Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus. Pure. That’s what his name means, and the people of Jericho must have laughed, or else despaired, every time his name was mentioned.

Luke tells us that he was ‘a chief tax collector and was wealthy’ (Lk 19:1-2). It’s reckoned that there were three principle tax offices covering Judea at that time. One of them was based in Jericho, where Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, the king of the hill, took his cut from the the gains of all of his employees, who had, in turn, squeezed every denarius they could from the reluctant purses of the populace to feather their own nests. No wonder he was wealthy! And no wonder he was hated – a taxman and collaborator to boot!

I’ve often wondered about Zacchaeus’ early life. Luke tells us that he was short. I wouldn't be surprised to discover he'd been the butt of many a joke, and the object of many a bully as he grew up, his heart becoming increasingly calloused. It was Alfred Adler who coined the term inferiority complex. He cited another small man, Napoleon, as the classic example of someone who compensated for his perceived shortcomings by a pathological power drive, striving to make a big impact on the world. I think that he could just as easily have cited Zacchaeus!

He must have got quite a kick as those who once teased him now trembled as he knocked on their doors. He knew that they cursed and spat behind his back, and glowered and grumbled as he walked by. He made out he didn’t care…but I’m sure that, in his heart of hearts, he wanted both to love and be loved. But now it was too late.

Or was it? I’m convinced that he saw in Jesus some hope of redemption. That’s why he went to such desperate measures. Perhaps he had heard the story of another taxman, Levi the Capernaum Clutcher, who had abandoned his tax booth to follow this amazing teacher and worker of miracles. Like him, Levi was very rich, but it seemed that he, too, had discovered just how empty those material riches were.

So here he was – desperate measures – up a tree both spiritually and physically, out of the line of sight of those who hated him, but responding to the spark that had ignited and flickered against the cold walls of his heart.

But he wasn’t prepared for what happened next. He didn’t expect Jesus to stop right underneath the limb he was clinging to. And he didn’t expect him to look up and invite himself for dinner. And he certainly didn’t expect him to know his name!! He almost fell out of the tree, but managed to slither down, ripping skin, and stand, overjoyed, before this man who welcomed him with open arms.

The well-to-do’s and holier-than-thou’s in the crowd were scandalised: "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner!!"

I wonder what that dinner party at Zacchaeus’ house was like. From what we know of Zacchaeus, the guests were not ‘A’ List! They didn’t consist of the so-called ‘respectable’ members of society – because they wouldn’t touch Zacchaeus with a barge pole, or whatever was the equivalent in those days – a trireme oar, perhaps!

No, the guests could only have been fellow misfits; undesirables – the sort of people that you would steer clear of; the ones you would cross the road to avoid; those whose children you would warn your children to stay away from. But that’s where Jesus chose to share table fellowship, giving out God’s love; revealing God’s heart; pouring out God’s grace.

Maybe Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son – that’s how Franco Zifferelli portrays the scene in his film, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’. The wine-swigging, joke-telling guests listen in silence as Jesus talks about the son who demands his inheritance, leaves home…and lives the life of Riley, before hitting the skids, becoming destitute, and finally returning home a broken man, only to confront his father running down the road towards him and enveloping him in his arms.

Whatever Jesus said, his words together with his embrace of those outcasts gathered there, caused the spark in Zacchaeus’ heart to burst into flame: “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.”

………..did you hear that bump? That was Zacchaeus’ wife hitting the ground! Can you imagine the others guests sat around the room with eyes like saucers and chins on chests! And can you imagine the queue of people outside Zacchaeus’ door the following morning!

We’re not talking about a slight reorientation of Zacchaeus’ priorities here – we’re talking about a paradigm shift, a seismic change in his thinking and actions. A life transformed.

And if Jesus wanted to welcome and share fellowship with a person like Zacchaeus, doesn’t it follow that he wants to welcome, and forgive and transform us, too?

When the Prodigal Son returned home, he was given a ring for his finger, a robe for his back, and shoes for his feet…..topped off by a humdinger of a party! In the same discourse, Jesus told two other stories. The first was about a sheep that wandered off and became lost. But the shepherd didn’t give up hope, and searched until he found the sheep, bringing it home on his shoulders, before throwing a party to celebrate. And, then, a story about a woman who lost a precious coin, but who was prepared to turn her house upside down in a determined search which achieved its goal, followed once more by a big party of celebration for the neighbourhood.

Extreme, don’t you think? After all, it was only a sheep….and a mere coin?

But they were precious to their owners. And we may think that we have little value, but we’re precious in God’s sight. And when we’re found again, God just loves to throw a party! Jesus says, “In the same way, there is rejoicing in heaven in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lk 15).

Although the people despised Zacchaeus, I reckon that they envied his parties! I just get a sense that if anyone could throw a party it was Zacchaeus. But the party in Zacchaeus’ house that night was nothing like the party being thrown in heaven when he came to faith. Can’t you just imagine the angels looking wide-eyed at one another: “Can you believe it? Zacchaeus has become a follower of the Master. Yes, that Zacchaeus…." and then whooping aloud, and looping the loop!!

Jesus came to reconcile people like Zacchaeus, and people like us, to God. And, yes, he knows exactly what we’re like, better than we know ourselves. And yet, still he reaches out in love to us, inviting a personal response!

We don’t hear about Zacchaeus again. We’ve got no idea what became of him. But I’m pretty certain that he spent the rest of his life telling other people about God’s love for him…and the day that Jesus came to town!