ACC ~ Luke 19 v5 - 8

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**.