Luke 3:4-13

 ⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ⁵ Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways,⁶ and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”⁷ He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” ¹¹ And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics^[b] is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” ¹² Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” ¹³ And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through. ² And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³ And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. ⁴ So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷ And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

He entered Jericho and was passing through. 

• Jericho was an oasis
  • City sat 250ft. below sea level and had warm climate
  • Bible calls it a city of palm trees
  • Had many fresh water springs
  • Herod the Great built his winter palace their due to its climate
• Jericho was a gateway city
  • You passed through Jericho if your traveling from the east or the north on your way to Jerusalem
  • It stood at the edge of the Roman empire
• Jericho was a vastly rich city
  • All the merchants and riches passed through this city
  • Taxes on these goods was massive i.e. big money
  • The poor would line the roads leading into city to beg among the rich

² And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus.

• Zacchaeus means pure
• We see this term Behold a few times in this text
  • Behold means something is being revealed that was otherwise not known or obvious
  • Here, it’s a play of words stating, let it be known there is a man named Zacchaeus…here is a man who is pure in heart

He was a chief tax collector and was rich.

• These two titles together mean something
  • Chief tax collector
    • Led the tax enterprise for this robust, rich city
  • Rich
    • As an enterprise, tax collecting was like contracting. Zach probably outbid his competitors as to who would give Rome the most from the taxation
    • Due to this setup, Zach had to squeeze every bit of money from the people of Jericho that he could…unfairly

*This also pairs with the rich man in Luke 18 who was discouraged he had to sell all he had to follow Jesus

 ³ And he was seeking to see who Jesus was,

• This is an odd literary construct. It would be more natural to say he wanted to see Jesus.
  • Instead, it says he was SEEKING to SEE who Jesus is/was

but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 

• Notice the words, the crowd kept him from seeing Jesus
  • Depending on how you view the next line determines how you read the influence of the crowd
• Small in stature possible meanings: Greek word for stature is Halikia, which means last stage of life, maturity, age, and sometimes physical stature
  • Possible Meaning 1: He is small/little physically i.e. short or scrawny
    • Average height of Jewish male in Judea in this time was 5ft 1 -5ft 6
    • To be small in their context implies dwarfism by modern medical definitions
    • The crowd hinders him because he cannot see over them i.e. he is physically short
    • Leviticus 21:18-23 states dwarfs from tribe of Levi cannot offer the food to God…
  • Possible Meaning 2: He is an old man at the end of life
    • The word Halikia primary use is one of old age, established, end of life
    • The crowd hinders him because he is feeble as an old man i.e. he is short of time and weak
  • Possible Meaning 3: He was looked down upon due to his position as tax collector i.e. does not receive the same respect as man his age would demand
    • He was rich but probably infamous i.e. most hated man in the city
    • The crowd hinders him because of their lack of respect for him i.e. short of stature means short of respect

*If not directly in reference here, this is certainly a reality and context to this story. We see elsewhere the peoples disdain for Zach

⁴ So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 

• Nothing can stop him from seeing Jesus. Zacchaeus actively SEEKS Jesus

⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

• The tone of Jesus here is one of joking concern i.e. get down before you hurt yourself
  • Meaning 1: a dwarf climbing a tree to see is dangerous
  • Meaning 2: an old, feeble man climbing a tree is dangerous
  • Meaning 3: an outcast climbing a tree just so he can see Jesus is ridiculous

 ⁶ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷ And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Big Takeaways

Jesus Zacchaeus faith

• When did Zach repent?
  • Some translations put Zach proclamation in the future tense i.e. I will give
  • The Greek is in the present tense i.e. Behold (let me reveal something not obvious or known), I give half I have i.e. Zach is giving NOW

*So when did Zach repent? See Luke 3 and John the Baptist….

• Jesus vindicated the repentance and faithfulness of Zach before men
• You see, Zach had repented and was living faithfully, however, it didn’t seem to matter to people…they still hated him
  • Ever feel like your faithfulness doesn’t make a difference? Whats the point?
  • Jesus vindicated Zach’s faith when he honors him among all others

*One day, you will be vindicated in your faithfulness. People may not see it, or they may not care…but Jesus does and will honor you before men

• Jesus also vindicated the ministry of John the Baptist
  • John was long gone and dead by now, and yet you see the fruits of his ministry, and completion of his mission here in the story of Zach

*This entire narrative is structured around the ministry and preaching of John the Baptist

Jesus Zacchaeus among a crowd who did not

• Zach seeked Jesus as Jesus seeked Zach
• You ever feel like your not seen in your situation? Jesus sees you!

*Zach did not let the crowds restrict him from seeing who Jesus is! Do not let the distractions of the world restrict you from seeing who Jesus is!

Jesus Zacchaeus to the community

• One of Jesus primary concerns and victories on the cross was restoration:
  • With Relationships
  • With Community
  • With God
  • With Systems/society
• When the celebrity chooses to hang out with you, you become popular pretty quick

*EX: My 8^th grade end-of-year social

Jesus Zacchaeus

Matthew 5:8…Blessed are the pure (Zacchaeus)…for they shall see God!…and be saved!

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. Do you ever feel your faithfulness is fruitless? That it doesn’t seem to matter or make a difference? How does the story of Zacchaeus encourage you that one day you will be vindicated among men? Your ministry will be vindicated long after your dead?
2. This is a story of two people seeking each other out and finding each other. We know Jesus desperately seeks you out, but do you seek him like Jesus seeks you? Like Zacchaeus sought Jesus?
3. Do you ever feel unseen? In your situation? In a relationship? In a crowd? Knowing that despite the crowds, Jesus sees you, does that encourage you? Help you? Comfort you? Share times when you feel unseen.
4. What crowds consistently restrict you from seeing Jesus? The Marine Corps? Family? Social circle? How can we better seek Jesus in among those crowds like Zacchaeus did?
5. Despite the seeming lack of change to Zacchaeus social standing, he remained faithful to his own repentance. Ultimately, this led to a personal invitation and honor from Jesus who restored Zacchaeus stature to his community, his faith, and ultimately, to God. How has your faithfulness to Jesus restored you? Give examples.
6. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus says, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Zacchaeus name means pure, and he desperately sought and saw Jesus i.e. God. How can we be more pure? How can we be Zacchaeus?

Weekly Challenge: Seek Jesus in every situation, relationship, and crowd this week. Make a list of crowds, relationships, and situations you will encounter. Reflect on how you act, talk, and respond in those situations, relationships, and crowds. Pray through the list and ask for the Spirits leadership to help you act, talk, and respond in accordance with the Spirit of Christ so you can see God in those crowds, relationships, and situations.