The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Holy Gospel of Quinquagesima, Luke 18:31–43, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.
V. A prophecy concerning Christ’s suffering and death. (v. 31–34)
VI. The history of [the healing] of a blind man. (v. 35–42)
Annotated Text
31. Now He took to Himself the twelve (the twelve apostles), and said to them, “Behold, * we are going (now on this journey) up to Jerusalem (because the time of My suffering has drawn near, I will also draw near to the determined place of My suffering), and all will1 be fulfilled that is written by the prophets concerning2 the Son of Man (about3 My suffering, death, and resurrection).
* Matthew 17:22ff. (Matthew 20:17; Mark 10:32)
1 * Soon now, when I this time, as the last time, shall take Myself there.” Previously when He had preached the same, he spoke only of it in general (see Matthew 16:21, 17:12–22, etc.).
2 Greek: “in” [There is no preposition in the Greek, but τῷ is in the dative case.]
3 * “through or with My…” [I wasn’t sure what this getting at.]
32. For He will be * handed over to the Gentiles (to Pilate, the Gentile governor, and his soldiers), and He will be mocked and shamed (kept in the most disgraceful and shameful way with words and deeds), and spit upon;
* Matthew 27:2
33. and they will scourge and kill Him, and the third day He will rise again.”
(Joshua 2:19)
34. * But they understood none of this, and the saying was hidden from them, and they did not know what it was that He had said (because the disciples, in the supposed worldly kingdom of Christ, had imagined pure joy and good days for themselves, they could not agree with Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection).
* Luke 9:45
35. Now it happened, when He (Jesus) came near (on His journey) to Jericho,1 * a blind man sat on the way and he was begging.
* Matthew 20:29–30; Mark 10:46
1 * Before he had yet entered the city (Luke 19:1). But the like, as is usual, are found again at the conclusion (see Matthew 20:29).
36. Now when he heard the people that were passing by (and following Christ in heap), he inquired what this was (what the tumult that he heard signified).
37. Then they preached to him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing over.”
38. And He called and said, “Jesus, you Son of David (You who are the Messiah and the Savior of the World, the one promised to David and born from his lineage according to the flesh), have mercy on me (help me out of pure grace and unmerited compassion)!”
39. But those passing by warned him that he should be silent. But he cried out much more, “You, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40. Now Jesus stood still and called for him to be brought. Then when they brought him near to Him, He asked him,
41. and said, “What do you what me to do for you?” He (the blind man) said, “Lord, that I may see.”
42. And Jesus said to him, “Be seeing; * your faith has helped you.”
* Matthew 9:22 (Luke 17:19)
43. And immediately * he was seeing1, and followed Him, and praised God. And all the people who saw this praised God.
* Psalm 146:8
1 Greek: “saw again” [ἀνέβλεψεν] (for he was not born blind, as the one in John 9:1ff., but had lost his sight through an accident; the same also goes for v. 41).
Useful Applications
V. DOCTRINE: Concerning the joyfulness and desire of Christ to suffer and die for us, because He had previously known all His suffering, and nevertheless willingly went to Jerusalem where it would happen. (v. 31) VI. CORRECTION: That we ought to call upon Christ with all our heart for spiritual illumination as this blind man did for bodily illumination. (v. 40) COMFORT: Christ, the Light of the World, will not allow anyone to lack who does not willfully shut his eyes (as he testifies with this cure). (v. 41)
PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS 