Who Was Jesus' Last Disciple?

Sunday October 25, 2026 · Nigel Tomes

#7: Luke 18:18-30; 18:35-19:3 (with Mark 10:46-52 alongside)

Who Was Jesus' Last Disciple? [Bulletin]

Bible Reading: Luke 18:18–30; 18:35-19:3 (with Mark 10:46–52 alongside)

SUMMARY: Who Was Jesus’ Last Disciple?

It sounds like Bible trivia, but it isn’t. While walking this earth, who was the last person to step onto the road to follow Jesus?

Jesus is nearing the end of his journey to Jerusalem. For the first and only time, he will pass through Jericho. It is the final chance for a life-changing encounter, the chance to become his last disciple. Luke 18-19 offers three candidates: the rich young ruler, the blind beggar Mark names as Bartimaeus, and Zacchaeus, the short, wealthy tax collector.

Ironically, the one Jesus called to follow him declined, while the one who followed was never called at all. He was a volunteer, not a conscript, yet he became Jesus’ last disciple.

Their encounters have much to teach us today.

Thesis: Bartimaeus is the “last disciple,” i.e., the last person the Gospels record as following Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. No Gospel calls him a disciple; say so, and argue from the pattern.

Three responses: the ruler is called and declines; Bartimaeus is healed and follows; Zacchaeus is sought and saved.

Introduction

Question: who was the last person to step onto the road with Jesus? Not Matthias (a long-time follower), not the thief on the cross (he never walked).
Honesty line: no verse says "disciple"; but, weigh the pattern with me.
Road: Jericho (~250m below sea level) up to Jerusalem (~750m above), roughly 23 km., full of Passover pilgrims.
One Last Pass: “The gospel writers note that Jesus met the blind man [around] Jericho…This encounter occurs as Jesus is taking one last pass through the place his ministry began [near the Jordan river] some 3 years earlier. Jesus has come directly from…the north in the Galilee, & he’s making his way toward Jerusalem & what he knows will be his inevitable death. It is in this ‘in-between time’ before his final week that Jesus walks through the ancient town of Jericho… Jesus is at the lowest spot on the planet when he starts his ascent to Jerusalem. Ahead of him, in the City of David, a Cross awaits. But just before he starts going up to Jerusalem, on his last pass through the Jordan and the places he has been before, Jesus encounters Blind Bartimaeus, a beggar on the outskirts of this dusty town.” [David Roseberry, The Last Disciple, Anglican Compass.com]

1. The ruler: called, but declined (Lk. 18:18–30)

Rich, moral, sincere: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk. 18:18). He treats salvation as achievement.
Jesus told him, “Sell all you have & distribute it to the poor…Then come, follow me.” (Lk. 18:22)

To “inherit eternal life” become a Member of God’s Family

“The rich young ruler asked, “What must I do? (Mk. 10:17; Lk. 18:18) & asserted ‘All these [commands] I have kept’ (Mk.10:20), but that is not enough. One cannot do anything to ‘inherit’. One either is a heir as a member of the family or is not. Salvation comes as a gift from God to those who belong to Christ’s family… Peter reminds Jesus that he & the disciples have done what Jesus asked … As part of the Christian community, they become members of a new family …They’ll inherit eternal life...” [David E. Garland, Theology of Mark’s Gospel, pp. 144-5]
Mark 10:21: Jesus looked at him and loved him. [Jesus didn’t despise him; not trying to ’put him down’

Sign of a Disciple: “Leave something behind to follow” Jesus

Luke 18:22 “Jesus…told him, ‘You still lack one thing: Sell all you have & distribute it to the poor, & you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Lk. 18:22)
“Jesus has special insight into…a particular individual. He knows that this man’s wealth is standing in the way of discipleship.” [Craig Blomberg, Neither Poverty nor Riches, pp. 138-9]
“Those who have been called by Jesus leave something behind to follow him. Simon & Andrew abandon their nets to follow Jesus (Mk. 1:18), while James & John leave their father in the boat with the hired servants (1:20). Levi walks away from his occupation to go with Jesus (2:14). Jesus commands the rich man to sell all his possessions & give away what he has to the poor in order to follow Him…Bartimaeus’ cloak…is one of the few things that he possessed…” [David E. Garland, Op. cit., p. 403]

“Follow” is the Discipleship Verb.

The call: "Come, follow me" (Lk. 18:22). Akoloutheō “follow” is the discipleship verb.

“The…verb akolotheo [Lk. 18:22, 43], ‘to follow’…is a technical term used in the sense of becoming a…disciple of Jesus.” [Amir M. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xl]

v23: The ruler leaves sad. He understood, but could not let go.
v27: "What is impossible with man is possible with God." v28: Peter, "we have followed you."
Hold the verb follow: watch where it lands next.

2. Bartimaeus: not called, yet he followed (Lk. 18:35–43)

Beside the road: blind, begging, outside (v35). Mark names him ‘Bartimaeus’ (‘son of Timaeus’)
"Son of David" (v38): the blind man sees what the Twelve missed.
The crowd says ‘hush;’ he cries out all the more (v39).
“There’s a clash of voices between Bartimaeus crying out & the crowd rebuking him…unidentified people trying to silence him…Bartimaeus’ persistence wins out!” [AM. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xlvi]
Pivot, v40: Jesus has Bartimaeus brought. This is a summons to be healed, not a call to follow.
Mark 10:50: he throws off his cloak (his only possession?) contrast with the ruler's wealth.
“This blind man proceeds from restored sight to …following Jesus…& then enjoying the divine [blessing] of healing, glorifies God, thereby also sparking praise among ‘all the people’ (Lk. 18:43) …[This is] one man’s quest to see, leading to the experience of salvation and ensuing ‘discipleship’ & praise of God…” [John T. Carrol, Luke, p. 370]
v43: "followed him, glorifying God." Mark 10:52: Jesus says "Go your way"; but he follows on the way.
“Jesus didn’t merely perform a healing here [in Jericho], he made his last disciple here. I’d never thought of it that way before. I’d always read the story in total isolation from its context & its location. But here in Jericho, it’s obvious that the last person on earth to become a disciple was the famed Son of Timaeus, Blind Bartimaeus.

“Jesus tells the man, ‘Go your way.’ [But,] Bartimaeus did [not]; he decided…that he would follow Jesus. He could see our Lord with his newly-restored sight, & he chose to follow Him…to Jerusalem & to the cross. He said to the Lord [by his actions], “My way is now Your way, Master.” He was the Last Disciple of Jesus.” [David Roseberry, The Last Disciple, Anglican Compass.com]

Volunteer: the ruler is told to follow & doesn't; Bartimaeus is never told/called to follow, but he does follow Jesus.
“The calling and decision of Bartimaeus to leave behind his cloak (Mk. 10:50) probably his sole worldly possession, to follow Jesus reveals that discipleship is open to all who identify with Jesus in faith, and is not just confined to [those receiving] Jesus’ specific call to follow.” [David E. Garland, Theology of Mark’s Gospel, p. 147]
Some in the crowd were pilgrims; Bartimaeus follows as ‘disciple,’ this is inference, supported by scholars

3. Zacchaeus: sought, saved (Lk. 19:1–3)

Chief tax collector, rich, up a sycamore (vv2–4): the most hated man in Jericho.
vv9–10: salvation has come. He is saved; we do not demote him. But, the text never says he ‘followed’ Jesus
Being saved and joining the road are not the same thing; grace outruns both.
In Luke's order (Bartimaeus before Zacchaeus): argue from who is recorded as “following,” not from the clock.

