My Dear People,

Jericho was located about seventeen miles northwest of Jerusalem and a mile south of its Old Testament counterpart.

Unique to Luke is a man whose name is given: Zacchaeus. In this town that was near the border between Roman-controlled Judea and Perea and on an east-west trade route, he worked as a chief tax collector, overseeing the collection of tolls and duties on transported goods. On account of his occupation and his collaboration with the Romans, he was a “sinner” (19:7) in people’s estimation. Nevertheless, readers of Luke by now are aware that even tax collectors can repent of their sins, as did the one in the recent parable (18:9-14). As to be expected, Zacchaeus was wealthy, further complicating his situation in the Gospel, especially since this word was just used to describe the rich official (18:23) and calls to mind Jesus’ warning about the rich (18:25). These two storylines—about tax collectors and the rich—now come together in this encounter, which also recalls the lessons from many other passages.

Zacchaeus must first overcome the challenge of a personal nature: he was short in stature. In this case, like in the case of the blind man, the crowd also made it difficult (18:36). Hence, the blind man “kept calling out” to get Jesus’ attention (18:39), and Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree. Zacchaeus is like the tax collector in the next parable, not only on account of his occupation but also because of his similar humble disposition (18:14).  He is not afraid to make a fool of himself for Jesus’ sake.

As Jesus did for the blind man, he stops for Zacchaeus, calling him by name and telling him to come down. His words indicate that this is no chance encounter but one that occurs by divine necessity in fulfillment of God’s plan.  Visiting Zacchaeus’s home is something he must do and the time to do it is today.

The appropriate way to respond to such a divine visitation is “in haste” –that is quickly. Abraham had similarly responded quickly after he welcomed divinely sent visitors (Gen 18:1-5). Zacchaeus, “a descendant of Abraham”, now imitates the patriarch’s hospitality. He receives Jesus, as also another Old Testament figure, Rahab the prostitute, “welcomed” the messengers sent from Joshua, in the same town, Jericho. Earlier in Luke, Martha had similarly “welcomed” Jesus (Luke 10:38). Moreover, this rich man welcomes him with joy, in contrast to the rich official who “became quite sad” in his encounter with Jesus (18:23).

Jesus goes to stay with Zacchaeus, as Joshua’s spies went to stay with Rahab. However, because Zacchaeus is known as a sinner, the onlookers in the crowd grumble, as did the Pharisees and scribes earlier when Jesus dealt with tax collectors. They are imitating Israel’s wilderness generation that grumbled against God and Moses.

Addressing Jesus as Lord like the blind man and like Abraham speaking to this special guest, Zacchaeus responds by resolving that from now on his life will change. From among his possessions, he will give to the poor—doing what the rich official was invited to do. Whatever is left he will use to repay those whom he has cheated, making restitution four times over, going well beyond what the law generally required. His resolution indicates the good fruits that he will produce as evidence of his repentance.

The final words of Jesus, which are addressed to him, indicate that what was lost—that is, Zacchaeus—has been found, like the “lost” sheep, coin, and son in the parables. Meeting Jesus the Savior thus marks a turning point in this chief tax collector’s life—as it did earlier for the tax collector Levi (5:27-32)—bringing salvation to his house. Hence, the example of Zacchaeus shows that it is “possible” even for “a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” and “be saved” (18:25-27)!  Such is the mission of the Son of Man, which explains why it was necessary for him to stay there today. Zacchaeus thought that he “was seeking” Jesus, but Jesus had come to seek him and save him. As Zechariah and Mary had prophesied, Jesus is the horn of salvation whom God has raised up within the house of David, to bring salvation, and show mercy to the descendants of Abraham.

In summary, what Jesus taught in the parable, he now teaches by his example. He is revealed as the shepherd who goes seeking the lost sheep. His words allude to and fulfill the shepherd prophecy in Ezekiel: “I will seek the lost” (Ezk. 34:16). And he is once again revealed as the kingly “Son of David: “I will set up over them one shepherd, the servant David” (EZK 34:23).

 Yours in Christ,

 Fr. Vincent Clemente