Thoughts for the Day

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Another story found only in Luke's Gospel, is that of Jesus and Zacchaeus. As we saw yesterday, Jericho is an important town (see Sight is restored), and today, as you look down from the rugged Judean hills it's a green oasis of palm trees on the valley floor. It lies north of the Dead Sea, with the river Jordan on one side, alongside desert, and with rugged mountains in the distance. In the time of Jesus it was a place where the wealthy lived, and so it was a town where the Romans gained much of their tax. This is therefore the place for a chief tax-collector to be based. Zacchaeus, and he would have well known. We should not underestimate how hated he would have been because of his work for the Romans, and how his name would have been a byword for corruption. Because of this we should note his bravery at going out in the streets among the crowds that have come to hear Jesus.

Zacchaeus may have seen Jesus before, but he must have been amazed that the 'Rabbi' wanted to dine at the house of such an outcast. Even more surprising is his response to Jesus' offer of salvation. He repents not just in words, but in deeds, offering to give away half of what he owns, to pay back what he owes, and to make compensation.

At the end of this little story Jesus makes an important statement. Firstly, he uses the term 'Son of Man' of himself, meaning he is the 'Messiah'. The "Son of Man" he says, "has come to seek out and to save the lost." He is not saying those who are lost are damned, after all to be 'lost' is to be simply in the wrong place and usually far from home.
Zacchaeus has responded to Jesus and followed him. He is no longer lost but has been found!

Lord Jesus Christ,
when we cannot find our way
in this world,
when all seems out of focus,
and we wander alone and lost,
come and rescue us from
our confusion and fear.
May we hear Your call
loud and clear and respond with joy.
Amen.