Luke 19:1-10

Introduction:

Jesus nears his arrival to Jerusalem, that prophesied time (both by him and by the OT prophets).

If we assess the crowd of people around him now, they might look like nothing more than a typical band of Jews making the annual trek southward to observe the Passover.

The last events have happened some 12 miles northeast of Jerusalem at Jericho.

Here we find Jesus again.

Jesus’ interaction with Zacchaeus serves an important role in reminding the crowd, one final time, that righteousness is not about wealth or genealogy but about repentance and faith in Christ.

See John the Baptist’s message in .

Luke Introduces the Tax-Collector

(NA28)

1Καὶ εἰσελθὼν διήρχετο τὴν Ἰεριχώ.

Jericho was the last place where pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem for a festival, such as Passover, would stop for rest. In the days of Jesus, the city was located about one mile from the ancient site from the days of Joshua. Made by Herod into his winter capital, it remained a favorite place for Jerusalem’s elite to reside in the winter as well. But, the real importance of the city derived from its agricultural productivity and trade. Jericho was one of the major crossroads for the import and export trade between the two sides of the Jordan river. Along with its agricultural productivity, this trade made Jericho a focus for tax collectors. Some even say that a colony of tax collectors lived in the city (see Pentecost, 365).

2καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης καὶ αὐτὸς πλούσιος·

Luke’s description of Zacchaeus could imply that he oversaw other tax-collectors, or it could mean that he was just an important member of that guild.

Notice that we have no category in which to place this man.

He is both tax-collector, the type of person that Jesus has met with before, and wealthy, the type of person that Jesus has denounced.

3καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν.

4καὶ προδραμὼν εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτὸν ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλεν διέρχεσθαι.

Notice how Luke describes Zacchaeus’ motivations.

He wants to “see” Jesus, or does he wish “to know” him?

Something has generated an inordinate interest in Jesus, but yet again the crowd prevents him from being able to get close to Jesus.

Was he short, or was he unimportant?

Jesus Stops to See Zacchaeus

(NA28)

5καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι, σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι.

It appears that Jesus was there to see Zacchaeus.

6καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων.

Notice that we have a man who, like the apostles in , immediately obeys the command of Jesus.

Crowds, Complainers, and Comfort

(NA28)

7καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι Παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθεν καταλῦσαι.

8σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν κύριον· Ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίσιά μου τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, κύριε, τοῖς πτωχοῖς δίδωμι, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν.

9εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν·

10ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.