Mark 10:46

From Jericho (apo Iereicw). See on "Mt 20:29" for discussion of this phrase and Luke's ( Luke 18:35 ) "nigh unto Jericho" and the two Jerichos, the old and the new Roman (Luke). The new Jericho was "about five miles W. of the Jordan and fifteen E. of Jerusalem, near the mouth of the Wady Kelt, and more than a mile south of the site of the ancient town" (Swete). Great multitude (oclou ikanou). Considerable, more than sufficient. Often in Luke and the papyri in this sense. See Matthew 3:11 for the other sense of fit for ikano. Bartimaeus (Bartimaio). Aramaic name like Bartholomew, bar meaning son like Hebrew ben. So Mark explains the name meaning "the son of Timaeus" (o uio Timaiou). Mark alone gives his name while Matthew 20:30 mentions two which see for discussion. Blind beggar (tuplo prosaith), "begging" (epaitwn) Luke has it ( Luke 18:35 ). All three Gospels picture him as sitting by the roadside (ekaqhto para thn odon). It was a common sight. Bartimaeus had his regular place. Vincent quotes Thomson concerning Ramleh: "I once walked the streets counting all that were either blind or had defective eyes, and it amounted to about one-half the male population. The women I could not count, for they are rigidly veiled" (The Land and the Book). The dust, the glare of the sun, the unsanitary habits of the people spread contagious eye-diseases.