ACC ~ Luke 19 v1 - 10

OVERVIEW:

As Jesus approaches Jericho, he encounters a blind man and Zacchaeus, both of whom are outcasts upon whom Jesus will show mercy (AMBROSE). Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector, and therefore a great sinner who would be included with the prostitutes by the Pharisees as examples of complete depravity (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). Zacchaeus shows that it is difficult but possible for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven (JEROME). Climbing a sycamore tree is unusual for someone of his position, but in order to see Jesus he must rise above the earth, including all the foolish sins of the world (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). Like Christ, who was lifted on the cross to show the foolishness of God, Zacchaeus is willing to be foolish so that he may see Christ crucified (AUGUSTINE).

Jesus has welcomed Zacchaeus into his heart, and now he is ready to be welcomed by Zacchaeus into his house (AUGUSTINE). The Lord, who knows Zacchaeus’s thoughts, calls him to come away from his life in the law and to descend into Jesus’ presence so that he might become a true son of Abraham (EPHREM THE SYRIAN). These possessions became his when Zacchaeus used them for salvation, so that what had been a hindrance to him in attaining eternal life now had become a benefit when used properly (MAXIMUS OF TURIN).

Jesus is that one man without sin who came to save those who were lost because of sin (AUGUSTINE). God promises salvation for those who are the true children of Abraham, which Zacchaeus shows that he is by his almsgiving (CYPRIAN).

19:1 | Introduction: Jesus Enters Jericho

ZACCHAEUS AND THE BLIND MAN RECEIVE MERCY

AMBROSE: “And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus.” Zacchaeus in the sycamore; the blind man by the wayside. [1] The Lord waits for the one to have mercy on him and honors the other with the radiance of his visit. He questions the one before healing him [2] and attends the other’s house as an uninvited guest. He knew that his host’s reward was to be rich. Although Christ had not yet heard his voice of invitation, he has heard his good will. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.82. [3]

[1] Lk 18:35.

[2] Lk 18:41.

[3] EHG 366*.

19:2-4 | Zacchaeus Seeks Jesus

THE SINFULNESS OF ZACCHAEUS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Zacchaeus was leader of the tax collectors, a man entirely abandoned to greed, whose only goal was the increase of his gains. This was the practice of the tax collectors, although Paul calls it idolatry, [1] possibly as being suitable only for those who have no knowledge of God. Since they shamelessly, openly professed this vice, the Lord very justly joined them with the prostitutes, saying to the leaders of the Jews, “The prostitutes and the tax collectors go before you into the kingdom of God.” [2] Zacchaeus did not continue to be among them, but he was counted worthy of mercy at Christ’s hands. He calls near those who are far away and gives light to those who are in darkness. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 127. [3]

[1] Col 3:5.

[2] Mt 21:31.

[3] CGSL 505**.

A RICH MAN WHO ENTERS THE KINGDOM

JEROME: There certainly is much truth in a certain saying of a philosopher, “Every rich man is either wicked or the heir of wickedness.” [1] That is why the Lord and Savior says that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. [2] Someone may raise the objection, “How did wealthy Zacchaeus enter the kingdom of heaven?” He gave away his wealth and immediately replaced it with the riches of the heavenly kingdom. The Lord and Savior did not say that the rich would not enter the kingdom of heaven but that they will enter with difficulty. HOMILY ON PSALM 83 (84). [3]

[1] See Letter 120.1, PL 22:984 (821).

[2] Mt 19:23.

[3] FC 48:119*.

TO SEE CHRIST

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Come and let us see what was the method of Zacchaeus’s conversion. He desired to see Jesus and therefore climbed into a sycamore tree, and so a seed of salvation sprouted within him. Christ saw this with the eyes of deity. Looking up, he also saw Zacchaeus with the eyes of humanity, and since it was his purpose for all to be saved, he extends his gentleness to him. To encourage him, he says, “Come down quickly.” Zacchaeus searched to see Christ, but the multitude prevented him, not so much that of the people but of his sins. He was short of stature, not merely in a bodily point of view but also spiritually. He could not see him unless he were raised up from the earth and climbed into the sycamore, by which Christ was about to pass. The story contains a puzzle. In no other way can a person see Christ and believe in him except by climbing up into the sycamore, by making foolish his earthly members of fornication, uncleanness, etc. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 127. [1]

[1] CGSL 505-6**.

ZACCHAEUS, UNABLE TO SEE JESUS THROUGH THE CROWD, WAS UNASHAMED TO CLIMB THE TREE OF FOLLY

AUGUSTINE: Zacchaeus climbed away from the crowd and saw Jesus without the crowd getting in his way.

