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Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
- Luke 19:1-10
In yesterday's reading, Jesus first told the Twelve what was going to happen in Jerusalem: He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. Zacchaeus isn't just a tax collector, he's a chief tax collector. And he's amassed so much money in this publicly scandalous profession, we're told "he was rich." My study bible points out that this account of Zacchaeus occurs only in Luke's gospel. Zacchaeus means "the pure and innocent one." It also notes that "being a tax collector, he does not live up to his name, by his own admission." His short stature is interesting; it seems to me that nothing is in the Gospels by accident. He needs extra help to see, a strong sycamore tree (which in this time and place is a type of a fig tree). Clearly his wealth doesn't help him to see Christ. He must truly make an effort to "meet" Him as He passes by.
And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. In some way, we can imagine Zacchaeus' joy. This is undoubtedly the last thing expected, that Christ would call him by name and say he planned to stay at his house! In the Greek, the word for "make haste" seems rather to refer to Zacchaeus' having run ahead in haste in order to anticipate Jesus' passing by, even as Jesus is steadily walking toward Jerusalem. And yet He knows where He will stay on the way. So the short rich man has "made haste and run" and climbed this sycamore fig -- only to be told by Christ to come down, even as Jesus looks up to see him. Zacchaeus rejoices at this unexpected call from Jesus, and to receive Him as a guest! There's a story here, hidden in the language, about where and how we meet Christ, and how He will meet us.
But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Clearly, in Jesus' mission of grace, He will go anywhere and do anything to achieve what He is here for. How He looks to others is none of His concern, but rather to retrieve the lost sheep is His call. In a time where public appearance or image -- especially because of media -- is all-important to public figures, it's essential that we note that Jesus does just the opposite, and does not cater to people's expectations and public perceptions, but follows the Father's mission for Him. My study bible points out that Zacchaeus comes to have a heart for Christ and becomes a changed man. It notes, "Because he has been richly blessed, he gladly offers to do something voluntarily, which the rich ruler would not [see Monday's reading]. Exactly what happened in the house of Zacchaeus is unknown, but the joy rings out in Christ's words: Today salvation has come to this house." It is, indeed, a reading full of joy. We remember His teaching about the rich ruler and the camel through the eye of the needle: "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Zacchaeus, as a chief tax collector, would be a notorious public sinner. I wonder how we could compare him to someone from today's world, an image perhaps in the news or in the community. He worked for the Romans, and tax collectors were often considered simply extortionists (and worse) working against the people in the service of a heinously oppressive presence of foreigners. Worse, they were in violation of what it meant to be a Jew, a worshiper of the God of Israel. So we can imagine what kind of a scandal it might be for the public to see Jesus choose to stay at Zacchaeus' house. We can just imagine the grumbling. It's well worth noting the salvation process of Zacchaeus. Knowing his own short stature, he climbs a tree that has been used symbolically elsewhere in the Bible. In the book of Amos, Scripture states that Amos was a dresser of the sycamore fig before being called to prophesy. Amos would prophesy destruction due to excesses (especially regarding wealth), and eventual restoration of the House of David, which the Church has seen in the Person of Christ. (See yesterday's reading in which the blind man outside of Jericho calls out to Jesus, "Son of David, have mercy on me!") And still, the sycamore being a type of fig, we know that a fig tree is also symbolic for Israel. Jesus' mission, then, is one not to call us back to the Garden, nor only the innocent to the Garden, but the fallen and the lost, the ones who need restoration and reconciliation. Ultimately this is a healing mission, one of redemption, in which the lost sheep are recovered. Elsewhere Jesus has taught that "those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Let us consider Jesus' condescension: He walks to short, sinful Zacchaeus, who's climbed up a tree to see Him. Calling him by name, He stays in his home. And Zacchaeus becomes a changed man, working in ways to provide justice, even in the position he's in. It is truly a lesson for all of us, wherever we find ourselves, about restoration and choices and what is possible with God. All we have to do is to welcome that truth in to find our way forward.
