Thread by @BrianBransfield

“He entered Jericho & was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector & was rich” (Lk 19).

St Cyril of Alexandria says this means Zacchaeus was completely consumed by greed. This is the type of greed St Paul refers to as idolatry (Col 3:5).

Despite his wealth, Zacchaeus found something attractive about the love of the Lord.

St Bonaventure says that the eagerness of Zacchaeus arises from prevenient grace, that grace that comes to us prior to any effort or meritorious action of our own will, draws us to the Lord.

Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd.

The crowd always introduces an obstacle. Zacchaeus was used to the crowd. With the crowd there was money, & with money there was power, and with power there was ‘safety.’

But this Jesus walks away from worldly power.

Jesus shuns worldly power, as He did when the crowd offered Him the kingship, and He walked away.

Zacchaeus couldn’t understand why Jesus walked away from worldly riches.

Jesus didn’t have a price tag, and Zacchaeus wanted to know why.

So Zacchaeus did what he had done his entire life: He ran ahead of everyone else.

He climbed a sycamore tree.

In Palestine the sycamore tree is the “silly” tree. St Bonaventure explains the word “sycamore” comes from syko meaning “fig tree” and moros meaning “foolish.”

The fruit of this tree, small & bland, seems to carry no value. Zacchaeus, in order to see Jesus, must first identify with what is silly & foolish - has no value - no small step for a man who loves money.

Zacchaeus climbs up the tree, that is, he ascends by faith, to see Jesus.

Zacchaeus, even with all his difficulties, responded.

He did not let his mistakes weigh him down.

The presence of Jesus reaches through the din of the crowd, through all of the glitter& shine of the riches, the name-dropping, high-class attention, and captures Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus climbs the tree and ascends above the crowd. St Augustine tells us that he actually climbs away from the crowd.

Zacchaeus rises above it all. And he finally sees Jesus—and then something happens. Jesus singles out Zacchaeus...

... and says, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (Lk 19).

How did Jesus know Zacchaeus’s name? We have no indication that they ever met. Perhaps by reputation? St Augustine tells us that the Lord was already dwelling in the heart of Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus is floored—literally.

He comes down from the tree. He descends in humility.

He descends to a different world, one that will no longer be dominated by the price tags and the crowd.

Why?

Because all the riches of heaven now stood in front of Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus hurried down from the tree.

And the crowd started to grumble and name call.

The crowd thrives on calling people names in the desperate hope that we will live down to our labels.

But the Gospel says that Zacchaeus “stood his ground.” He doesn’t run this time.

He promises to give half his possessions to the poor.

“Oh sure,” the crowd can say, “even if he gives away half, he’s still rich.” But then Zacchaeus continues, “And if I have defrauded anyone, I pay it back fourfold.”

He has debts to pay ...

Zacchaeus gave only half to the poor, instead of more ... he knew he had a lot more debts to pay, restoring fourfold to those he had defrauded. After giving so much away, he would have had nothing left.

Zacchaeus was free.

Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down from the tree so that Jesus could ascend it on Calvary.

Jesus went to the Cross of Calvary so that everyone could see Him.

From that tree Jesus gives everything away ... and He singles us out ...