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.  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.   As we remarked in yesterday's reading and commentary, Jericho was associated with sin.  My study Bible comments that it was notorious as a place of iniquity and is commonly associated with sinful living (see Luke 10:30, from 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 Luke 18:24-27, in which Jesus commented that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  (The story of the rich young ruler is found in this reading, from Saturday.)  Of course, most noteworthy here is that Zacchaeus is not just a tax collector, all of whom were commonly supposed to extort the people using their status as servants of Rome, but he is a chief tax collector, who has grown rich.  My study Bible comments that this encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus demonstrates that grace can accomplish that which is impossible to man.

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 comments that many spiritual interpretations express the universal significance of this encounter.  Theophylact, it says, see the crowd symbolizing sins:  "Crowded in by a multitude of passions, and worldly affairs, [Zacchaeus] is not able to see Jesus."  My study Bible also reports comments from St. Ambrose, who notes several symbolic parallels.  First, that Zacchaeus being short is indicative of his being short on faith and virtue.  Second, Zachaeus must ascend a tree, which shows that one who is attached to earthly matters cannot see Jesus.  Finally, the Lord intending to pass that way is a revelation 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."  My study Bible asks us to take note that Zacchaeus uses the term give for his free and generous offering to the poor, and restore for what he owes to those he had cheated -- as the latter was not a gift, but rather required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  By doing both, it notes, Zacchaeus therefore not only fulfills 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 comments that the title Jesus uses, son of Abraham, is an indication that Zacchaeus had become like this patriarch of Israel:  he was counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he was united to the people of God.  Early records show that Zacchaeus went on to be a bishop of the Church. 

Jesus says that He has come has come to seek and to save that which was lost.  What does it mean to be lost?  How was Zacchaeus lost?  One way of being lost is to be outside of community.  This indicates to us that we need to consider what it means to be a part of community.  This notion is central to the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments.  In John 14:2, Jesus says, "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."  It's not easily understood from this English translation of "mansion," but what Jesus is alluding to is the ancient system of tents or tabernacles, belonging to extended family.  When a new member of the family would come in, such as a son marrying, then an extra partition would be made for this new part of the family, this new son and extension, so that all were under one large "tent" but there were rooms made for all under the same patriarch.  This is the intended image here, of an extended tabernacle belong to the Father, and Christ creating family, preparing a place for all those who will live under this one great tent, but with a place for each.  So from this saying, and most definitely from today's reading about Zacchaeus and Christ's interaction, we're to understand that it is God who properly creates families, and that now Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham, and able to dwell within that large tent of the partiarch Abraham, who was justified by faith.  So important is this understanding, that in two Letters of St. Paul, and in the Epistle of St. James, Genesis 15:6 is quoted:  "And he believed in the Lord, and he accounted it to him for righteousness."  (See Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23.)   Like Abraham, who "entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2), Zacchaeus is called upon to extend hospitality to Christ, and responds with exuberant joy and gratitude. Zacchaeus, this undignified, unaccepted and despised chief tax collector, has become justified by faith, and a son of Abraham as any other.  He has therefore become part of community, part of family, which only God can really create, and as Jesus here declares.  It teaches us a lesson that God has the last word on what constitutes family and community, and within that understanding, community can be made up of the most seemingly unlikely members.  Let us rejoice at the good news that one so excluded from community can become a "son of Abraham" by faith, for the same good news applies to our Churches and the community we find there.  Within the body of faith, one might be astonished at the possibilities of healing to be found in community, even healing for what is broken within the context of an earthly family.  Psalm 27 is a strong psalm of faith, declaring, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up."  Faith and healing come in the context of community, and community is what we find through participation in the life of Christ, and the Kingdom He brings.  Let us remember how to love one another, as He has loved us, that the world may know that we are His (John 13:34-35).  To find such love and community is to be found, for without it we are lost.