It is important that we study the three accounts given by the synoptic writers in order to get the facts of the healing of this man. There was a great multitude that was accompanying Jesus as He was traveling on His way to Jerusalem. Let us remember that this was the time of the Passover, and that people from all over the country were going up to Jerusalem to observe the Feast. If we will only use our imagination, we can fancy that there was a constant stream of people on all the roads that were converging on Jerusalem.

Matthew tells us that, as Jesus was going out of Jericho, there were two blind men who were sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out saying, "Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David." The multitude rebuked them for doing this. The more they were reproved, the more they cried out, addressing Christ as the "son of David,'' and asking Him to have mercy upon them. As Jesus came up to the place where they were sitting, He stopped, called them, and said, "What will ye that I should do unto you?" They replied, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes. Straightway they saw. Such is the account of the healing of these two blind men at Jericho when Jesus was leaving the city and as recorded by Matthew (Matt. 20:29-34).

Mark speaks of this same incident, and of its occurring as Jesus was going out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitued. He tells us that Jesus healed a blind man whose name was "Timeus, Bartimeus, a blind begger" (Mark 10:46). Mark also informs us that, when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he addressed Him as "thou son of David." The expression, "son of David," goes back to the promise and covenant into which God entered with David concerning one of his descendants' mounting the throne of David and reigning in righteousness for ever (II Sam., chap. 7). This one, of course, is none other than the Messiah, the God-man, who entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. It was generally understood by the people of Christ's day that the Messiah was to be a descendant of David, and that he was to enter the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth.

When Jesus stopped, He instructed those around Him to call the man. When they did, the beggar cast away his garments, sprang up, and came to Jesus. When the Lord asked him what He should do, the blind man replied, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight" (Mark 10:46-52).

Luke give us a little different account, but there is perfect harmony between this record and the other two, when all of the facts are taken into consideration, and when we understand the geographical locations of that time. Luke gives the story in 18:35-43. In verse 35 he tells us that it came to pass, as Christ drew near to Jericho, that a certain man who was sitting beside the road begging heard the multitude and inquired what was the significance of the noise which he heard. Luke states that this case of healing occurred as Jesus was drawing nigh to Jericho.

We have just seen that the other two records say that Jesus healed a blind man, or two blind men, when He was going out of Jericho. Is there a contradiction? By no means. There were two Jerichos, the Jericho of Joshua's time, which was destroyed when Israel entered into the Promised Land, and the Roman Jericho that was built by the Romans after their occupation, of the land in 63 B.C. These two locations are about four miles apart. Thus, as Jesus went out of the old Jericho and approached the new Jericho, He came to the place where these two blind men were. As we have seen, Matthew says there were two men. Mark and Luke tell us that there was one. Are the records contradictory? No. There were actually two, but one was more aggressive; hence more prominent. He took the lead when Jesus called. Thus Mark tells us the name of the more prominent one; but both were healed. This healing, of course, was physical. Jesus healed various blind people, demonstrating the fact that He is the Master of disease. When He returns and reigns upon this earth in glory, there will be no blindness or other sickness, because the Lord will heal the blind, the lame, and the diseased. This is seen in Isaiah, chapter 35.

But at the present time the restoration of spiritual vision is of far greater importance than that of the natural, physical sight. While we appreciate from the depths of our hearts the ability of physically seeing, yet we appreciate much more the faculty of spiritual insight into things as they are, and especially in the Word of God.

Luke, in continuing his narrative, said that Jesus entered and was passing through Jericho, that is, the second Jericho, the Roman city. As He was traveling along the highway with the multitude, there was a taxgatherer by the name of Zacchaeus who was very much interested in Jesus. This man, who was low of stature, was very eager to get a glimpse of Jesus. Knowing that he could not because of the throng, he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order that he might see Jesus. As the group was walking along the road, Jesus came to the place where Zacchaeus was.

He looked up and said to the taxgatherer: "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house" (19:5). Zacchaeus hastily came down and received the Lord most joyfully.

But when those who were traveling along with Jesus saw that He went in and was received in the house of a taxgatherer, "they all murmured, saying, He is gone to lodge with a man that is a sinner" (vs. 7). The publicans, or taxgatherers, were disreputable men, as a rule. They purchased the privilege of collecting taxes from the people. The average publican was unscrupulous and squeezed every shekel out of everyone when he could. As a rule, they had no scruples whatsoever. Thus, if a man was recognized as a taxgatherer, he immediately was listed as an out-and-out reprobate, a contemptible sinner. While the general rule was that the taxgatherers were unscrupulous men, there were those who were not. For instance, Zacchaeus and Matthew were of this latter class. Jesus never would have chosen Matthew as one of the disciples if he had been an unprincipled, unscrupulous man.

