The name Zacchaeus comes from the Greek Ζακχαῖος and the Hebrew זכי which means “pure” and “innocent”. Who was Zacchaeus? The Bible tells us about this man in the new testament. Zacchaeus was head of the publicans and was very rich; We have all heard and read about this man at some point: the short man who climbed a tree to see Jesus as he passed by. Can we learn something about Zacchaeus?
Luke tells us about this wonderful story in chapter 19, verses 1-9. Let’s see some things we can learn from Zacchaeus:
Zacchaeus tried to see Jesus, but he had a disadvantage in front of the great crowd that surrounded him and that is that he was small, however, this man was not entertained or crestfallen because he was not enough, but he sought a solution because he really longed for see Jesus.
1-Having Jesus entered Jericho, he was passing through the city.
2 And it happened that a man named Zacchaeus, who was chief of the publicans, and rich,
3 He was trying to see who Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.
4 And running ahead, he climbed a sycamore tree to see him; because she had to go through there.
2- No matter your social and economic position, you need to see the Master
In verse 2 of chapter 19 of Luke it says that Zacchaeus was chief of the publicans and rich. He had an important position and money. Perhaps another person, because of his position, would have been embarrassed to climb a tree to see someone. But for Zacchaeus this was not a reason to be ashamed. He wanted to see the Master and he would do everything in his power to achieve this meeting.
3- An ineffable joy when facing the Master
5 When Jesus arrived at that place, looking up, he saw him, and said to him: Zacchaeus, hurry, come down, because today it is necessary that I pose in your house.
6 Then he hastened down, and received him joyfully.
Do you see the joy with which Zacchaeus receives his Lord? “Then he came down hastily, and received him joyfully.” Zacchaeus did not care about being rich, publican or important, the greatest joy of him at that moment was to see the teacher and he achieved it. When we are before the Lord, do we receive him with the same joy and urgency?
4- No matter your sin, the Master calls you
7 Seeing this, everyone murmured, saying that she had come in to pose with a sinful man.
Jesus did not care about Zacchaeus’ sinful condition to visit him, for Christ did not come into the world to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Lk 5:32). And at this point is where we fully understand the joy of Zacchaeus knowing that the Master was going to his house because imagine you, being a sinner, even so the Master went to pose in his house. What joy any person would have felt to have that privilege even having that condition of a vile sinner!
5- A repentant heart that recognizes its sin
8 Then Zacchaeus, standing up, said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded someone in something, I will pay it back quadruple.
Let us remember that this man was a publican, who was in charge of collecting tributes or collecting taxes in the town, they abused the crowd in a certain way and Zacchaeus, when he met Jesus, recognized his great failure and that is why he says: «half I give of my goods to the poor; and if I have defrauded someone in something, I will pay it back four times as much». Thanks to the Master’s visit, Zacchaeus repented. They criticized Jesus for having gone to share with a sinner at his house, but what would have happened to that sinner if Jesus had not visited him?
May this story remind us that we were called to preach to lost souls.
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95 theses for the evangelical church today – Thesis number 14
95 theses for the evangelical church today – Thesis number 13
