Zacchaeus—Lost and Found (Luke 19:1-10)

 Dr. Paul Manuel—2021

Text:

Luke 19:1 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.

Luke 19:5 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.’”

Luke 19:8 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.

Luke 19:9 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.”

Outline:

      I.    The publican wants to see the rabbi (vv. 1-4).
     II.    The rabbi wants to meet the publican (vv. 5-7).
    III.    The publican wants to reimburse his (old) debtors (v. 8).
   IV.    The rabbi wants to welcome his (new) disciple (vv. 9-10).
   

            A.   Jesus continues his ministry tour.

            B.    Zacchaeus climbs to view Jesus.

Application: Do not make your immediate response to God’s gentle prodding negative (1 Cor 12:7).

            A.   Jesus will visit a social pariah.

            B.    People criticize contact with a publican.

Application: Do not expose yourself unnecessarily, but do not shy away from a chance to help someone else (Gal 6:10).

            A.   Zacchaeus promises to reduce his wealth.

            B.    Zacchaeus promises to repay his debtors.

Application: True repentance is evident to those who knew the old you and who see a difference in the new you (Jms 2:18).

            A.   Jesus explains the publican’s national position.

            B.    Jesus explains the purpose of his advent.

Application: You have a responsibility to acquit yourself well, to exhibit his character and embody his instruction. (Heb 10:36).

Introduction: There is often a general feeling of apprehension that follows a letter from the IRS, and sometimes with good reason:

“Hello, is this Rev. Green?” “It is.” “This is the IRS. Do you know a Steven Smith?” “I do.” “Is he a member of your congregation?” “He is.” “Did he donate $10,000.00?” There was a pause, then “He will.”

There is often a general feeling of apprehension that follows a letter from the IRS, and sometimes with good reason. The protagonist in the NT passage this morning probably never received such a letter, but his financial dealings might have attracted the Roman government’s attention if it had such an agency.

Background: Today’s message features a Bible character that may be best known from a popular SS limerick:

Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

And a wee little man was he.

He climbed up in a sycamore tree,

For the Lord he wanted to see.

As the Savior passed that way,

He looked up in the tree.

And he said, “Zacchaeus you come down,

For I'm going to your house today!”

Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

But a happy little man was he.

He had seen the Lord that day,

And a happy man was he.

Today’s message is about the subject of this limerick and appears in one biblical passage:

Luke 19:1 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.[1] 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.

            A.   Jesus continues his ministry tour.

    Having travelled through Galilee, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, possibly to attend one of the annual Jewish festivals. He already has a reputation as a learned teacher, and people are eager to hear him, so they gather along the route in case he pauses to address the crowd following him.

            B.    Zacchaeus climbs to view Jesus.

      Among the crowd is a man whose diminutive stature prevents him from seeing the rabbi clearly. To rectify this problem, he climbs a nearby tree, one whose branches provide a perch from which he can view the procession. There he sits as Jesus nears. The meeting is inevitable, and it will change the publican’s life forever.  “Zacchaeus’s desire to see Jesus, though commendable, was surpassed by the fact that Jesus wanted to see him” (Liefeld 1984:1007).

Application: How much would you got out of your way to see the messiah? Would you climb a tree? Would you spend your life in service to him? Jesus expects those who claim allegiance to him to serve him.

     If God wants you to do something, whether working on a church committee or talking to someone about your faith, do not make your immediate response negative. He may equip you specifically for the task. As Paul writes:

To each one the manifestation of the Spirit [i.e., a spiritual gift] is given for the common good. (1 Cor 12:7)

Do not make your immediate response to God’s gentle prodding negative. Consider what He has given you that may prepare you for the task.

Luke 19:5 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.’”

            A.   Jesus will visit a social pariah.

      Zacchaeus is not a religious Jew but is, in fact, irreligious, a ‘sinner.’ He is among a most despised group in Jewish society, even more than a lepers, [2] whose disease renders them unclean, a condition that bars them from participation in the temple and stems from no fault of their own. A tax collector is also unclean. But unlike a leper, a tax collector or publican chooses to be unclean. That is, the way he conducts his daily affairs renders him so. His loyalty to God and His people is suspect because he works for the pagan Roman government. He can also set the rate of tax he collects, tempting him to overcharge, which he often does. Moreover, much of the actual money he touches bears images of pagan deities, further placing his loyalty to the one true God in doubt. (Israeli coinage bears no such imagery.) Tax collectors are not well-liked.

            B.    People criticize contact with a publican.

      The teacher sees Zacchaeus and calls him to come down, announcing the next stop in his itinerary: “I must stay at your house today’’ (v. 5). What an honor—to host this famous rabbi—and by an unclean IRS agent! Zacchaeus is the talk of the town, but not in a nice way for Jesus. This guilt by association will not reflect favorably on the rabbi, who will now be considered “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34)—not a great career move for Jesus. It is no wonder the crowd ‘muttered’ (v. 7), complaining about this rabbi’s questionable friendship. Still, this story illustrates that “no one is excluded from the invitation to the Kingdom of God” (Plummer 1981:432).

Application: You are known by the company you keep, and you should avoid unsavory associations that pull you away from God, people who tempt you to engage in unrighteous activity. As Paul writes, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor 15:33). Do not place your personal integrity in jeopardy by exposing yourself to corrupting influences. On the other hand, do not assume you cannot have a positive influence on someone else by your good example. That second option may be a risky situation, depending on how strong you are and how confident you are in your own faith. Do not expose yourself unnecessarily, but do not shy away from a chance to help someone else.

