, the other the next day, as he was going out.