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

 

 

Christ and Zacchaeus, Helena Cherkasova, circa 2000, ink and paper, private collection, Moscow.  More information at Bible Odyssey

 

 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 

 

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.  Jericho, my study Bible notes, was notorious as a place of iniquity and is commonly associated with sinful living (see Luke 10:30, the setting for the parable of the Good Samaritan).   

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. My study Bible refers us to Luke 18:24-27, a section from this reading involving the rich young ruler.   It says that, similar to Christ's statement in that reading from chapter 18, this encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus demonstrates that grace can accomplish that which is impossible to human beings.

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 of this scene to express the universal significance of this encounter. Theophylact sees the crowd as symbolizing sins.  He writes, "Crowded in by a multitude of passions and worldly affairs, he is not able to see Jesus."  St. Ambrose of Milan sees many parallels.  First, Zacchaeus being short indicates his being short on faith and virtue.  Second, Zacchaeus must ascend a tree, as no one attached to earthly matters can see Jesus.  Finally, that the Lord intends to pass that way reveals that Christ is 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."   Zacchaeus, in a certain sense similar to the blind man in yesterday's reading (above) is also an outcast in the society.  St. Cyril of Alexandria comments that as chief tax collector, and therefore a great sinner, he would be included with the prostitutes by the Pharisees as examples of complete depravity.  But Christ knows the reality of his heart, and calls him to come away from the life that has made him an outcast.  We observe that the climbing of the sycamore was unusual; in the context of the time and place this would be seen as a foolish act -- but it tells us about Zacchaeus' hopes and desire to see Jesus.  St. Ambrose of Milan says of Jesus comment that He must stay at Zacchaeus house, that although Christ had not yet heard his voice of invitation, he has heard his good will.

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."  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 whom he had cheated -- and the latter was not a gift but required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  By doing both, therefore, Zacchaeus is not only fulfilling the Law, but 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."  My study Bible tells us that the title son of Abraham given to Zacchaeus here indicates that he had become like this patriarch of Israel:  Zacchaeus is now counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he was united to the people of God.  The early records of the Church testify that he went on to be a bishop.

St. Maximus of Turin observes that the wealth of Zacchaeus, which  had once been a hindrance for salvation, now becomes a benefit when used properly.  Justice has been served in terms of the Law.  The general requirement in the Law for theft was actually to restore double the amount stolen; here Zacchaeus promises twice that amount to those whom he's overcharged in tax levies by false accusation in order to extort money for himself.  As for the donation of half his goods to the poor, this is almsgiving, indicating a change of heart and character for one who was a chief tax collector.  It is, in the spiritual sense of Christ's teaching (such as to the rich young ruler, and also in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:19-21), a way to use the material things of this world to create "treasure in heaven."  In the gospel teachings of Jesus, it is important to recognize this notion of exchange -- of one life for another, of one way of life for another.  With the rich young ruler who could not accept Jesus' command to give away what he owned, that life was not entered into -- at least as far as we know, and so the Gospels would indicate.  But with Zacchaeus there is an entirely different outcome.  Jesus' reception of Zachaeus, and His intention to stay in his home, is an indication of the change of heart of Zacchaeus, and especially his openness to Christ's teaching and commands.  Under the Law, he lived a particular life.  But the grace of Christ has an entirely different effect upon him.  It's not that he continues his life as a chief tax collector; instead he will go on to serve in the Church, and his worldly goods will also go to help the poor and no doubt others.  This is, in effect, a powerful story in contrast to the rich young ruler, who had kept all the commandments of the law from his youth, but who could not bear to give away his many possessions.  Zacchaeus seems a very unlikable character both from his physical description (he's short of stature and also seemingly foolish in climbing the sycamore tree) and also his particularly detestable position in that society as a corrupt person who works for the Romans (and is a chief tax collector to boot).  But it is Zacchaeus who is saved, and not the rich young ruler, whom we were told Jesus loved, and seems likely to have been from a significant family in the ruling classes of the Temple.  It is Zacchaeus who is named and remembered, and not the rich young ruler.  So this really has to make us pause to think.  What is it that restores Zacchaeus as a "son of Abraham?"  Why is he so distinct from this other attractive figure of the rich young ruler?  For one thing, Zacchaeus is truly willing to change his heart, and to have a complete change of his life, including to give up his wealth both to restore and to do good and help others.  He ultimately will give up his entire way of life, becoming a bishop of the Church.  Truly, it seems that at the heart of "doing good" is a love of God, and a willingness to serve God's purposes.  This desire to help the poor and to restore justice by giving back fourfold whatever he has stolen stems from a desire to get right with God, and to find a way of life that is pleasing to God.  It is a product of love, for it stems from the love of God.  This is not simply fulfilling a political model of goodness, or something that is socially acceptable.  For Zacchaeus goes all the way in terms of turning his life around.  It is a full repentance symbolized in Christ's coming to dwell with him and stay at his house.  This is not about doing a few good deeds to restore oneself in good standing in community, but it is about exchanging one life for another in which Zacchaeus will now serve the kingdom of God as his purpose and means of living his life, rather than the kingdom of Rome that has all the possessions and wealth of the world.  What irony to consider:  that the person was a chief tax collector for the occupying Romans becomes a bishop in the Church which would be persecuted.  Of course, this is not to say that every person must become a bishop or other figure in the Church, but it does tell us where our hearts must be.  Just like Christ's command to the rich young ruler, we must be prepared to put Christ first in our hearts, and to place our goods and resources prayerfully in the hands of God as we seek direction in life.  We don't know where such faith will lead us, but that is the whole point of being freed of great attachment to possessions.  Attachment is a kind of slavery, whereas freedom in Christ means that we are free to live our lives and use our possessions and resources (talents, skills, etc.) in ways that a prayerful life in communion with Christ will lead us toward.   And that is truly freedom indeed that comes with true stature in the eyes of the Lord.  Zacchaeus' new belonging is found in the love of Christ, and the joy that comes in the freedom of expressing that love which flows to others.