Articles
Zaccheus - Luke 19
Zaccheus
In chapter 18 we read that Jesus said concerning those who are rich: "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24) This was said as the disciple’s watched the rich young ruler walk away from following Jesus. He was not willing to follow Jesus if it meant giving away his material wealth.
Here in chapter 19 we are introduced to another rich man - the chief tax-collector, Zaccheus. He is one of several rich men that we have read about in the gospel of Luke. There was the rich fool who left God out of all his plans (Luke 12:13-21). There was the rich man who lived in ease while letting Lazarus lie at his gate in poverty and illness (Luke 16:19-31). There was also the rich young ruler who because of such material wealth refused to follow Jesus (Luke 18:18-23). As far as we can tell, these all were held to be ‘in good standing’ among the Jewish communities in which they lived, yet were not right with God.
Now we see one who would NOT have been considered in good standing. Tax collectors were lumped with the ‘sinners and immoral’ of society. They collected taxes from the Jewish people to give to the Romans. They were in effect traitors to the commonwealth of Israel. They made their living by basically gouging the public for as much as they could, which for most of them meant a very well off life. Such was the life of Zaccheus until Jesus entered into it.
It would be interesting to know what he had heard about Jesus but we aren’t given such information. We do know that when he heard that Jesus was passing through his town of Jericho that he desired to see him. It doesn’t say he wanted to talk to him or follow him, just that he desired to see who Jesus was. Being small he climbed a tree in order to get a better view. Those of us who are short and have attended public gatherings can sympathize with trying to see ‘over’ the crowd. He was lucky for there was a tree which provided him a better view.
Jesus called him down and went to his house with him and ate with him. We have watched through the book of Luke as Jesus ate with such sinners. His purpose in doing so was not to join then in their sinful life nor even to encourage or abet them in such, but to call them to repentance.
As they were on their way, "Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (vs. 8). The law provided that normal restitution for extortion was 20% (cp. Lev. 5:16, Num. 5:7). IF one was a ‘rustler’ (stealing a man’s animals which in effect deprived him of the ability to make a living), the law provided for double that amount (cp. Ex. 22:1, 2 Sam. 12:6). Zaccheus resolved to give back FOUR times as much as he had taken. In addition to that, he would simply give away HALF of his wealth to those who were poor!
The love of money CAN be suppressed to 2nd place in one’s life. One CAN love God more than material wealth. The proof of the pudding is in the eating - and so it is with Zaccheus. The fruits of repentance that were demanded and illustrated by John the Baptist can be seen in this tax-collector! (cp. 3:8-14). He too is a son of Abraham, not only in his genealogy but also in his heart towards God. With such a heart even a rich man CAN find salvation with the LORD. However, the warning still stands: with great difficulty will a rich man do this! Indeed, Zaccheus is shown to be the exception among the rich that are to be found in the gospel of Luke.
We are then to follow the example of the very heart of Zaccheus. The specifics of how much was given away is not really part of the equation, but rather the fact that God and righteousness simply were placed far above the possession of material wealth. Where is your heart? Hugh DeLong