Verdict and application

The Blind Beggar & Zacchaeus (Lk. 19) “are both foils to the rich ruler in Lk. 18; the blind beggar is the paradigm of one who is free to follow Jesus because he was no wealth.” [Bart B. Bruehler, Public & Political Christ, p. 201]
“Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the way (Mk. 10:52c) …Jesus has not called him as he did with the disciples; he tells him to ‘go’ (Mk. 10:52a). But Bartimaeus’ apparent ‘disobedience’ is consistent with Jesus’ invitation in [Mk.] 8:34: anyone can follow Jesus, provided that he accepts to go along the way which leads to the cross. Jesus cannot refuse this new follower, although he does not belong to the group of his disciples…In the light of [Mark] 10:52c, [Bartimaeus] considers himself as a disciple.” [Juan C. Ossandón, Op. cit., pp. 393, 400]
Are you called by Jesus, or a Volunteer? –both are valid ways to follow Jesus!
Do you feel “called by Jesus” to serve Him in some way – then pursue it
Don’t feel called? No need to wait passively; Bartimaeus took the initiative to follow Jesus; he wasn’t rejected!

Verdict the ruler was called & declined; Zacchaeus was sought & saved; Bartimaeus was healed & followed. The thief on the cross is saved but never walks the road. The Twelve disciples see nothing (spiritually); a blind man sees.

Bring your need before your credentials: "Have mercy on me."
Cry out louder when the crowd says ‘hush.’
Keep following after the healing: he took Jesus' way, not "Go your way."
You need no special invitation (Luke 9:23).
Follow with eyes open: the road ends at the cross, within about a week (18:32–33).

Close: In a sense Jesus is still on the road listening for voices, still stopping, still looking up into trees. In an inclusive sense, ‘the last disciple’ has not been named yet. It might be you; It can be you. Pray: "Son of David, have mercy on us."

Who Was Jesus' Last Disciple? [Study Guide]

Bible Reading: Luke 18:18–30; 18:35-19:3 (with Mark 10:46–52 alongside)

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸A ruler asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. ²⁰You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.’

²¹“I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.

²²When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.

Possessions & the Kingdom

²⁴Seeing that he became sad Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

²⁸Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed you.”

²⁹So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, ³⁰who will not receive many times more at this time, and eternal life in the age to come.” …

A Blind Beggar --‘Bartimaeus’-- Receives His Sight

³⁵As [Jesus] approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. ³⁶Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening. ³⁷“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.

³⁸So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹Then those in front told him to keep quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, ⁴¹“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”

⁴²“Receive your sight,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.” ⁴³Instantly he could see, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Zacchaeus

19:1 [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through. ²There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. ³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.

___________________________________________________________________________________

SUMMARY: Who Was Jesus’ Last Disciple?

It sounds like Bible trivia, but it isn’t. While walking this earth, who was the last person to step onto the road to follow Jesus?

Ironically, the one Jesus called to follow him declined, while the one who followed was never called at all. He was a volunteer, not a conscript, yet he became Jesus’ last disciple.

Their encounters have much to teach us today.

Thesis: Bartimaeus is the “last disciple,” i.e., the last person the Gospels record as following Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. No Gospel calls him a disciple; this proposition is based on the Gospels’ pattern regarding “following” Jesus.

Three responses: the ruler is called and declines; Bartimaeus is healed and follows; Zacchaeus is sought and saved.

Introduction

Question: who was the last to step onto the road with Jesus? Not Matthias (a long-time follower), not the thief on the cross beside Jesus (he never walked).
Honesty line: no verse says "disciple"; but, weigh the pattern with me.
Road: Jericho (~250m below sea level) up to Jerusalem (~750m above), roughly 23 km., full of Passover pilgrims.
One Last Pass: “The gospel writers note that Jesus met the blind man [around Jericho] …This encounter occurs as Jesus is taking one last pass through the [general area where] his ministry began [near the Jordan river] some 3 years earlier. Jesus has come directly from…the north in the Galilee, & he’s making his way toward Jerusalem & what he knows will be his inevitable death. It is in this ‘in-between time’ before his final week that Jesus walks through the ancient town of Jericho… Jesus is at the lowest spot on the planet when he starts his ascent to Jerusalem. Ahead of him, in the City of David, a Cross awaits. But just before he starts going up to Jerusalem, on his last pass through the Jordan and the places he has been before, Jesus encounters Blind Bartimaeus, a beggar on the outskirts of this dusty town.” [David Roseberry, The Last Disciple, Anglican Compass.com]
Set-up: Lk. 18:31–34, the 12 hear the cross announced & "understood none of these things." Who actually sees?

