Bible Questions & Answers Archive 

 How Many Blind Men Were Healed?
By Dr. Max D. Younce
0003

 Question 

In Matthew 20:29-34 the Bible says Jesus healed two blind men in departing from Jericho; but in Mark 10:46-52, Mark says he only healed one blind man. Which is right? Is this a contradiction?

 Answer 

In studying the four Gospels you will find they give us a four-sided, composite picture of Christ and the surrounding events. One Gospel writer may give additional information from that of another. Not one Gospel writer gives all of the particularities of all the events that transpired. This disproves the false theory that one Gospel writer copied from another. Each wrote separately as the Holy Spirit inspired, directing them as stated in II Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God (i.e., "God breathed") Also refer to II Peter 1:20,21.

Matthew records that Christ healed two blind men upon leaving Jericho, without naming them. Mark gives an account of the same event and evidently knew one of the men personally, as he identifies him as "...blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus..." (Mark 10:46).

Both Matthew and Mark are complementary and each give additional information for a complete account. Matthew listed two who were healed, while Mark only gave the account of one. Mark gave the name of one that was healed while Matthew gave no names. Both are correct as each gave additional information. Matthew and Mark both state these blind men were healed as Jesus was departing from Jericho. Matthew says nothing about them begging, but Mark does.

Notice Luke 18:35-43. Here we find Luke giving an account of Christ healing a blind man as He was approaching Jericho. Note Verse 35.

"And it came to pass that as he (Christ) was nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging,,

So ... from the three records, we have one blind man healed as Christ was approaching Jericho and two blind men healed as He is departing from Jericho. Further, He may have healed twenty-two while He was there, we do not know!

The three accounts give us a more complete picture of what transpired, none being contradictory. Also remember, it is proof that none of these writers copied from each other, as the infidels and skeptics would have you believe.