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

 

 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.  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 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus 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.  In yesterday's reading, about the blind man who received his sight, Jesus was coming near Jericho.  Here, Jesus enters and passes through the city.  My study bible notes for us that Jericho was notorious as a place of iniquity, and is commonly associated with sinful living (in both Old and New Testaments; see 10:30, the beginning of the parable of the Good Samaritan).

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  See also 18:24-27.   My study bible comments that this encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus demonstrates that grace can accomplish that which is impossible for human beings on worldly terms. 

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.  My study bible tells us that there are many spiritual interpretations which express the universal significance of this encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus.  Theophylact comments that the crowd symbolizes sins:  "Crowded in by a multitude of passions and worldly affairs, he is not able to see Jesus."  St. Ambrose comments on several parallels he sees in this passage:  first, Zacchaeus as short of stature indicates his being short of faith and virtue; second, that Zacchaeus must ascend a tree shows that no one who is attached to earthly matters can see Jesus; and finally, that Christ intending to pass that way shows that Christ will approach anyone willing to repent and believe. 

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."   Let us note first how Jesus singles out and calls to Zacchaeus, and the joy with which Zacchaeus receives Christ.  My study bible comments that Zacchaeus uses the term give for his free and generous offering to the poor, and restore for what he owes those he had cheated.  The latter was not a gift but required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  In doing both, Zacchaeus fulfills the Law, and also shows his love of the gospel.  

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."  The title son of Abraham gives us a deep hint regarding Zacchaeus' stature:  he becomes similar to the patriarch of Israel, according to my study bible.  The explanation:  he was counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he was united to the people of God.  In the early records of the Church, Zacchaeus in fact went on to become a bishop.  

How can we count the ways in which this story is so important?  There is first and foremost the understanding of healing that is present here.  Zacchaeus not only restores to others what he has cheated them out of by false accusation, but he himself is restored in good standing to the people of God.  In this Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost -- namely Zacchaeus himself.  Let us consider the images we're given here.  There is first of all Zacchaeus whom we're told is short of stature.  He climbs a sycamore to see Christ.  The old world sycamores of the Near and Middle East are known as trees which grow to a great height, sometimes called the chinar.  But we can see something quite interesting in this very rich chief tax collector climbing himself up the tree to see Jesus:  he is willing to make a fool of himself and appear to be an disreputable spectacle by climbing the tree to see Jesus.  There is a betrayal in this behavior of a deep earnestness which gives way to his joy at being called by Christ so that Christ may stay in his house.  It's as if this man, notoriously a sinner and likely widely scorned for the ways in which he has acquired his wealth, has simply been waiting for a lifetime for this chance at redemption and salvation, and restoration to community.  Zacchaeus is not just a tax collector:  he's a chief tax collector.  He works for the Romans, trades in their money, and self-admittedly has stolen from his own people through false accusation and extortion in his capacity as one who collects for the Romans.  This is not at all an admirable fellow.  Everything contributes to give us an image of someone who was indeed lost as far as the community was concerned, and yet who was also restored as a son of Abraham because of Christ.  In this story, his restoration is not only because he did what was required under the Law, but clearly in his joy through faith in his encounter with Christ.  In Zacchaeus' enthusiasm even as, one presumes, an older man who climbs a tree to see Christ, even risking becoming a comical figure for others by doing so, we can see a heart of joy for One who will be willing to die in order to save even Zacchaeus.  We can see a parallel in the man possessed by a Legion of demons, for whom Christ crosses a stormy Sea of Galilee with the disciples, even to a place of apostate Jews who raise swine for money in the Gentile market (see this reading).  We can also see a parallel in the woman who washed Christ's feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly fragrant oil  (in this reading), whose many sins were forgiven, for she loved much.  Zacchaeus fits in with those most deeply in need of healing and restoration, who are willing to sacrifice all for the Person of Christ who seeks them and calls them to be saved instead of lost.   The real question that must strike us, then, most profoundly, is why is it only in Christ that such a compelling salvation is possible for these people, or for us?  This remains for us the question today, just as it is fresh in this story in the Gospel.