Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house

 

 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 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.  My study Bible comments that Jericho was notorious as a place of iniquity; it is commonly associated with sinful living.  The parable of the Good Samaritan is set along the road from Jerusalem toward Jericho, where he fell among thieves (Luke 10:30-37).  

 

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  My study Bible also references our recent reading of the rich young ruler who sought out Jesus (see Monday's Daily Exegesis, in which Christ taught, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God").  My study Bible comments that this encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus demonstrates that grace can accomplish that which is "impossible with men."

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

Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  It's important that we understand why it was that tax collectors were considered to be sinners.  They collaborated with the Roman authorities to collect taxes from fellow Jews, but frequently this was accompanied by extortion, as they could use the might of the occupying Roman state to collect more than was owed.  As Zacchaeus says here, he has taken by false accusation.  So here a repentant Zacchaeus makes an offering for restitution (as required in the Law), and beyond.  My study Bible notes that he uses the term give for his free and generous offering to the poor, and restore for what he owes those whom he had cheated, as that was not a gift but required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  By doing both, my study Bible says, Zacchaeus 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 says that the title son of Abraham indicates 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.  In early records of the Church, we're told that he went on to be a bishop of the Church.

Zacchaeus repents so deeply that he turns his whole life around.  He's not only a tax collector, but the chief tax collector.  And he's not just a chief tax collector in Israel, but he's the chief tax collector in this notorious region of Jericho, where apparently all kinds of crime goes on, and the place is known for such.  To be shunned as a sinner in this region must be something indeed -- and of all the people, it is short Zacchaeus, who's climbed a tree to see Him, whom Jesus chooses to give Him hospitality for the day.  There are several things which we can notice about this reading.  We can contrast Zacchaeus, a notorious sinner (the rich chief tax collector of Jericho!) with the rich young ruler in Monday's reading, who knew Jesus as "good Teacher," who had followed all the commandments since his youth, and who desired eternal life and came to seek it from Christ.  This, by all accounts, was a "good" person (Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus loved him; see Mark 10:21), but he could not relinquish his great possessions to follow Christ.  But here in today's reading we have Zacchaeus, a great sinner, who comes not just to restitution in the Law but to repentance through the grace of Christ, and changes and transforms his entire life -- giving much more than he needs to in order to "make things right" with the poor.  How do we explain this?  It is certainly an illustration of how grace works.  Nothing is done simply by measure with grace, but rather abundantly.  In the Sermon on the Plain, found here in Luke's Gospel, Jesus expresses this spirit of abundance with grace, when He teaches, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38).  Perhaps we may assume that Zacchaeus, experiencing the grace of Christ when Christ invited himself to Zacchaeus' home, has come to understand this sense of abundance in God's grace; thereby giving has become something he understands in a different light than as chief tax collector in Jericho.  This spirit of abundance, in which justice is no longer measured with exactitude but in the spirit of grace, runs all throughout the Gospels, and it qualifies and characterizes the kingdom of God, the blessed life Christ preaches (such as in the Beatitudes).  Perhaps its greatest characterization is found in Christ's statement of Himself as the Good Shepherd, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10; see in context).  We might consider Zacchaeus' life as chief tax collector in this light, getting what he had through the coercion of a great empire and its material power (including occupying soldiers), and extorting the extra he could get through false accusations against his neighbors.  We should compare that to the graciousness of Christ, who openly sought out Zacchaeus, the one who was so eager to see Jesus he climbed a tree to glimpse Him as He passed by, and in front of all the people proclaimed that he had to come down so that Jesus could stay at his home that day.  In our faith tradition, the great sign of Christ is the cross, but in this context of today's reading, we might closely consider why this is so.  The most dreaded Roman instrument of punishment, of coercion, reserved for the worst of criminals, was the cross.  But simply because Christ lay on that Cross, the transforming power of grace at work rendered the Cross the symbol of hope and resurrection for us all.  The instrument of death was transfigured into the instrument of life, abundantly.  Jesus' visit to Zacchaeus' home is another encounter with grace, with the kingdom of God, and Zacchaeus' entire outlook on life seems to have been irreducibly changed, transformed.  Things no longer "add up" the way they used to, apparently, for him.  He becomes one who sees by the light of grace, and so to give half his goods to the poor, and to restore fourfold what he stole, is what he chooses in this new light of Christ, in the transfiguring power of Christ's illumination for his soul, his future.  In this way, Zacchaeus is able to be restored to his identity as a son of Abraham, and he who was lost is claimed for the kingdom of God.  It is a powerful thing to consider what an encounter with grace might do to our souls, to change our whole outlook on the meaning of life and how we live it.  But by far the best example is this outcome of experience, the spiritual fruit we observe in Zacchaeus.  How has your faith changed you?   Are there things you now see that you did not see before?  Is there a way in which the grace and love of God has been experienced by you or someone you know, and created a transformed person in its wake?  For now let us consider Zacchaeus, the short man, and chief tax collector, who humbles himself by running ahead and climbing a tree to see Christ, and is in turn restored not only to his place but claimed for the kingdom of God, and becomes a bishop in Christ's church.  May Christ find rest in our homes and our hearts as well.

