Bartimaeus, the Blind Beggar of Jericho

Bartimaeus is the name of the blind beggar that was cured by Jesus at the gate of Jericho as Jesus traveled to Jerusalem where he was to be crucified a few days later. Although the gospels have many accounts of cures by Jesus, the cure of Bartimaeus is told in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Why did the three gospel writers include the same miracle narrative in their gospels, and most interesting, why are Bartimaeus and his father, Timaeus, named in the gospel? Could it be that Bartimaeus had a greater role in the early Christian church--a role that was known by the apostles but was not disclosed, possibly to avoid repercussions from the enemies of the church? The question of who Bartimaeus was and what role he played in the early church is the basis of the story.

Bartimaeus's father, Timaeus, is a soldier in the palace guard of King Herod the Great at the time of the birth of Jesus. Timaeus unknowingly becomes a participant in the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem at the order of Herod. After Timaeus discovered that Herod had ordered that tragic slaughter, he disappeared as he returned home to his wife and newly born twin boys, Bartimaeus and Barariel, in Jericho. Bartimaeus is raised by his mother in Jericho on the family horse breeding farm. Like his father, Bartimaeus becomes a soldier for Herod Antipas. He is struck blind in a fall from a horse, and because of that blindness, Bartimaeus is labeled a sinner by his brother-in-law, a fanatic Pharisee, Saul, who is later to become Paul the apostle. During his blindness, being rejected by his wife, Gamela, due to the condemnation of her brother, Saul, he is cared for by Monica, the widow of his twin brother. In their mutual grief, Bartimaeus and Monica struggle with their love for each other. Three years after being blinded, Bartimaeus is cured at the gate of Jericho as Jesus passed by on his way to Jerusalem. Jesus quickly departed after the cure, and Bartimaeus was unable to thank Jesus. A few days later, Bartimaeus traveled to Jerusalem to find Jesus and to thank him only to discover that Jesus had been crucified. With the help of the apostles, Bartimaeus learned of Jesus and is a participant in the early events of the apostles in Jerusalem as related in the Acts of the Apostles. When Saul is struck blind as he traveled to Damascus to arrest the early Christians, Bartimaeus, now a follower of Jesus, is sent by Peter to determine if the reports of Saul, now calling himself Paul and preaching in the synagogue, are true. Bartimaeus helps Paul escape from Damascus with the help of a man and his sons sneaking Paul out of the house, through the streets of Damascus, and over the wall in a basket. Bartimaeus draws the enemies of Paul away as he flees Damascus in a daring horse escape disguised as Paul.

The mystery of the disappearance of Timaeus is interwoven in the story and is eventually revealed to Bartimaeus challenging his newfound Christian life. The man responsible for his father's death must be forgiven, and in so doing, Bartimaeus finds the grace to save the life of his adversary.

The story is one of Bartimaeus's struggle to learn of Jesus and through that conversion to be an agent of good in the lives of others, including his brother-in-law, Paul. The author has maintained historical and biblical fact, where possible, while constructing a Christian novel intertwining fictional characters into the gospel narrative of the apostles. The author, an experienced horse trainer and competitor, incorporates horsemanship into the story, and horses are key elements in the escape of Paul from Damascus.