1. The ruler: called, but declined (Lk. 18:18–30)

Rich, moral, sincere: "What must I do?" (v18). He treats salvation as achievement.
“The rich young ruler asked, “What must I do? (Mk. 10:17; Lk. 18:18) & asserted ‘All these [commands] I have kept’ (Mk.10:20), but that is not enough. One cannot do anything to ‘inherit’. One either is a heir as a member of the family or [one] is not. Salvation comes as a gift from God to those who belong to Christ’s family… Peter reminds Jesus that he & the disciples have done what Jesus asked: ‘We have left everything…’ (Mk. 10:28). Jesus’ response shifts [the emphasis] from Peter’s ‘we’ to apply to any who have ‘left home or brothers or sisters, or mother [etc.] …’ (Mk. 10:29). This answer includes the audience of Mark’s Gospel… As part of the Christian community, they become members of a new family …They’ll inherit eternal life in the age to come (Rom. 8:14-17).” [David E. Garland, Theology of Mark’s Gospel, pp. 144-5]
Mark 10:21: Jesus looked at the ruler and loved him.
The call: "Come, follow me" (Lk. 18:22). Akoloutheō “follow” is the discipleship verb.
“’Follow’ (akoloutheō) is the characteristic term used frequently in the Synoptics [Matt., Mark, Luke] of one who becomes a disciple (e.g., Mark 1:18… 10:32 [Bartimaeus]…) …It speaks of walking behind, in the way of, Jesus.” [Mark J. Keown, Jesus in a World of Colliding Empires, Vol. 2, pp. 11-12]
Matthew’s account of the same episode: Matt. 20:29-34 “is delimited by the repetition of the characteristic verb for discipleship ‘follow’ (akoloutheō) signaling its theme [–discipleship].” [John DelHousaye, Fourfold Gospel, p. 105]
“The noun mathetes [‘disciple’] & the verb, akoloutheō (to follow) & their derivatives are used throughout [Mark’s] Gospel to convey discipleship…Mark describes…the disciples as being ‘on the way’ (Mk. 10:32). Many have inferred from Bartimaeus’ akolouthei (following) Jesus ‘in the way’ that he too became a disciple (Mk. 10:32). Mark does not record any other recipients of healing that followed Jesus.” [Sylvia W. Collinson, Making Disciples, pp. 30-31]
v23: The ruler leaves sad. He understood but could not let go.
v27: "What is impossible with man is possible with God." v28: Peter, "we have followed you."
Hold the verb follow: watch where it lands next.