 

 

 

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.

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.  Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  As discussed in yesterday's reading and commentary (see above and the link), Jericho was a place notoriously associated with iniquity and sinful living.  And here is a product of Jericho, Zacchaeus who is a chief tax collector and also rich.  Tax collectors were collaborators with the Romans, and they frequently used the power of the state to extort more than was due from Jewish citizens for their own benefit.   My study bible refers to 18:24-27, in which Jesus says 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."  This encounter between Christ and Zachaeus, it says, 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 says that the story of this encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus has given rise to many spiritual interpretations, which express its universal significance.  Theophylact sees in the crowd a symbol of sins:  "Crowded in by a multitude of passions and worldly affairs, he is not able to see Jesus."  St. Ambrose, my study bible adds, sees several parallels:  First, Zacchaeus' short stature is indicative of being short on faith and virtue.  Second, that Zacchaeus must climb up a tree shows that no one attached to earthly matters can see Jesus.  And finally, the Lord who intends to pass that way reveals that Christ will approach anyone willing to repent and believe.  The sycamore can also serve as allegory to the Cross, often called "a tree," and teaches that all those willing to go the way of the Cross can find redemption and transformation in Christ.

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."   Note that Zacchaeus responds joyfully to the call and command of Christ.

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 points out that Zacchaeus uses the term give for his free and generous offering to the poor, and restore for what he owes to those whom he had cheated -- as this was not a gift but was required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  In doing both, Zacchaeus not only fulfills the Law, but he 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 says that the title son of Abraham indicates that Zacchaeus has become like this patriarch of Israel.  That is, he is counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he is united to the people of God.  It also notes that, according to early records of the Church, Zacchaeus went on to become a bishop.

How does salvation come to people?  In Christ coming through Jericho, it is possible to see this story as telling us that Zacchaeus has never before heard of nor encountered anything or anyone like Him.  It speaks of the compelling nature of Christ, the very Incarnation as an event so unique as to command attention from every human being -- and in the picture of the Scriptures, every creature, even every created thing in existence.  Zacchaeus is someone who commands a certain power and authority, but his short height is a kind of image of his stature among the community.  He may be chief among scoundrels in a place noted for its iniquity.  Note how the people grumble that Christ goes to stay with a man who's a sinner.  Zacchaeus is not just a tax collector, he's a chief tax collector -- and a tax collector is seen as a betrayer of the community.  So, in a town known for its sinfulness, Zacchaeus stands out.  But again, Christ is greater than anything else we might understand, and He's more compelling and powerful than even the most notorious bad man's reputation.  The image of Zacchaeus needing to climb the sycamore to see Christ tells us that whatever he's done to "achieve" his wealth, he can't hold a candle to the stature and drawing power of Christ.  The Incarnation is in itself an event of such magnitude that no worldly power or coercion can hold a candle to it; there is simply nothing else like it.  So powerful it is that Zacchaeus is transformed by the call of Christ, and he becomes a different man.  In so doing, he's restored to community.  In His teachings to His disciples, Jesus is frequently citing and extolling the things that make us "little" in the eyes of the world.  Humility, in particular, is constantly stressed, as has continued in the entire history of the Church as the virtue upon which all else rests.  He tells His disciples that above all else, they must care for the little ones.  In the Beatitudes, the blessedness of the poor in spirit is the first given.  How would we expect a chief tax collector, backed up by Roman soldiers, to view those virtues of humility, and being poor in spirit?  But these virtues of humility are the means by which we encounter Christ and in which the grace of God may enter and shine through our lives (2 Corinthians 12:9).  It is, paradoxically, these qualities we associate with "littleness" and the care of the powerless that open the door for the greatest power we can encounter, the most compelling draw understood by human beings.  What we encounter in Zacchaeus is the transformation possible through the power of God, which my study bible frames within the saying of Christ that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (see 18:24-27).  This is not simply about repentance and change, but about the power of grace to be at work in people's lives, reaching into place that no other thing or person can reach, no other power can achieve.  This is what we understand, the power of grace to transform, restore, and create what is good, the community necessary for the good order of human beings.  Note how Zacchaeus' restoration and voluntary gift creates "right-relatedness" (or righteousness) between himself and Christ, and between himself and the community.  In this we have the fulfillment of the two greatest commandments given by Jesus, love of God first, and from there love of neighbor.  In a world full of images of would-be perfection and achievement, let us think about the power of grace and its effects,  the great strength and power possible through the door of humility, and even patience with our own "weakness."    One may read of scandalous behavior among the famous and wealthy, the socially powerful extolled through media -- and the hypocritical response of political hysteria that follows but does not touch the heart and soul, nor the redeeming power of the work of God.  But Christ's way of humility and grace remains the one sure path, the true power of healing for each and for all.

Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house

 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 as 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 spat 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 was notorious in Jesus' time as a place of sin, violence, and iniquity.  See the story of the Good Samaritan.

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.   Zacchaeus is not only a rich man, he is also a chief tax collector.  He is therefore hated among his own people for working for the Romans, and overseeing as chief those who commonly committed extortion as part of their work.  The encounter between Christ and wealthy Zacchaeus gives us an example of what Jesus has taught earlier in the encounter with the rich ruler, that the things which are impossible with men are possible with God; that is, through grace.

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 as going to pass that way.  My study bible tells us that there are many spiritual interpretations that convey the universal significance of this encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus.  Theophylact understands the crowd as symbolizing sins:  "Crowded in by a multitude of passions and worldly affairs, he is not able to see Jesus."  St. Ambrose speaks of several parallels:  First, Zacchaeus being short is indicative of short stature in faith and virtue.  Second, Zacchaeus must ascend a tree, showing that nobody attached to earthly matters can see Christ.  Finally, the Lord intending to pass that way reveals 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." It's important to note the terms that are used here.  Zacchaeus says he will give his free and generous offering to the poor.   And, on the other hand, he will restore that which he owes to those whom he has cheated.  The restoration isn't a gift, but rather a requirement in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:1).   In doing both of these things, Zacchaeus not only fulfills the Law, but also demonstrates a love of the gospel and true repentance.

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 tells us that Zacchaeus had become like the patriarch of Israel, my study bible says.  In other words, he was counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he was united to the people of God.  Early records reveal that he eventually became a bishop of the Church.  In Zacchaeus is revealed the full mission of Christ:  "to seek and to save that which was lost."

The story of Zacchaeus truly teaches us to think about what it means that Christ came to seek and save that which was lost.  We often may have images in our minds of what it is to be lost:  Jesus uses the illustration of the one sheep that strays from the flock, for which the shepherd goes out to search (Luke 15:4).  In other encounters, Jesus is bringing back into the fold those who are excluded for various reasons.   The woman with the blood flow is excluded from community, as it renders her unclean, and Jesus restores her, saying, "Your faith has made you well."  (See this reading.)  Lepers are excluded from all community, as their disease renders them unclean as well, but Jesus restores ten; He then makes a point of noting that the only one who gave glory to God was a Samaritan, hated by the Jews, making him a double outsider (see this reading).  We contrast Zacchaeus with the rich ruler, who upheld all the laws from his youth but failed to make the sacrifice asked of him when Christ counseled him to sell his goods and give them to the poor.  Jesus said he would then have treasure in heaven, and he could follow Christ for the gift of eternal life (see this reading).  At the top of that reading, little children are brought to Christ, and the disciples rebuke those who do so, as they are seen to be pestering Him -- but Jesus' response is to embrace these who are 'least of all,' "for of such is the kingdom of God."  A man with a "Legion" of demons, cast aside among those who've strayed from their faith, becomes a type of early evangelist (see this reading).  A notoriously sinful woman becomes Christ's example not only of forgiveness but of great love (in this reading).  In countless ways, the Gospels are filled with those who are excluded for one reason and another, and Christ brings them in to the fold, into His flock.  He creates community, in the most profound sense.  Restoration happens in particular ways for each one, depending on what it is they need and what it is they lack.  Repentance is not left aside but is a means whereby restoration to community becomes possible.  The last thing we may expect of a person as seemingly unlikable and unappealing as Zacchaeus is some sort of comparison with the (perhaps over-sentimentalized) image of a lost sheep gone astray from the flock.   And yet, he serves as Jesus' foundation for the saying that "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."   In Zacchaeus we find the illustration of the fullness of Jesus' words, that they truly apply to any and all.  There really could not be a person with more strikes against him than this chief tax collector, who has become rich through violence and extortion against his own people.  On top of that, he's done so in collaboration with the occupying army of the enemy, the Romans.   And yet, there our story is, and in the story of the Church, Zacchaeus was to become a bishop.  All of which is to say that we can never assume we know all there is to our faith.  God, who knows the hearts of all, will always surprise us.  We may think we know and understand our faith.  But the fact that what is impossible with man is possible with God will always stun us in its fullness and its examples of true faithful and their stories.  Outsiders, we must remember, are those whom everybody else excludes and despises.  But He brings them in, and makes them His own.  These words of Christ are not just "feel good" sayings.  His fulfillment in the work of God in the world really lets us know how deeply and truly He means it, how "real" this all is.  Think of the shocked crowd, including the man himself, when Jesus announces, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  Let us prepare for more surprises.

Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house

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.  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.  Jericho was known as a place notorious for sin and unjust behavior.  Zacchaeus, as a chief tax collector, may be just the representative for such a place.  Not only is he a chief tax collector, with all that means for the Jews, but he is also rich.   We can imagine how he came to that wealth, especially as we read further down in the story.  Recently, Jesus remarked to the disciples during an encounter with a rather virtuous wealthy man,  "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a came to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."    And He replied to their query, "Who then can be saved?" by saying, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  The story of Zacchaeus certainly proves the possibilities in the grace of God!  Everything about Zacchaeus indicates symbolically his deficiency in spiritual terms;  he's of short stature, and he must climb up into a sycamore tree to see Christ.  St. Ambrose interprets this as showing he's short on faith and virtue, and that no one so attached to earthly matters can see Jesus.  Christ's intention to pass that way reveals that Christ will approach anyone willing to repent and to believe.  The crowd that prevents Zacchaeus from seeing symbolize all those worldly concerns and passions that keep us from seeing Christ.

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."  In some sense, Zacchaeus is chosen by Christ, in a kind of conversion experience that may come to any of us.  We see how Zacchaeus responds to the presence of Christ in that he received Him joyfully.  Zacchaeus' response in his joy at receiving Christ is repentance.  He will give a free and generous offering to the poor, and he will restore what he owes to those whom he has cheated, as was required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  So Zacchaus responds to Christ by not only fulfilling the Law, but also showing 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 says that the title son of Abraham indicates that Zacchaeus had become like this patriarch of Israel: he's counted righteous by his faith, he became generous toward the poor, and he was united to the people of God.  Early records of the Church tell us that he went on to become a bishop.

It is easy to imagine the changes that happen in Zacchaeus' life because of this "intervention" of Christ.  We can imagine the people he's used to associating with, those who share in the gathering of wealth through extortion and false accusation, enforcing (and abusing) the law and power of the occupying Romans.  There are probably those as well who profit from his wealth, including whatever family he has.  And, one imagines, he associates also with those like him, who are glad of his wealth and don't much care how he came by it.  Jericho, after all, was known as a place of iniquity.  But the encounter with Jesus shakes up his life.  It doesn't much matter where he starts, an encounter with Christ, whom Zacchaeus receives joyfully, is going to disrupt his life.  A conversion experience, when it does come to someone as Christ comes to Zacchaeus and insists that He must to stay at his home that night, will have such an effect.  All those people he knows, all the things and places and ways in which he associates with the world, are going to be put into new order and discarded in favor of a different kind of life, and different choices.  This is what God's effect in our lives does, this is what Christ making His home with us is going to do.  Zacchaeus is going to change, and it means that everything in his life will change as well.  All those people with whom he associates, anyone who profits from what he's doing, the ones who are used to him as he is, are going to be given a surprise.  It is no longer going to be business as usual or life as usual.  Christ asks us to rethink what we hold dear and whom we hold dear; receiving Christ joyfully into the home of our own hearts will call upon all the connections we have in life and re-evaluate them in light of the gospel and our relationship to Him.  Our old interests may no longer interest us, and friends may find it simply inexplicable to understand the things that become important to us, and the ways in which we change.  Even loved ones may not want nor understand what has happened, even when it's for nominal good.  These are the fruits of spiritual conversion. The fact that my study bible says Zacchaeus goes on to become a bishop in the early Church tells us the depth of change and the transformation of his life that takes place.  One can only imagine the difference it made to all those around him or who knew him.  I think it's important to remember what is perhaps hidden in this story:  that change for the good isn't always going to be welcomed by those associates we know and are habitually used to us as we are.  An encounter with God is going to change us and change our lives; prayer is not an ineffectual exercise but something we do to call upon Deity.  And we just don't know the power of God and where and how it will reach into us.  Let us be joyful to receive Christ, as is Zacchaeus, and prepared for the kinds of changes he makes in his life as well.