Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. (10:46)
Both the gospel of Matthew and Luke report the incidents of healing the blind man. However, there are small differences between them. Both Mark and Matthew mentioned that Jesus met the blind man as he was leaving Jericho. But according to Luke’s account, Jesus met the blind man just before entering into Jericho. Mark mentioned the name of a blind man while Matthew and Luke did not. Mark even revealed his father’s name. Mark’s community might have a deeper relationship with them and Matthew and Luke’s community might have simply heard this story through others.
Bartimaeus was a blind beggar. May be, his father was also poor. Perhaps, his father drove him out to the street to join the profession of begging. Practically, Bartimaeus was oppressed with darkened despair of life just like the street-sleepers at the corners of Seoul Railway station of today.
Why did Mark put the story of Bartimaeus at the beginning of Jerusalem entry? Here Mark might have tried to bring an analogy between the destiny of Jesus and that of the blind man’s despair. There would be no grater despair than the fact of being forsaken by God.
The above explanation may not be the accurate one. Gospels never lead us into sense of despair any moment. Rather, hope and victory that is dominant transcends the power of despair. This incident might signify Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was the victory of king as we can see the name of Jesus “Son of David” in verse 47. The key point is that, the victory is just to give freedom to the blind beggar-like people. At this point, the story of Bartimaeus is an incident to clarify Jesus’ identity.
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