The crowd laughs at the lowly, to people walking the way of humility, who leave the wrongs they suffer in God’s hands and do not insist on getting back at their enemies. The crowd laughs at the lowly and says, “You helpless, miserable clod, you cannot even stick up for yourself and get back what is your own.” The crowd gets in the way and prevents Jesus from being seen. The crowd boasts and crows when it is able to get back what it owns. It blocks the sight of the one who said as he hung on the cross, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” [1] … He ignored the crowd that was getting in his way. He instead climbed a sycamore tree, a tree of “silly fruit.” As the apostle says, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block indeed to the Jews, [now notice the sycamore] but folly to the Gentiles.” [2] Finally, the wise people of this world laugh at us about the cross of Christ and say, “What sort of minds do you people have, who worship a crucified God?” What sort of minds do we have? They are certainly not your kind of mind. “The wisdom of this world is folly with God.” [3] No, we do not have your kind of mind. You call our minds foolish. Say what you like, but for our part, let us climb the sycamore tree and see Jesus. The reason you cannot see Jesus is that you are ashamed to climb the sycamore tree.

Let Zacchaeus grasp the sycamore tree, and let the humble person climb the cross. That is little enough, merely to climb it. We must not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but we must fix it on our foreheads, where the seat of shame is. Above where all our blushes show is the place we must firmly fix that for which we should never blush. As for you, I rather think you make fun of the sycamore, and yet that is what has enabled me to see Jesus. You make fun of the sycamore, because you are just a person, but “the foolishness of God is wiser than men.” [4] SERMON 174.3. [5]

[1] Lk 23:34.

[2] 1 Cor 1:23.

[3] 1 Cor 3:19.

[4] 1 Cor 1:25.

[5] WSA 3 5:259-60**.

19:5-8 | Jesus Must Stay in Zacchaeus’s Home

ZACCHAEUS WELCOMES JESUS TO HIS HOUSE

AUGUSTINE: The Lord, who had already welcomed Zacchaeus in his heart, was now ready to be welcomed by him in his house. He said, “Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down, since I have to stay in your house.” He thought it was a marvelous piece of good luck to see Christ. While imagining it was a marvelous piece of luck quite beyond words to see him passing by, he was suddenly found worthy to have him in his house. Grace is poured out, and faith starts working through love. Christ, who was already dwelling in his heart, is welcomed into his house. Zacchaeus says to Christ, “Lord, half my goods I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times over.” It is as if he were saying, “The reason I am keeping back half for myself is not in order to have it, but to have something from which to pay people back.”

There you are. That is really what welcoming Jesus means, welcoming him into your heart. Christ was already there. He was in Zacchaeus and spoke through him. The apostle says that this is what it means, “For Christ to dwell by faith in your hearts.” [1] SERMON 174.5. [2]

[1] Eph 3:17.

[2] WSA 3 5:260-61**.

ZACCHAEUS LEAVES THE LAW FOR SALVATION

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: Zacchaeus was praying in his heart as follows, “Happy the one who is worthy that this just man should enter into his dwelling.” The Lord said to him, “Hurry, come down, Zacchaeus.” Seeing he knew his thoughts, he said, “Just as he knows this, he knows also all that I have done.” He therefore said, “All that I have unjustly received, I give back fourfold.” Hurry and come down from the fig tree, because it is with you that I will be staying. The first fig tree of Adam will be forgotten, because of the last fig tree of the chief tax collector, and the name of the guilty Adam will be forgotten because of the innocent Zacchaeus. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 20. [1]

[1] ECTD 240-41*.

ZACCHAEUS USED HIS PROPERTY TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR HIS SALVATION

MAXIMUS OF TURIN: Zacchaeus must be praised. His riches were unable to keep him from the royal threshold. He should be greatly praised because his riches brought him to the threshold of the kingdom. From this, we understand that wealth is not a hindrance but a help to attaining the glory of Christ. While we possess it, we should not squander it on wild living but give it away for the sake of salvation. There is no crime in possessions, but there is crime in those who do not know how to use possessions. For the foolish, wealth is a temptation to vice, but for the wise, it is a help to virtue. Some receive an opportunity for salvation, but others acquire an obstacle of condemnation. SERMONS 95-96. [1]

[1] ACW 50:219-20**.

19:9-10 | Jesus’ Pronouncement About His Ministry

ONE MAN WITHOUT SIN

AUGUSTINE: “The Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.” All were lost. From the moment the one man sinned, in whom the whole race was contained, the whole race was lost. One man without sin came. He would save them from sin. SERMON 175.1. [1]

[1] WSA 3 5:265*.

ZACCHAEUS A TRUE SON OF ABRAHAM

CYPRIAN: Finally, he also calls sons of Abraham those whom he perceives are active in helping and nourishing the poor. Zacchaeus said, “Behold, I give one half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Jesus responded, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he too is a son of Abraham.” If Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him as righteousness, then he who gives alms according to the command of God certainly believes in God. He that possesses the true faith keeps the fear of God. Moreover, he keeps the fear of God by showing mercy to the poor. WORKS AND ALMSGIVING 8. [1]

[1] FC 36:234.