In Luke 19:1-10 we read the story of Zacchaeus which ends like so: And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. When the tax collector became part of the kingdom of God, he was changed from the inside out. This was visible to everyone. Yet, he desired to see Jesus, no matter what. The account closely follows the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-30), in which Jesus declares that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The people following him asked, Then who can be saved? Jesus reply was that What is impossible with men is possible with God (vv. List of Zacchaeus actions that I believe expose his heart in the text: "he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him". Scriptures of people exposed and receiving forgiveness: John 8:1-11, John 4. It was the system in which Zacchaeus operated that supported corruption. If only the people in the crowd had opened their eyes to that truth, they would have been rejoicing that Zacchaeus was about to become a whole new person instead of complaining about Jesus friendship with a sinner.. Next, we come to understand that Zacchaeus is "trying to see who Jesus was" but because of a combination of things, he's not able to position himself to be able to see. During Jesus lifetime, the issue of excessive Roman taxes was a heated topic, and tax collectors were directly employed by the Roman administration. Zacchaeus cannot see Jesus because he is too short, both physically and morally, and so the crowds impede his sight. Salvation should result in a new set of behavior consistent with the new faith people have received (Ephesians 4:17-24; Galatians 5:16-26; Colossians 3:3-7). However, because Zacchaeus was a small man, he was unable to see over the heads of everyone else. - Luke 19:1-4 "Meet Zacchaeus: Short, Dishonest Tax Collector Who Found Christ." Small in stature, Zacchaeus had to climb a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus passing by. Under the Roman system, men bid on those positions, pledging to raise a certain amount of money. Which ability is most related to insanity: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution, or Intelligence? This can give us a clue as to the lasting results of the choice each man made in his encounter with Christ. (John 8:31-59), Abraham had 2 sons Ishmael born of the flesh and Isaac - miraculously born of faith! @Kazark, I added ending statement in response. He cherished his wealth as much as, if not more than, he cherished God! But now he just wanted to see Jesus. Christ is come to his house, and where Christ comes he brings salvation with him. The old has passed away! Finally, Zacchaeus had an idea. To me that is evidence that He wanted to begin a relationship with Zacchaeus. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Yes! *Invite Jesus into your life. 191 Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it on his way to Jerusalem. For example, when you buy a book at the bookstore, a certain amount of tax is added to the price of the book. Thank you for knowing everyones name and everything about them. He overcomes this by climbing up into a sycamore tree to get a better view. Say:When Zacchaeus heard Jesus tell him to come down from the tree, what did he do? This would have made it quite easy for Zacchaeus to follow through on his desire to see Jesus. Zacchaeus changed. He serves as the worship pastor at Calvary Longmont in Colorado, and on his weekends, he and his family go hiking and exploring in the Rocky Mountains. After reaching the tree, Jesus raised his eyes to find a man dressed elegantly seated among the branches. He is inviting you today to give your life to Him. The author of this devotional essay was serving as a missionary in Italy at the time of its publication. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich. He called Zacchaeus by name! Look with me at Luke 19:1-10. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Commentators and scholars see this as a fairly straightforward situation that demonstrates exemplary use of wealth and material resources. luke - Why was Zacchaeus saved according to Jesus? - Biblical Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version) The main point is that everybody who believes in Jesus Christ is a new creature in Christ. I believe that the itinerant Jesus was going to do the same thing that he told the seventy sent out. And that is just what Zacchaeus was. But they didnt go away or stay outside complaining. He tells Zacchaeus to come down from the tree because He wants to have dinner with him. I believe if you really want to know someone or be known by someone you have to go to or let them in your home. Jesus didn't leave him in that tree. It wasn't enough for Zacchaeus to find and see Jesus. Affected by Jesus teaching, the infamous sinner surrendered his life to Christ and his life was never the same after that. He ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into the biggest tree he could find. In fact, he wasnt just going to pay back what he stole from people, he was going to pay back FOUR TIMES what he stole! Did Jesus recover the lost tribes of Israel? It would not be a stretch to say that Zacchaeus was seeking after the truth. As soon Jesus entered his house Salvation had already come. As the Greek default tense the aorist is simply stating that this is, in fact, what happened, and no further assumptions may be made about this. Box 6542, General Post Office, In those days, Rome collected taxes in three primary places: Capernaum, Jerusalem and Jericho. Zacchaeus had a similar appearance to a caterpillar before he met Jesus. And Jesus wants everyone to trust in Him so that they, too, might be transformed into new creations! Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. And John 10:3, which tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His dearly loved sheep, says: The sheep listen to His voice. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25). However, the significance of this occurrence in the life of Christ, and definitely in the life of Zacchaeus, did not lie in the type of tree, the size of the tree, or the difficulty of climbing the tree. Perhaps you recall the events in the narrative. Many of us were taught this Scripture when we were children, and we were able to comprehend it when we were young. Before Jesus left the earth, He told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Right now appears to be the most handy option. Zacchaeus was a teeny little man, he was a wee little man, the narrator says. grace through Faith Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Zaccheus was saved because God chose him to be a type of Christ. vv. The time has arrived for something fresh! He couldnt do what Jesus asked him to do. Also that he was a rich man. The rich man must humble himself as Zacchaeus did. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. This ['He also is a son of Abraham'] will seem to The moment Jesus arrived at the location, he raised his eyes and told him to come down immediately. This afternoon, Im required to stay at your place. There was a guy named Zacchaeus present; he was a top tax collector and a wealthy individual. However, not everyone was ecstatic on this particular occasion. Jesus wanted to spend time with Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus was more than happy to become Jesus friend. There arent enough Zacchaeuses in the world. When Jesus passed through Zacchaeus hometown of Jericho, He was on His route to Jerusalem, where He would share the final supper with His followers, according to tradition. | Theme by SuperbThemes.Com, What Do Jehovah Witness Believe About Jesus Christ. community.. Nobody is born saved. Everyone who believes in Christ is a new creation, according to the verse above. Much to his astonishment, the Lord called Zacchaeus by name, telling him to come down from the tree. We scan social media on a regular basis to see what has been going on. Having begun In verse 7 this same greek word meno is used. He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. 7Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith Let's read verses 9-10. They put it in their own pockets and kept it! Application: Psalm 139:13 says, You created the deepest parts of my being. Lessons from the Life of Zacchaeus - Bible Helps, Inc Welcome to Stack Exchange, we are glad you are here. 2023 Proven Way Zacchaeus was characterised by his career as the top tax collector in the city of Jericho, which was in addition to his tiny size. Jesus first said "I" am going to your house, and his second reference was, "salvation" has come to your house. physical descendants (cf. Those who are well, have no need of a physician but those who are sick. The apostle Paul told Timothy, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV). What were the most popular text editors for MS-DOS in the 1980s? He was completely taken by surprise when the Lord addressed him by name and instructed him to come down from the tree. As recorded in the last lines of Luke 18, Jesus foresaw the impending death of His disciples, and as recorded in Luke 19, Jesus provided rescue and hope to a man called Zacchaeus. In Luke 17:28-33 what does Jesus mean by "save his life" and "lose his life"? Having expressed regret for his misdeeds, Zacchaeus promised to make amends for any injustice done to his fellow man by paying him a restitution of his own money. 5So then, Luke 19:1-7. written in the book of the law, to perform them. 11Now that no one we do not own the rights to the music used. He was most likely a lonely man, and his only companions would have been wicked or corrupt individuals like himself. Zacchaeus was an inquisitive young man who was eager to learn more about Jesus and resolved to meet him in his natural habitat. And that includes you and me. God wants everyone to be saved (1Timothy 2:4). Luke 19:110 is a Bible verse that describes the life of Jesus. Even though the OP says "why" was he saved, I think he means it more in the sense of "how," given the rest of the question. Jesus had just arrived in Jericho and was traveling through town. When we listen to the Shepherd calling us by name and respond to Him, our lives will be changed too! According to the story in Luke, when a crowd gathered to see Jesus near Jericho, Zacchaeus climbs into a sycamore to get a better view. (to the begging I give), arranged as such, places in the emphatic position. Can I use the spell Immovable Object to create a castle which floats above the clouds? There were so many people swarming about the Master, and since he was an outsider in the crowd and was also fairly little