At the end of Chapter 18 we have Jesus approaching Jericho and he saw a blind man begging on the side of the road. The man shouts out to Jesus have mercy upon me. Jesus responds “what do you want me to do? Let me see again the man” cries out. Receive your sight, your faith has saved you. Just like the 10 lepers passage, faith saves, not the number of sins you commit. The Chapter concludes that “immediately he regained his sight”. That isn’t anti-growth but flourishing.
What nationality was Zack?
He entered Jericho – who? Well, anyway this man was entering Jericho just as Zack was looking for Jesus.
Zack was Scottish, for he was a wee man.
Jesus must have been close as Zack ran out of the place and climbed a Sycamore Tree, a fig tree in reality, which were normally planted outside of the settlement. Although today there tourist trail focuses upon the one in the central square. I just wonder whether as Zack was a wee little man he could hide within the leaves of the tree, was he camouflaged? Well apparently not just as we do when looking for children with hide and seek, they are relatively easy to find. Their legs are sticking out of the back of the settee. Zack come down, your mother is looking for you…let’s meet for a coffee at your place.
What’s your response to this question from Jesus?
Zack was curious. This Jesus character has been making the tabloids in the area, the Judean version of Facebook was alive to all that Jesus had been saying and there were images of some of his miracles. But they hadn’t yet read the Gospels – soon out in paperback, in around 50 years – so who was this Jesus? Get close, have a lookout for him and make up his own mind.
Does Zack have a backstory?
Zack, of course, has a backstory. He is a rich tax collector. He is the Chief Tax Collector, the ones all other local tax collectors pay money to. He collects the taxes as people move from place to place. He is unable to take any commission as such financial practices are not permissible for Jews, but then again he was a servant of Rome, so perhaps it might be ok. Recall the tale of the Shrewd Manager who reduced the debts of his boss when his employment was threatened.
The crowds also are perplexed. They’ve been reading the same stories online, and are intrigued. They see that Jesus has stopped outside of the place and shouted up to Zack- why him? And now Zack was climbing down and walking alongside him. They are heading towards Zack’s impressive dwellings. Zack’s name means ‘pure’ which is odd when everyone thinks he is a sinner. Recall why the blind man was healed… faith, not sin.
If you were invited to dinner in those days it meant that there was something to gain from them. What was Zack thinking he could gain from Jesus? But Jesus subverts it all by inviting himself.
Perhaps the healed blind man is also watching intently now. Zack and Jesus are on first name terms – this tax collector is seemingly welcomed although despised in Jericho. Zack stops the conversation. He appears stunned by this guy, what he is saying. Wow, he has promised to give half of his wealth to the poor, perhaps the ones he made even poorer? And if I have defrauded…sorry if? I will pay back four times as much. In the Greek it says WILL not intend to or might but WILL.
A link to Methodism?
When Jesus talks about salvation coming to Zacchaeus’ house, that’s not about getting into heaven.
Zacchaeus
I wonder whether Zack saw something of Methodism… Jesus’ invitation to Zack was an invitation to eat with Jesus, to meet as part of the Kin_dom. The invitation was made before Zack had even thought of his response. It’s akin to what Methodists call Prevenient Grace. God offers life to us before we enter the scene. We don’t need to do anything to receive the gift of life.
Once Jesus has invited Zack to return to community, to be restored, there is justice. Wesley sought social justice for the community he found himself living in. We might also seek social justice, that inclusion and equality are key aspects of our faith, our desire.
Did Zack change after this scene? We don’t know. But perhaps it is a story which is meant for us, not Zack. If Jesus is offering us life, that our faith may be entwined throughout our life, richly allowing growth – spiritual growth.
When there is such talk of anti-growth, Jesus isn’t against wealth but Jesus is anti-greed,
anti-unfair business practices, and anti-taking-advantage-of-the-poor.
Jesus seeks the kin_dom here on Earth, with us now.
I found the dialogue interesting and I enjoyed it