2. Bartimaeus: not called, yet he followed (Lk. 18:35–43)

Beside the road: blind, begging, outside (v35). Mark names him ‘Bartimaeus’ (‘son of Timaeus’)
“Bartimaeus must have already heard firsthand reports of Jesus’ ability & fame as a charismatic miracle-worker…. [When] hope appears on the horizon, Bartimaeus understands that he must seize this moment of Jesus passing by… so he raucously begins to cry out from the depths of his heart…’Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!’ …[This] likely points to his understanding of Jesus’ identity as a Davidic messianic figure. ‘What Bartimaeus lacks in eyesight…he makes up for in insight’ (Edwards) …He intuitively sees who Jesus is more clearly than those who have perfect sight, including the disciples.” [Amir M. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xliv]
"Son of David" (v38): the blind man sees what the Twelve missed.
“This…is the only healing episode in Mark in which the title ‘Son of David’ occurs… Bartimaeus…calls Jesus ‘Son of David,’…make[s] a proper request of Jesus & Jesus’ reply…results in the healed man’s acceptance of discipleship… true discipleship which produces the willingness to follow Jesus into Jerusalem…rejection & death.” [Vernon K. Robbins, “Healing of Blind Bartimaeus…in the Marcan Theology,” JBL, Vol. 92 #2 (1973) pp. 226-7]
The crowd says hush; he cries out all the more (v39).
“’Those in front’ [of the pilgrim party] regard this blind beggar as outside the parameters of Jesus’ ministry, marginal to human society…& so outside the boundaries of God’s grace. Indeed, they dismiss him… Although blind, within Luke’s narrative of Jesus’ public ministry this man possesses almost unparalleled insight (17:11-17.)” [Joel B. Green, Op. cit., p. 22]
“There’s a clash of voices between Bartimaeus crying out & the crowd rebuking him…unidentified people trying to silence him…Bartimaeus’ persistence wins out!” [AM. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xlvi]
Pivot, Lk. 18:40: Jesus has him brought. This is a summons to be healed, not a call to follow.
Mark 10:50: he throws off his cloak (his only possession?) contrast with the ruler's wealth. “The blind man overcame all obstacles, even his blindness, to ‘come to Jesus.” [Vernon K. Robbins, Op. cit., p. 233]
Mark 10:36 vs 10:51: James and John ask Jesus for thrones; Bartimaeus asks to see.
Final Miracle on Jesus’ Journey: “Luke 18:35-43 is the 4th and final miracle in Luke’s journey section…This last miracle is significant because it highlights: …Jesus heals as the Son of David. Ironically, while many struggle to see who Jesus is, a blind man has full clarity of vision.” [Darrell Bock, Luke, p. ]
Bartimaeus’ “faith appears to combine insight into Jesus’ role as divine agent of healing, a turn toward him in expectant trust (if not desperate hope) & especially persistence that overcomes obstacles. The perfect tense of… sesoken (‘has made (you) well’ or ‘has saved (you’)) acknowledges that the deliverance…is already effected… This blind man proceeds from restored sight to …following Jesus…& then enjoying the divine [blessing] of healing, glorifies God, thereby also sparking praise among ‘all the people’ (Lk. 18:43) …[This is] one man’s quest to see, leading to the experience of salvation and ensuing ‘discipleship’ & praise of God…” [John T. Carrol, Luke, p. 370]
Jesus said, “Go,” but Bartimaeus “followed Jesus”
Lk. 18:43: "he began following him…" Mark 10:52: Jesus says "Go your way"; but he follows on the way.
Unique Instance of a Healed Person who “follows Jesus” (Mk. 10:52 & parallels)