That Zacchaeus was an honorable, upright man is evident from what he said to the Lord: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold" (vs. 8). There is every reason to believe that Zacchaeus was honest and straightforward in making this statement to the Lord. He was not dogmatically saying that he had never wronged any man. Recognizing the fact that all men do make mistakes, he stated that if he had wrongfully exacted aught of any man, he would restore it fourfold. Restoration is always a fruit of repentance. To repent is to change the thoughts, purposes, and intentions of the heart, or mind. Whenever a person repents, he will change his life, will restore stolen goods, and make right every wrong of which he is guilty, if possible, when he becomes aware of his wrong. Zacchaeus was unconscious of any wrong, but he was eager to make any wrong right, if the Lord would only show him.

Jesus replied to Zacchaeus: "To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham." Many of the taxgatherers were Romans, but Zacchaeus was a Jew, an upright man who gave a square, righteous deal to everyone. Jesus, knowing his heart, said that salvation had come to that man's house. He was in the proper attitude and frame of mind to receive salvation. The Apostle Paul preached publicly and from house to house to both Jews and Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Men must repent toward God and put their faith in Christ. This is true now and always of both Jew and Gentile (Acts 20:21).

Jesus concluded His remarks concerning Zacchaeus' case by saying: "For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost (vs. 10). Christ, the Son of man, left heaven and came to this world to seek and to save the lost--those who recognize that they are lost and without God and hope in the world. When men arrive at that conclusion, they are ready to let go and let God have a chance in their lives. They are willing to come to Him and trust Him for salvation.

Immediately following the incident which we have just been studying, our Lord spoke another parable, because He was drawing near to Jerusalem, and because the people who were accompanying Him supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear. Excitement concerning Jesus and His mission in the world was running high. John the Baptist had broken the silence of four hundred years by saying that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus and the Apostles had sounded the same note. Excitement was running high in expectation that great and mighty changes would immediately take place--upon His arrival in Jerusalem.

In this connection, it becomes necessary for us to notice the expression, kingdom of God. What does it signify? The literal meaning of the words is the reign of God--the government of God here upon earth. The prophets had foretold that God in the person of Messiah--the God-man entering the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth--would come to earth and would reign upon the earth, having His capital at Jerusalem. (See such passages as Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-8; Jeremiah 3:16-18; Isaiah 33:17-24; and Zephaniah 3:14-18.)

There is another phase of the kingdom of God foretold in the Old Testament which is very frequently overlooked. This is the spiritual phase of the reign of God upon the earth, which precedes the glorious, outward, visible manifestation of His regal authority when He returns personally to reign. This phase of the kingdom we call the Church.

That the Church itself was foreknown and foretold in the Old Testament is clearly seen in Deuteronomy 32:21 and Isaiah 65:1. That these two quotations are prophecies concerning the Church is quite obvious from the interpretation which the Apostle Paul gives to them in Romans 10:16-21. We are therefore on a solid, factual basis in interpreting these two passages of Scripture as predictions concerning the present spiritual phase of the kingdom of God. This position becomes abundantly evident to the one who will study the setting of Isaiah 65:1. It shows that while Gentiles are coming to the Lord and are being received by Him, the Jews are being set aside, awaiting the time of the Tribulation when God's Judgments will purge out all the wicked from Israel. When He does that, He will return and create new heavens and a new earth according to Isaiah 65:17, which verse introduces the Millennial Age.

A number of passages foretell the Church Age: For instance, Psalm 110:1,2. The Messiah comes, is rejected by Israel, is executed, buried, and rises from the dead. Then at the invitation of God He leaves this earth, ascends to heaven, takes His seat at the right hand of the throne of God, and remains seated there during this entire Christian Dispensation. At the end of it when Israel acknowledges his national sin and pleads for the Messiah to return, He will do so. Thus we see the two comings of the one Messiah separated by the interval during which He is rejected, the Church Age. Jesus came, launched a preaching ministry which He has been carrying on through believers during the present time. At the end of this age Jesus will return and will set up His kingdom here upon the earth and reign from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

This interpretation of the facts is demanded by the parable of the pounds found in Luke 19:11-27. In order to correct the erroneous ideas that some in His audience might have, Jesus spoke this parable of the pounds--because He was near Jerusalem, and because many thought that the kingdom of God in its outward, visible manifestation would appear immediately. He therefore said that the kingdom of heaven was like a nobleman who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. But before making his journey, he called his servants together and delivered to them his goods, to each one a pound, with the instructions that each should take his pound and should trade therewith and gain interest. When the nobleman receives his kingdom, he comes back and has a reckoning with his servants. Upon his return he finds that one man has invested his pound and has gained ten others; another has used his pound and has gained five others; still another takes his pound and hides it in a napkin. Each is rewarded according to the gain which he has made with his investment.

