Zacchaeus, a metaphor of our time
We are going through the Lent season this week. Some will find it strange but there are Eastern Orthodox and Greekcatholic churches that read the scriptural account of Zacchaeus on the penultimate Sunday of the Prelenten Season. They even call that Sunday Zacchaeus Sunday.
In Luke 19, before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He passed through Jericho where Zacchaeus resided and worked as chief tax collector of the Roman Empire. Zacchaeus was hated by the Jews because he was collecting taxes and levies for Caesar and oppressing them. Tax collectors enjoyed vast powers to prosecute those who failed to pay taxes and tributes, often far and above their actual obligations. Corrupt tax collectors could literally squeeze the last tribute penny from the people.
And Jericho was a choice assignment. Jericho was no longer just the walled city that Joshua and Israel conquered after crossing the Jordan River. It was a major toll collection point for goods passing east and west, thus a lucrative post for Zacchaeus. Bible scholars agreed that Zacchaeus must have accumulated enormous wealth. Whether Zacchaeus paid the appointing authorities to be assigned to this city center remains an open question.
Zacchaeus developed an inordinate interest in Jesus to run ahead of the crowd to climb up into a sycamore tree to have a look at him. He was short and he would be invariably dwarfed. But that made his story a runaway favorite in Sunday School especially when Jesus looked up at him and said: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Oh, Zacchaeus must have been thrilled, never expecting Jesus to even stare at him, much less call him by his name.
But the crowd grumbled, saying “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
Zacchaeus was definitely a sinner, the crowd going as far as branding him a traitor to the Jewish nation. But unlike many sinners in the Scripture and in real life today, Zacchaeus did not leave any stone unturned just to get to Jesus. He ran and climbed a tree. Zacchaeus broke some social norms. He felt the need for Jesus.
When Jesus addressed him by his name, he came down and ran to his house to welcome Jesus. He was overjoyed! He must have heard about Jesus’ teachings in the Mount, His beatitudes. He must have been awed by His miracles, the people He healed, the possessed He delivered. Some of his clients must have shared Jesus and His teachings to him that firmed up his resolve to see Him.
Unlike Paul who had to ask who Jesus was when blinded by the light from heaven, Zacchaeus knew who Jesus was. He knew it was Jesus who called him by his name.
Even before that encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus was ready for his Savior. He left his assessment and collection desk, his livelihood and everything else to seek Jesus out. His mind and his heart were prepared for his complete turnaround.
In Luke 19:8, Zacchaeus surprised everyone when he declared boldly to Jesus: “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
By calling Jesus his Lord, Zacchaeus took the first step in establishing his relationship with his God. He humbled himself and declared that he would give half of his wealth to the poor. Now with Jesus, he was giving away his illgotten wealth to the poor without being asked.
Zacchaeus was therefore very dissimilar from the rich ruler in Luke 18 who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Having known and obeyed all the commandments, the rich ruler found the advice of Jesus a non-starter: “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Like many of us, giving up one’s wealth is non-negotiable. He must have worked hard for it. His wealth was his handicap to heaven.
Zacchaeus did not only admit of his malfeasance. He was also into serious restitution according to the law in Exodus 22. Truly, bad governance had disadvantaged the poor. Stealing from the public treasury was denying social services from the people.
Unlike some public authorities of our time, Zacchaeus pledged to restore the amount he defrauded anyone four times. We don’t expect today’s tax and customs collectors to come forward and restitute. With half of his wealth transferred to the poor, Zacchaeus’ four-fold restitution could dissipate his possession altogether. Zacchaeus could end up a pauper by his decision, but he was determined to turn a new leaf and to cease from making money his life’s driving force. With Jesus not even saying anything, Zacchaeus proved that anyone who is a sinner can always change. By that encounter, Jesus established the power of conviction for He came not to condemn the world but to save the world. If we recall, the woman caught committing adultery was saved from stoning because Jesus challenged anyone in the crowd who was sinless to throw the first stone.
Zacchaeus was a little man, but what he did was great in the eyes of God. He was a transgressor, piling up ill-gotten wealth, but he was not beyond salvation. Eternal life is available even to the prodigals.
It is never too late to do a Zacchaeus.