“The…unusual point is the end of the [episode]: “& he followed him on the way” (Mk. 10:52). That the healed person follows Jesus is…among the synoptic healing stories, unique to the Bartimaeus [episode] & the Matthean & Lukan parallels which depend on it (see Mt 20:34; Lk 18:43). The only comparable passage is …the Gerasene demoniac (Mk 5:18-20; Lk 8:38-39), but there the healed person is not allowed to stay with Jesus.” [Maarten JJ. Menken, “Call of Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52),” HTS Vol. 61 (1&2) (2005) p. 275]
“Uniquely, Jesus…says, ‘Go!’ instead of ‘come follow me’ (Mk. 10:21). But Bartimaeus followed Jesus anyway.” [John DelHousaye, Fourfold Gospel, Vol. 2, p. 101]
“In Mk. 10:52 the Lord tells Bartimaeus to hupage (‘go’ or ‘go your way’) & that his faith has ‘saved’ him (made him well). The Lord had told others to go after experiencing a healing before in Mark… The uniqueness of Bartimaeus is seen in the fact that Jesus had told others to ‘go’ after being healed in Mark, but Bartimaeus alone ‘follows’ Him on the ‘road’.” [Kenneth Yates, Op. cit., p. ]
“In Mark 10:52 Bartimaeus disobeys Jesus’ explicit command to ‘go.’ Nevertheless, he obeys Jesus’ consistent mandate by following Jesus ‘on the way [road]’ to Jerusalem (Mk. 10:52). True disciples do not go away from Jesus, but follow him without promise of self-advantage & convenience…The story of Bartimaeus…highlights discipleship as an act of true faith in Jesus.” [Shiveley TJ. Smith, in CA. Jarvis (ed.) Feasting on the Gospels, p. 335]
“Jesus instructs the man, ‘Go, your faith has made you well (Mk. 10:52); but the man does not ‘go,’ instead he ‘comes’ with Jesus, following him ‘on the way’ to Jerusalem.” [Michael Lodahl, in in CA. Jarvis Op. cit., p. 336]
“Having gained the ability to see, Bartimaeus does the unthinkable. Instead of going back to his family, he disregards Jesus’ dismissal command and voluntarily follows him…The evangelist[s] present the newly-sighted Bartimaeus as a disciple who follows Jesus along the way to Jerusalem…” [Amir M. Dinkha, Op. cit., p. xlviii]
GES observes that Jesus tells Bartimaeus he may go wherever he wants, yet he follows. This is probably the closest to your "volunteer" idea, since it stresses that Bartimaeus chose” [Grace Evangelical Society blog post, "Believer, Which Way Are You Going?"
Bartimaeus abandons his ‘Cloak’ –his only possession? (Mk. 10:50)
Bartimaeus^“threw off his coat [cloak], jumped up, and came to Jesus.” (Mk. 10:50)
“Bartimaeus, the last character in [Mark’s] Gospel to benefit by a miracle, is also the only one who follows Jesus after being healed. Jesus praises his faith, the same faith he has missed in his disciples. And Bartimaeus has abandoned his mantle [cloak], that is, all his possessions.” [Juan C. Ossandón, "Bartimaeus' Faith: Plot & Point of View in Mark 10:46-52," Biblica, Vol. 93 (2012) p. 383]
“Bartimaeus…[is] a model of following Jesus because of his faith. In contrast to Peter, who had confessed Jesus as the Messiah, but had refused the cross, Bartimaeus joins a messianic confession (Son of David) with the acceptance of his master’s way…Consequently, he does not receive any rebuke from Jesus. In contrast to the rich man, who does not want to leave his wealth notwithstanding the explicit call to follow Jesus, Bartimaeus abandons the little he has & follows [Jesus], although he has not been called.” [Juan C. Ossandón, Op. cit., p. 384]
Bartimaeus – “The last Disciple of Jesus”
“Jesus didn’t merely perform a healing here [in Jericho], he made his last disciple here. I’d never thought of it that way before. I’d always read the story in total isolation from its context & its location. But here in Jericho, it’s obvious that the last person on earth to become a disciple was the famed Son of Timaeus, Blind Bartimaeus.