in stature, he was unable to approach near enough to see Him well. But we are told in Luke 19:7 how the CROWD felt about Jesus going to the home of a tax collector:They began to whisper among themselves. Luke 19:3 says, And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature (NKJV). A lot of compelling arguments exist, of course, for why restitution should be an integral part of our journey toward becoming disciples of Christ. Jesus wanted this young man to be His follower, but He also knew that the man had turned his money into an idol. rev2023.5.1.43405. The two men had never met before, yet Jesus knew everything about Zacchaeus. To show his repentance and changed life, Zacchaeus voluntarily made restitution. Zechariah is identified immediately away by Luke, who first informs us that he was the top tax collector in his region. Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was passing through town, and he wanted to see him. New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition. He couldn't see over the crowd, so he scurried up a tree, which would have been a very undignified thing for him to do in that culture. Those who seek Jesus, in reality, are sought, seen, and saved by him. Some of us recall that Jesus once stated something to the effect that it is difficult for affluent people to join the kingdom of God. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". Every time a citizen had to pay money to a tax collector, they probably thought really bad thoughts about the person taking their money. 5. This, then, is what ultimately caused Jesus to declare that salvation had come to Zacchaeus house. Old things must pass away (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus had just arrived in Jericho and was travelling through town when the story begins. Happily Zacchaeus listened to the Good Shepherds voice, and that made all the difference in his life. I'd cite my sources here, but there are a lot. All throughout the New Testament are stories of people who stopped whatever they were doing to follow Jesus. We have forsaken all and followed thee, he declared (verse 28). Tax collectors worked for the Roman government, and their presence in Israel served as a continual reminder that the country was once again under the jurisdiction of a foreign administration. Which was the first Sci-Fi story to predict obnoxious "robo calls"? All rights are retained around the world. Luke 19 - BibleGateway Sycamores are common in the area and their branches are long, plentiful, and grow close to the ground. We, too, have total access to the whole truth of who God is because of Gods word, which we may read here. No. Dont forget that those who knew Zacchaeus very well described him as a notorious sinner. He must be desperate to see Jesus (Not every one climbs a tree to see Jesus!) As a procrastinator, Zacchaeus would have remarked something like, The crowds likely to be enormous today. In actuality, those who seek Jesus are sought after, seen, and saved by him because he seeks them out. In response to Jesus's question in verse 5, we see the second action of Zacchaeus. On the surface, it was almost as if Billy Graham had arrived in town and decided to stay with the proprietor of a downtown bar! the Law, or by hearing with faith? To view Jesus, Zacchaeus had to climb a tree, which he couldnt do since he was too short. To them, he was among the worst of sinners. Many, many Jews from Galilee were passing through Jericho that day on their way to observe Passover in Jerusalem. As a chief tax collector for the vicinity of Jericho, Zacchaeus, a Jew, was an employee of the Roman Empire. The Bible records different life-changing encounters that people had with Jesus. Why did Zacchaeus want to see Jesus? This passage exposes that the name fit this man! He did not come to praise the people that were already good. (Luke 19:4) He climbed a tree What did Jesus want from Zacchus? Although he had achieved financial success, he felt that something was lacking from his life; and thatsomething had everything to do with Jesus. Biblically in Jesus' mind a son of Abraham is a man of faith that produces works that prove he has faith, just like Abraham (Heb 11:17). It means seeking him with all your heart and doing everything he would have you do! Zacchaeus hurriedly descended the ladder and greeted him with delight. The fact that you are seeking Jesus will not go unnoticed since He is aware of your existence, what you are doing, and where you are located. He was a tax collector. The self-righteous people in the crowd were especially critical of Jesus interest in a man like Zacchaeus, but Christ was demonstrating his mission to seek and save the lost. 7When the rest of the people realized what was happening, they began to murmur, He has gone to be the guest of sinner. 8But Zacchaeus sprang to his feet and addressed the Lord, saying, Take a look, Lord! Zacchaeus - Bible Story, Verses & Meaning - Bible Study Tools Therefore, he raced ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to have a better view of him, since Jesus was on his approach to him from that direction. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, The righteous man If Jesus wasnt looking for him, how would He have known he was on the tree despite the thronging crowd? Onesimus changed (Philemon 10-16). Nervous. April | 71 views, 5 likes, 1 loves, 2 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from South Asheboro Church of God: A Longing For God Rev. One of the factors contributing to their dreariness was that they had misconceptions about what the Messiah ought to look like. The rich must not be deceived by their wealth. Isaiah 1:18 says, Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (NKJV). Zacchaeus the Tax Collector - Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. Because of the large throng, he was unable to see Jesus. Jesus says, Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Zacchaeus was not only a religious outcast but also a social outcast since he represented the oppression of the Roman government. Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the sycamore tree and went home with Him. No one knows me better than the ones who spend time with me in my home. But he was a short man. The Bible story of Zacchaeus, a leading tax-collector of Jericho, is discussed only in the Book of Luke. It would not be a stretch to say that Zacchaeus was seeking after the truth. In that light, I'm not sure "Zaccheus was saved because God chose him to be a type of Christ" is an answer to the question because it seems like you are there stating that God saved him ("how" unstated) so that he could be a type of Christ. Once saved, we are one in Christ no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. Lu, 6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. These include: Perhaps the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about making things right in your life. (All emphasis theirsthey bold words quoted from the text.). According to the Roman system, men competed for certain jobs by promising to raise a specific quantity of money. Im still able to do the hand gestures to the music. Zacchaeus was eager to see Jesus, implying that his interest in Jesus went beyond mere curiosity on his part. 1. He says in John 6:37 all that the Father gives Him will come to Him, and the one who comes to Him, He will by no means cast out. Although Zacchaeus was hoping to see Jesus, in reality, it was Christ who saw him first (19:5) and took the initiative. As an example, Jesus arrived at the location where Zacchaeus was. No one is too far out of reach for him. The young man was good at keeping the rules, but Jesus told him that the kingdom of God wasnt just about keeping rules. He was in charge of collecting taxes for the Romans, supervising the customs duties on trade routes that passed through Jericho and levying taxes on individual residents living in the region under his jurisdiction. As chief tax collector, he would have been a district manager, in a sense, over a tax-collection territory. He most likely collected taxes from other tax collectors and then sent the money over to the Roman authorities to be spent. JESUS AND ZACCHAEUS - Luke 19:1-10 (Bible lesson for teens) - maybe, Do distinguished people climb trees? As a result of his short stature, Zacchaeus was able to go ahead of the throng and climb up into a sycamore tree in order to have a better view of Jesus. It was the heavy cost of discipleship that Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke about in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, that Zacchaeus had to bear. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Application: Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus and wanted to see with his PHYSICAL eyes what all the commotion was about. Not discouraged by that, he ran ahead to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus. FINALLY WE GET TO THE CONCLUSION OF JESUS AND THE WRITER - LUKE: Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. Is "I didn't think it was serious" usually a good defence against "duty to rescue"? If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Anyone with Faith = The true children of Abraham in the eye of Jesus! When Jesus says to any sinner follow Me, and that sinner decides to follow Him, God forgives their sin and gives them a new life. The trunk was close enough for me to embrace and work my way up, and when I eventually reached a limb, I was able to pull myself up and sit on it. Speaking on his own behalf Zacchaeus notes that he gives half of his goods to the poor. Jesus brought salvation and hope to Zacchaeus (Luke 19:7-10), 4. The moment Jesus came, he immediately spotted Zacchaeus on the tree and told him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, because I must remain at your house today. This made Zacchaeus very happy, but the rest of the throng grumbled, or mumbled, in displeasure because Jesus had gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner, as they put it. To his surprise and delight, Jesus stopped, looked up, and said, "Zacchaeus! Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International. No one measures up to Gods glory. Thats what Jesus died for. Michael Gillis. As a side-note the name Zacchaeus means pure. ", And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. I don't think Dr. Constable is necessarily wrong; but part of my asking the question was because I didn't find his commentary quite compelling. Your email address will not be published. Think it was more than enough to make tax collectors unpopular, dont you believe it was? Jesus demonstrates his total acceptance of Zacchaeus by coming to his home for the party. But Zacchaeus could not be stopped by anything. Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! In fact, Zacchaeus was so moved that he sprang to his feet and said (in the original Greek), Here and now, I am donating half of my assets to the needy! He also agreed to restore whatever money he had wrongfully taken from others, as well as 400 percent of the money he had wrongfully taken from them. The high and the low, the rich and the poor need Jesus. The Jews must have been uncomfortable hearing Jesus refer to Zacchaeus as also a son of Abraham because theyve considered him a traitor and sinner. 11I say to you that many will come from east and west, and [m]recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ). But Zacchaeus was a small man, and he couldn't see Jesus because of the crowd. There is no sinner too lost to be saved. They had to obey Roman laws and submit to Roman authority. Jodi has a passion for Biblical ac More. But the people of Jericho were not happy with Jesus because they were not happy with Zacchaeus life. In Luke 15:1-7 is the shepherd in the parable equated to the Pharisees and the scribes? When he repented, he paid back those he had cheated. I must be a guest in your home today" (Luke 19:5 NLT). But the kids are probably less likely to know other facts about Zacchaeus. Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. 1-4 Since Zacchaeus is small he is overwhelmed by the crowd in his attempts to see Jesus. He has devised a strategy to remain with the man who is despised by everyone. He tried pushing his way to the front of the crowd, but that didnt work. Ask: Did Jesus know that Zacchaeus was a sinner? This tells us that Zacchaeus was desperate, almost obsessed with seeing Jesus. They feel the gospel is only for the poor and the low people in society. As well as having a similar experience, we can also Jason Soroski is a homeschooling parent and the author of A Journey to Bethlehem: Inspiring Thoughts for Christmas and Hope for the New Year (A Journey to Bethlehem). He looked up and said, Zacchaeus, come down at once. Before he met Jesus, Zacchaeus was kind of like a caterpillar. As a reference of proof look at Matt 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-11, Luke 7:36-50 regarding the woman with the alabaster of perfume. Jesus predicted His impending death and resurrection (Luke 18:31-34). He would have just wanted to have a glance at this Rabbi, Jesus, who is not as judgmental as Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Zacchaeus, though, was completely changed by his encounter with Jesus. His desire to meet Jesus was hampered by his modest stature, which prevented him from seeing above the crowd. He already knows who we are and what kind of state our house is in, which is a comfort. They said, Jesus has gone to be the guest of a sinner. . Zacchaeus teaches us that when you make a solid effort to experience Jesus, you are rewarded. Zacchaeus must have been shocked. T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria. He tried standing on his tip toes, but that didnt work. What do you suppose they did with the extra money they collected? justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to In Mark 2:1-12, the four men who carried the paralytic to Jesus in Capernaum to be healed couldnt enter the house He was in because of the crowd. it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Son of Man came to seek and rescue those who had gone astray. Wow. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. So lets consider what the text says he did - climbed the tree. Zacchaeus And Jesus: Why We Are All 'Righteous Ones' Like The Tax Collector Has your life changed since you gave your life to Jesus? The realization that major changes were taking place within Zacchaeus must have been a harrowing experience for him. Look at Luke 19:8-10. Zacchaeus felt unworthy, not good enough. The disciples obeyed Him as Mark 16:20 says they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. He was looking forward to seeing Jesus, who was on his way. As a result, he raced ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus, who was on his way that way. Everyone was eager to hear Him speak on the subject of the kingdom of God. *Renounce your past way of life your relationship with the devil and his works. Zacchaeus was probably feeling all those emotions and more. The majority of the time, those who are affluent are less likely to become disciples of someone who is impoverished and despised, as was Jesus, 5) Zacchaeus was unaware that when Jesus passed through Jericho, it was our Lords final journey to Jerusalem. But when we truly understand that Jesus is the Son of God who died so that our sins can be forgiven and we can have eternal life, then we are seeing with our spiritual eyes! After hearing Jesus remarks, the disciples were perplexed since the prediction ran counter to everything they had previously thought about the Messiahand they were at a loss for what to do. - YouTube Zacchaeus, as we know, was a rich tax collector. He was a truth seeker who was on a mission. I will pay back four times the amount I took., Jesus said to Zacchaeus, Today salvation has come to your house.
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