Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
My Understanding: Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector. Tax collectors in Jesus’ day were despised and were often considered in the same category as robbers and thieves. The scripture says that Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. I don’t know if it was because he saw a crowd around him and was just curious as to whom the people were paying so much attention, or if he had heard about him previously, i.e. through word of mouth, so that when Jesus came into town, he wanted to see the man he had heard so much about. Either way, Zacchaeus wanted to learn about the man Jesus and to discover who he was.
Jesus knew who Zacchaeus was, though, and he had a divine appointment with him that day. When Jesus saw him in the tree, he commanded him to come down, stating that he must stay at his house that day. There appeared to be urgency in Jesus’ words and a sense that this was one of those divine moments that could not and should not be overlooked. Zacchaeus’ heart was ripe at that moment to receive Jesus into his home and into his life. And, Jesus was sensitive to seizing that moment and that opportune time to invite himself into Zacchaeus’ home and life, even knowing and being fully aware of the kind of reaction he would receive from the populous of his day who regarded tax collectors as “sinners,” while obviously not recognizing that they, too, were sinners.
Zacchaeus, though, did not allow the opinions, attitudes and remarks of the people to dissuade him. The scripture said that he stood up and spoke to the Lord very confidently and assuredly concerning his heart response to Jesus. The picture of him standing up and saying emphatically, “Look, Lord!” paints a picture in my mind of someone who decided in his heart that he was not going to be the person people thought him to be any longer. He was going to be a changed man. He did not let the words of others discourage him. In fact, I believe their words actually helped him make that decision, though I could be wrong. Yet, what is clear is that Zacchaeus did make a heart decision at that point to repent (turn from) of any sin and to become a new man.
Zacchaeus didn’t just say he was sorry for any wrong he might have committed against anyone. He went in the opposite direction. His response to Jesus reminds me of this passage in Ephesians 4:20-28:
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need...
Zacchaeus, though a tax collector and a “sinner,” understood this truth, even though many of the “religious” people of his day totally missed this truth. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, it means that we are transformed inwardly, in our hearts, and we become completely new. The old sinful nature is discarded via repentance (turning from our sin) and we are changed inwardly into Christ’s likeness. This is the true meaning of repentance, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit of God within our hearts that brings about this transformation, as we cooperate with his work in allowing him to change us. Zacchaeus was given understanding because his heart was receptive to receive this truth and to accept it personally into his life.
Then, Jesus stated that, because of Zacchaeus’ faith, salvation had come to his house, and not only that, but Jesus went on to say that Zacchaeus, a despised Gentile tax collector and “sinner” was now a son of Abraham, too. Oh, how that must have insulted the “religious” people who thought they were the only sons of Abraham. Yet, Gal. 3:7 states that those who believe in Jesus Christ are the children of Abraham, and Romans 2 states that a Jew (the Jews were God’s chosen people) is one who is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. As well, Romans 9 states that just because someone is a physical descendant of Abraham it does not mean he or she is a child of Abraham or that they are true “Israel.” It is not the natural children (by physical birth) who are God’s children, but it is the children of promise (belief in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Lord) who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
Then, Jesus stated his mission: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” This is who Jesus was and is, and Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. If someone were to write Jesus’ purpose statement, this would be it – to seek and to save the spiritually lost. And, he has passed that mission on to his followers. He told us that when the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us that we will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (see Acts 1:8). He also said that we are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded (see Matt 28:19-20).
Jesus set the example for us of how to “seek and to save the lost” in this story of Zacchaeus. Jesus was passing through Jericho. While he was on his way, he spied Zacchaeus up in that tree. He knew this was a divine appointment, and he acted upon it immediately. And, Zacchaeus responded to the call of God on his life, he believed, and he was saved. We, as well, need to be prepared, ready, willing and sensitive to those divine appointments in our lives to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those God puts in our paths. We must do so in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we must do so with the intent of leading people to become followers of Jesus Christ who obey his commands.
May I, and may we follow Jesus’ example today in being ones whose mission and purpose in life is to seek and to bring to salvation the spiritually lost who are outside of faith in Jesus Christ.
God’s Great Commands / An Original Work / July 10, 2011
Loving God and loving others
Are the Lord God’s great commands.
On these rest all of the others;
Live by them and you’ll not fail.
Be a witness, share the gospel,
Be a light in this dark world.
Share the love of Jesus always
To a world who has not heard.
Serving others; be like Jesus;
Wash their feet and pray with them.
Be a healer; mend their hurts and
Show them how to turn from sin.
Be a living example of
How to live for Jesus Christ,
Walking with Him in His footsteps,
Leading others to new life.
Give to God and give to others
Of yourselves in ev’ry way.
Obey your Lord, do His bidding;
Bow your knees and humbly pray.
Pray for others to know Jesus.
Tell how they can be set free
Of their sins and live for Jesus;
Walk with Him eternally.
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