Jesus tells the man, “Go your way.” [But,] Bartimaeus did [not]; he decided…that he would follow Jesus. He could see our Lord with his newly-restored sight, & he chose to follow Him…to Jerusalem & to the cross. He said to the Lord [by his actions], “My way is now Your way, Master.” He was the Last Disciple of Jesus.” [David Roseberry, The Last Disciple, Anglican Compass.com]

Volunteer: the ruler is told to follow & doesn't; Bartimaeus is never told/called to follow, but he does follow Jesus.
“The calling and decision of Bartimaeus to leave behind his cloak (Mk. 10:50 [Not in Lk.]) probably his sole worldly possession, to follow Jesus reveals that discipleship is open to all who identify with Jesus in faith, & is not just confined to [those receiving] Jesus’ specific call to follow.” [David E. Garland, Theology of Mark’s Gospel, p. 147]
Say plainly: some in that crowd were pilgrims; Bartimaeus follows as ‘disciple,’ this is inference, not a proof text.
Elicits Praise to God by the people (Lk. 18:43)
“The Synoptics all tell much the same story up to this point with typical differences in detail. But Luke alone closes the story with explicit mention of rejoicing: “…& followed him” (Matt 20:34); “…& followed him on the way” (Mark 10:52); “…& followed him, glorifying God; & seeing it, all the people gave praise to God” (Luke 18:43). “Being healed by Jesus brought about a restoration not only of physical well-being but honor as well & called forth thanksgiving & discipleship. The healing episodes reflect the reversal of present conditions [blindness -> sight] brought about by Jesus as the instrument of God’s beneficence as Jesus ushers in the New Age.” (John York, Last Shall Be First, p. 170). The work of Jesus the Messiah to reverse humanity’s current situation calls forth rejoicing and praise.” [Douglas S. Huffman, “Receiving Jesus as Messiah King: Luke,” SBJT, Vol. 16, #3 (2012) p. 7]
The Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus vs. the Rich Young Ruler
“The story of Bartimaeus is a good one. But it does not exist in isolation. Rather, it lives cheek-by-jowl with the story of the rich man who wanted eternal life–but didn’t want it more than he wanted his stuff. It is likely that Mark intended for the audience to compare Bartimaeus with the wealthy man who refused Jesus’ call. The two men exist at opposite ends of the economic spectrum, with Bartimaeus as a beggar in contrast to the wealthy man. Both stories start with the men making a request of Jesus. The comparison may explain the unusual detail that Bartimaeus left behind his garment: this was his only possession, but he was willing to jettison it at Jesus’ call–in contrast to the wealthy man who was unwilling to abandon his own vast possessions. And while the wealthy man is specifically invited to follow Jesus—and refuses—Bartimaeus is not invited (in fact, the command to “go” may be read as precisely the opposite of an invitation to discipleship) and yet Mark narrates that he followed Jesus. In this light, Bartimaeus’ poverty is a blessing: it makes it easier to follow Jesus because he has much less to leave behind; his material goods exert a much weaker call on him. The symbolic lesson is clear: the rich man chose to be blind (or: revealed his blindness) by selecting wealth over eternal life. Further, Bartimaeus is shown to be more blessed that the rich man; this would have been a radical idea.” [Julie M. Smith, NT Gospel Doctrine Lesson #19, May 5, 2015]

3. Zacchaeus: sought, saved (Lk. 19:1–3)

Chief tax collector, rich, up a sycamore (vv2–4): the most hated man in Jericho.
vv9–10: salvation has come. He is saved; we do not demote him. But, the text never says he ‘followed’ Jesus
Being saved and joining the road are not the same thing; grace outruns both.
In Luke's order (Bartimaeus before Zacchaeus): argue from who is recorded as “following,” not from the clock.