The nobleman is the Lord Jesus Christ. The far country to which he goes to get His kingdom is heaven. His servants to whom He delivers His goods are the servants of Christ, the Christians. The time that they are to make the investment is the period during His absence. When He goes into the presence of God at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period (Dan. 7:13,14), He is vested with authority and power and comes back in glory to reign upon the earth--in the very place where He was rejected and by those who refused that He should reign over them.

During the present spiritual phase of the kingdom of God, we, the servants of the Lord, are each given a pound, so to speak. We are all put on an equality. What do the pounds represent? Undoubtedly, they are one's natural abilities, capabilities, and talents--the spiritual endowments with which the Christian is blessed and the opportunities of service granted him. Each has the opportunity of being faithful in his own sphere. When the Lord rewards His servants for what they have done, the measure of all gain will be determined by their loyalty and faithfulness. I can illustrate the point by my experience as a teacher in high school and college. I learned my students, their capabilities and their application. I took into consideration, when grading their papers, the advantages, handicaps, and capacities of each person--in fact, I took all factors into consideration. I graded papers, giving an "A" or an "A plus" to a student whose paper did not compare with that of another on which I marked an "A minus'' or a "B plus." So far as scholarship was concerned, and accuracy and thoroughness, the paper with the "A plus" could not compare with the one which was graded with a "B plus." My reason for grading thus was that the one given the "A plus" did his best. He acted with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency of the powers and opportunities which he had; whereas, the other student to whose work the standards of accuracy were more rigidly applied could have handed in a far better paper, had he worked with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency.

Every Christian has his pound; can work with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency; can lay all on the altar and with faithfulness and loyalty to Christ and God can act in such a way as to get "A plus." But how many are doing-this? Unfortunately, the great majority of Christians are not taking their service in the Master's cause seriously enough.

I might illustrate the type of judging mentioned above by the case of the poor widow who put the last two coins she possessed--the smallest Roman coin then in existence--into the treasury. Jesus said that she out of her extreme poverty had given more than all of the rich put together, and yet what little she did was infinitesimally small in comparison with what they had given. There is, therefore, the invisible qualities of loyalty, faithfulness, and consecration that determine the pound delivered to each one. Each one can take his pound and can invest it and can gain ten pounds no matter who he or she may be.

Let us not confuse the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-28) with the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In the latter parable the landlord delivers to his servants his goods according to each one's ability. To one he gives five talents, to another, two talents, and to another, one. The one who receives the five talents has capacities and abilities to use with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency that amount of money. The two talent man is more limited in his capacities and abilities and opportunities. He cannot invest and handle the five talents because of lack of ability, but he can with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency handle the two talents. God wants quality service; hence, He gives to each one according to his ability and expects each to work with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency. Everyone can do that.

When Jesus comes back to this earth, lifts the curse, and establishes His reign of righteousness, He will make His servants who have been faithful to Him officials in His government. They shall judge the nations (I Cor. 6:1ff). In the language of the parable of the pounds the one who gains ten pounds with his one, will reign over ten cities. The one who gains only five pounds will reign over five cities. These cities are cities of the millennial kingdom. The earth is not populated now. Just a few people live in certain spots. But during the Millennial Age the earth's population will increase most rapidly and there will be hundreds of millions of people by the time the thousand-year reign is over. Christ will need those the traits of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and faithfulness to assist Him in the government of the local and provincial governments of His Kingdom.

It is a holy ambition and a laudable desire to take one's pound and gain ten pounds and thus reign over ten cities. Those, however, who do not gain anything, but who are saved, will not reign with Christ. A person must suffer with Christ, make sacrifices, if he is to reign with Him.

In the eternal world, that everlasting Jerusalem that comes down out of the eternal heavens and rests upon the eternal earth--the place which Jesus has gone to prepare for us now--we shall reign with Christ throughout all eternity.

People are saved by the grace of God through faith, but they are to be rewarded according to their work.