As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people. (Gal 6:10)

Even if they are few, take advantage of what opportunities you have to help others.

Luke 19:8 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.

            A.   Zacchaeus promises to reduce his wealth.

       The Bible does not advocate poverty. Being wealthy is considered a boon from God. Solomon says:

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. (Prov 10:22)

Jesus does not berate Zacchaeus for being wealthy and, in fact, says nothing about his ill-gotten gains. Rather, he allows the publican to make the connection himself and to determine the proper recourse.

            B.    Zacchaeus promises to repay his debtors.

     The publican does not think he must impoverish himself to please Jesus but simply revise his behavior to reflect a more righteous pattern. Yet Zacchaeus also realizes he should do more than simply revise his collection practices or even reimburse people the amount they have lost; he must provide suitable compensation, more than the law requires (4x versus +1/5):

He must make restitution for what he has failed to do in regard to the holy things, add a fifth of the value to that and give it all to the priest. (Lev 5:16)

Zacchaeus des not simply say what he thinks Jesus wants to hear. He commits to demonstrating true repentance by “putting his money where his mouth is.”

Application: Many people are content to say they believe in God but are not willing to have it impact their lives, which does not put them in the best of company. “Even the demons believe” (Jms 2:19). What really counts is having faith and works:[3] “A person is justified [i.e., saved] by what he does and not by faith alone” (Jms 2:24). Zacchaeus decides to follow through on his faith in Jesus by showing that he understands the implications of the rabbi’s teaching with an actual change in his behavior. Similarly, you must demonstrate your understanding that faith is not just a mental exercise but entails action. Again, as James states:

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do (Jms 2:18).

True repentance is palpable, is evident to those who knew the old you, the B.C. (before conversion) you and who see a difference in the new you.

     That difference in your life with Jesus’ influence should be obvious in the way you conduct yourself, in the way you spend your time or money, perhaps in the people you befriend. Even if you have been a believer for some time, there must still be proof of your faith. Someone (Joyce Meyer) once said, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Being a Christian should be obvious to those around you, and not just by the Bible verses you post in your home or the “Honk if you know Jesus” bumper sticker on your car. The way you conduct your life should make your loyalty clear to everyone, that you belong to God, that He is the most important person in your life.

Luke 19:9 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.”

            A.   Jesus explains the publican’s national position.

     The teacher’s visit initiates a profound change in Zacchaeus’ life. His occupation makes him a social outcast, but Jesus’ acceptance without preconditions is a reminder that Zacchaeus is still part of God’s covenant people, entitled to all the Lord promises them. The change Jesus brings is not just for Zaccheus but includes his family and servants as well.[4] Furthermore, Zacchaeus has an advantage here others of his generation do not yet have—a preview of what the future holds: “Salvation has come to this house” (v. 9).[5]

            B.    Jesus explains the purpose of his advent.

    Jesus is like other great teachers throughout history who offer profound instruction and who expect listeners to follow the instructions they impart, changing the world around them. But Jesus is more than just a great teacher, much more, because he accomplished something other teachers could not. That is why he came: “to seek and to save what was lost” (v. 10). No other teacher had this assignment from God or this authority from God, and no other teacher actually did it (Manuel 2014).[6] In the end, all people will recognize him in this capacity:

They will look on…the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him. (Zech 12:10)

Every eye will see him…and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. (Rev 1:7)

The general consensus will be a recognition of lost opportunity, as people finally see what God placed before them and what they may have let pass them by.

Application: There are many messianic figures who come with grandiose claims but only one who could fulfil those claims (Manuel 2014):

We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…. By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy…. [And] where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin…. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Heb 10:10, 14, 18, 36)

And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. (1 John 2:25)

As a representative of Jesus, you have a responsibility to acquit yourself well, to exhibit his character and embody his instruction. Do not belittle the affect you think you can have—Little is much when God is in it.

Conclusion: The Bible has no more to say about this publican. Presumably he follows through on the commitments he makes during this visit. If so, his life is forever different. “Zacchaeus—(once) Lost and (now) Found” has eternity with God in his future, as do you, because Jesus has visited you as well:

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)

Bibliograph

Liefeld, Walter L.

  1984  Luke. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 8. Edited by Frank E. Gabeline. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.

Manuel, Paul http://paulwmanuel.blogspot.com

  2014  “Why Did Jesus Come? Reasons for the Incarnation in the Savior’s Words.”

Plummer, Alfred

  1981  A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Luke. 5th ed. ICC. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, reprint.

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[1]Zacchaeus’ position as “chief” tax collector places him higher than Levi, who has the same occupation:

Luke 5:27 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

[2]Unlike a leper, a tax collector need not announce his impurity publicly:

Lev 13:45 The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

[3]The combination of belief and application is a major theme in James:

Jms 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? … 17 Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 I will show you my faith by what I do…. 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did…. 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

[4]The gospel message is inclusive, for the one in view and for those who associate with him:

Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

[5]It is a national advantage for Israel in particular and a salvific advantage for Jews and gentiles. The salvific advantage has always been available to all men because of “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev 13:8).

[6]Jesus is particularly concerned for the “lost,” those who have left the path God established for His people:

Matt 10:6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.

Matt 15:24 I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.

Luke 15:4 Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

John 18:9 I have not lost one of those you gave me.