Verdict and application

The Blind Beggar & Zacchaeus (Lk. 19) “are both foils to the rich ruler in Lk. 18; the blind beggar is the paradigm of one who is free to follow Jesus because he was no wealth.” [Bart B. Bruehler, Public & Political Christ, p. 201]
“Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the way (Mk. 10:52c) …Jesus has not called him as he did with the disciples; he tells him to ‘go’ (Mk. 10:52a). But Bartimaeus’ apparent ‘disobedience’ is consistent with Jesus’ invitation in [Mk.] 8:34: anyone can follow Jesus, provided that he accepts to go along the way which leads to the cross. Jesus cannot refuse this new follower, although he does not belong to the group of his disciples…In the light of [Mark] 10:52c, [Bartimaeus] considers himself as a disciple.” [Juan C. Ossandón, Op. cit., pp. 393, 400]
“Bartimaeus is the only character who follows Jesus unconditionally. Jesus is not alone any more, because his [i.e., Jesus’ own] point of view has been fully accepted by a character [Bartimaeus]… Bartimaeus appears as a model of both confessing Jesus as Messiah & following him on the way to the cross.” [J. C. Ossandón, Op. cit., pp. 401-2]
“At the beginning of the story Bartimaeus is…on the side of the road. The story ends with Bartimaeus following Jesus ‘on the way.’ The ‘road’ or ‘way’ is a symbolic term for the Christian path of discipleship…Bartimaeus becomes one accompanying group of disciples who follow Jesus to Jerusalem, suffering, & death.” [Michael F. Trainor, Quest for Home, p. 154]
“Paul J. Achtemeier…strongly argues that the healing of Bartimaeus…originally functioned as the account of how he became a disciple of Jesus… that the healing itself…is subordinated to the call of Bartimaeus. A number of elements…are typical features [of] a call story:
- The name…Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46) is atypical…direct recipients of Jesus’ healing are never named in Mark
- …Throwing away the garment (Mk. 10:50) [implies] that which a person leaves behind to follow Jesus
- The…verb akolothein [Lk. 18:22, 43], ‘to follow’…is a technical term used in the sense of becoming a…disciple of Jesus.” [Amir M. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xl]
“Richard Bauckham persuasively argues that the Gospels have preserved the proper names of minor characters, such as Jairus (Mk. 5:22), Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46), Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:2), & Clopas (Lk. 24:8) ‘presumably because they were well known in the early Christian movement’ (Bauckham)… M. Dibelius supposes…the blind beggar [Bartimaeus] ‘became a follower of Jesus, and later, a member of the Church.’ Matthew & Luke…omit [the name] …presumably because he was no longer known to them or to their [Christian] communities.” [Amir M. Dinkha, Restored, Rescued, & Redeemed by Jesus, p. xliii]

Bring your need before your credentials: "Have mercy on me."
Cry out louder when the crowd says ‘hush.’
Keep following after the healing: he took Jesus' way, not "Go your way."
You need no special invitation (Luke 9:23).
Follow with eyes open: the road ends at the cross, within about a week (18:32–33).

Who Was Jesus’ Last Disciple? [Group Material]

Bible Reading: Luke 18:18-30; 18:35-19:3 (with Mark 10:46-52 alongside)

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸A ruler asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²¹“I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.

²²When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.

Possessions & the Kingdom

²⁶Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

²⁸Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed you.”

The Blind Beggar --‘Bartimaeus’-- Receives His Sight

³⁸So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹Then those in front told him to keep quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, ⁴¹“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”

Zacchaeus

SUMMARY: Who Was Jesus’ Last Disciple?

It sounds like Bible trivia, but it isn’t. While walking this earth, who was the last person to step onto the road to follow Jesus?

Ironically, the one Jesus called to follow him declined, while the one who followed was never called at all. He was a volunteer, not a conscript, yet he became Jesus’ last disciple.

Their encounters have much to teach us today.

Discussion Questions:

Consider the 3 people: the Rich Young Ruler, the Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus, & Zacchaeus the tax-collector

Before we read, who do you think was the last person to follow Jesus during his earthly ministry? What made you guess that? Are there other candidates (besides the 3 here)? Who are they? Evaluate their claims to being the ‘last disciple’?
The ruler was moral, respected, & wealthy, yet he declined Jesus’ offer. Zacchaeus was despised, yet he responded. What does this say about who is “close” to the kingdom of God?
Jesus told the ruler to “sell all & give to the poor” (18:22) Is that a requirement for all rich people? Why/Why Not?
Bartimaeus called Jesus “Son of David” while Israel’s religious leaders were missing who Jesus was. What does his insight, despite his blindness, teach us about seeing?
What is the “one thing” you find hardest to release if Jesus asked for it: money, reputation, control, comfort, a relationship? Where might you be walking away sad?
Bartimaeus kept shouting when people told him to be quiet. Who or what tries to ‘silence’ your pursuit of Jesus, & how do you push past it?
Which of the three do you most identify with right now, and why?

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