The person of Jesus impacts different people in different ways. Initially when He was little, the impact was confined to recognition of His divinity and kingship and the resultant impulse to worship. The shepherds in Judean hills were urged to go to Bethlehem by a heavenly host to behold baby Jesus. The Magi made their way from the East to do likewise. Simeon in the temple was delighted to hold the heavenly child and Anna coming in, praised God.
On the other hand, there were those who wanted to see Him so that they can harm Him. The Tetrarch Herod told the Magi that he too would go and worship the infant Jesus when his real intent was to eliminate any possible threat to his rule.
Later on as Jesus grew up and began His teaching and healing ministry, crowds gathered around Him; there were several who sought Him out for a divine touch in their lives or in the lives of their loved ones.
The sisters of Bethany, known to frequently provide Jesus with hospitality and shelter, sent word to Jesus when their brother lay seriously ill. The woman with an issue of blood made her way towards Jesus in the midst of a thronging crowd so she could but touch the helm of His garments and receive healing. Jairus the synagogue leader implored Jesus to come and heal his dying daughter. Blind Bartimaeus shouted out to Jesus to have mercy on him. A group of Greeks who had come for the festival at Jerusalem expressed a “desire” to see Jesus, no doubt having heard His fame.
Examples abound.
Again there were others with different intent. Herod Antipas, like his father before, wanted to kill Jesus (Luke 13:31). And the people of the region of the Gerasenes emerged from their villages only to plead with Jesus to leave their region (Mark 5:17) because they had lost their pigs following the healing of the demoniac and feared further disturbance to their way of life.
While the foregoing highlights instances of people seeking out Jesus for a variety of reasons, there were also occasions when the reverse took place, which is Jesus calling out people to be His disciples and followers.
While walking beside the sea of Galilee He saw Peter and Andrew casting their net into the sea and called out to them. Farther down, James and John were mending their nets in their father Zebedee’s boat and Jesus called out to them. He saw Mathew sitting at a tax collector’s booth in Nazareth and said “follow me”. He called Philip in a similar fashion.
It is in this milieu that we meet Zacchaeus the chief tax collector (Luke 19:2). He had heard of Jesus, His teachings and works and was intrigued by all the reports. He wanted to see Jesus for himself to satisfy his curiosity. He wasn’t looking for anything from Him nor was He minded to do Him any harm. A typically neutral person who wanted to keep his distance from Jesus even as he wanted a view of Him. An encounter was the last thing in his mind.
Well if Zacchaeus thought that he was merely going to be a passive witness as Jesus passed by and would thereafter climb down from the tree and carry on with his life as before, he was greatly mistaken.
With Jesus there is no neutrality.
Is Jesus impacting you in some way or are you merely intrigued by Him? Either way, you cannot ignore Him. His numen draws you to Him. Zacchaeus sought Him out (Luke 19:3).
But there were hindrances.
His height or rather lack of it. He was short of stature.
The crowds! They were milling around Jesus.
There is always something coming in the way when you want to get close to Jesus.I don’t know what is standing between you, and Jesus. Whether it is a physical feature or a circumstance or whatever it is, you need to make an effort to overcome the impediment where your will comes into play.
Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree. Oh, he planned it well. He took care find out Jesus’s processional route, the time line and he was well set in his vantage point. Yes, if you do want to see the King of kings, the Lord of lords, saviour of mankind, it could take some preparation: you may have to make your enquiries, you will certainly have to set aside time, you will have to position yourself in the proper place……and wait.
He will not disappoint you.
You might be content just to get a view of Him passing by but He isn’t. He wants to get involved with you. He knows just where you are. He can see through the leaves and branches. And your heart is an open book to Him.
Wonder of wonders, just at the right place, Jesus looks up. He meets your gaze. In the poetic version of the Indian literary epic Ramayanam, there is one immortal alliterative line in the Tamil language describing the meeting of the eyes of the protagonist and his leading lady. In prosaic English it can only be pathetically translated as “He looked and she also looked” but the Tamil form is priceless for its sheer luminosity. And that, as you can imagine is the beginning of a romantic tale.
Of course the scene here is not an exact comparison. The silent communication between the saviour and the sinner probably went something like this:
“Oh, there you are Zacchaeus”
“Yes, here I am Lord”
In that one wordless exchange the handshake is established. The ice is broken. Whatever barrier there was between the un-introduced strangers is completely dismantled.
(credit: wmu.com)
Then the words break out.
“Zacchaeus”. Hey, He knows your name! This wouldn’t have surprised David who writes that “He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4). But if Zacchaeus was flummoxed, he didn’t show it. Guess the meeting of the eyes had taken care of that. Then Jesus continues “come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”(Luke 19:5)
If I were Zacchaeus, I would have baulked. “Lord, it’s so wonderful to meet with you. I am truly amazed that you stopped and called out my name. To be sure I would be delighted to host you in my house. But, did you say today? Now isn’t that a bit too soon”. And to myself: “ It hardly gives me time to sweep the dirt under the carpet, put away all that is unlikely to enhance my image in your eyes, dust the Bible and put it on the centre table”. And aloud again: “May be tomorrow Lord or let’s look for a mutually convenient date”. No, the Bible says “Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy (Luke 19:6).
Wow, talk about spontaneity, talk about readiness, talk about openness, talk about just-as-I-am-ness!
Bravo, Zacchaeus! The people might call you a notorious sinner and be displeased with Jesus for going with you, but it’s really fantastic to see you bringing Jesus home and opening the door for Him to come in and sup with you! (Rev. 3:20)
Once Jesus comes into the house, things change pretty fast. Jesus said nothing accusatory about Zacchaeus’s past, his alleged practice of cheating people in their taxes or anything at all. Indeed He didn’t open His mouth. But His very presence was incandescent , penetrative and Zacchaeus couldn’t hold back. He stood up and said to the Lord apropos of nothing, “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.”(Luke 19:8)
Have you been in God’s awful presence and felt His purifying, cleansing, compassionate aura wash over you? For “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”(Heb.4:12). This is what seems to be happening to Zacchaeus as he stands before the Word (John 1:14). You can also check with Peter. When the rooster crowed and Jesus turned and looked at him, the big fisherman broke down and wept bitterly, for he had denied Him thrice as the Lord had said (John 18:13-27).
While his office as the chief tax collector in the region made him vulnerable to much maligning, It appears that Zacchaeus hadn’t actually cheated anybody outright. We can deduce this from his usage of the conditional word “if”. He is in fact saying in effect that he does not rule out the possibility of his having been at fault but he cannot recall any specific occasion. It is the crowd of people then that seems to have isolated him and badmouthed him simply because he levied and collected tax, and was apparently in a position to feather his own nest by misdemeanour. Quite often it is the tendency of common folk to assume that just because a person holds a high office or is rich, he is necessarily bad. Let’s not be quick to judge. Jesus didn’t judge Zacchaeus.
What is more Zacchaeus offers half his wealth to the poor. This is amazing generosity! In one little impromptu speech prompted by the presence of Jesus, we see a complete transformation of the man, both in reality and in public perception.
Have you responded to Jesus’s call? Have you made Him feel welcome in your house? He is sure to touch your life and change it so you become a blessing to those around you. The narrative concludes with Jesus’s words “salvation has come to this house today”. (Luke 19:9). Has salvation come to your house?
Zacchaeus, come down!