Zacchaeus, an honest man? (Luke 19:10)

Today’s Readings: Luke 19:1-10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to liberate the lost.

Zacchaeus lived an exorbitant life style. He would certainly make the list as one of the ‘rich and famous’ today. He was, after all, not just a tax collector, but one of the head tax collectors. He could wear the title Regional Director of the IRS in our system, with a few minor exceptions. For one, he didn’t work for the people from which he drew taxes. Supposedly, the IRS works for us. Zacchaeus worked for the occupying government of Caesar and used his soldiers to enforce the tax.

Second, Zacchaeus’ salary didn’t come from Rome, from the central treasury of the government, budgeted by an approved process from the Senate. His salary came from the excess collected above the amount demanded by the Roman government. Whatever came into his pockets above the amount required by the Roman government paid his band of collectors, like Matthew, and then the rest went into his pocket for his salary and whatever extra there might be. Sounds like a system ripe for corruption, doesn’t it.

We might wonder how Zacchaeus knew Jesus was coming into town and why as tax collector he would find interest in him. It’s easy to know the coming part. While telephones didn’t exist in Jesus’ day, telegraph and internet weren’t even inklings of thought, information moved. It moved at the speed of feet. Runner took news everywhere. Sometimes on horseback, but more often just by the constant plod of fast runners, news spread from town to town about the more important activities of the ancient world. With the news of this miracle worker in the area, no doubt people knew he was on his way no matter which direction he traveled.

So the next question, why the interest? I think it had a lot to do with Matthew. I expect Zacchaeus probably knew the disciple. Maybe Matthew even worked as one of his collectors. The number of tax collectors wasn’t that large. That amount of money flowing to Rome wouldn’t be entrusted to a large number of people, so it wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary to think the two knew each other and may have been friends if not associates or other work relationships. So the questions Zacchaeus might have: What about this man would cause Matthew to give up everything to follow Him? Why would he give up a lucrative business and assured wealth to follow a radical teacher? Could he entice Matthew back before he had to train someone to take his place?

Jesus had Zacchaeus in mind before He came to Jericho. Did he go there as a favor to Matthew? We don’t know. We know Zacchaeus took Jesus home with him in more ways than one. It also sounds to me like Zacchaeus served as a pretty honest tax collector. He must have been a fairly shrewd businessman for Rome to select him as head of their collectors in the region. His promise also hints at his honesty. “I’ll give back four times what I took, if I cheated anyone.” That’s pretty bold in restitution. I don’t expect he had to pay very many people back that four-fold payment.

So we learn several things from the story of Zacchaeus. Jesus seeks us out. We find Him when we seek Him. He came for the sinners, the lost. He came to save, to free us from the bondage of evil.

Join me next time, won’t you?

Richard

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:11)

Today’s Readings: Luke 18:9-14

Once inside the temple, the Pharisee stands up and prays this prayer in honor of himself: “God, how I thank You that I am not on the same level as other people—crooks, cheaters, the sexually immoral—like this tax collector over here.

I’m teaching and recording a ministerial course right now on sharing Christ across cultural boundaries. One of the lessons discusses two extreme responses to different cultures that is apropos for this situation, I think. One is called cultural relativism which says every culture is okay, when in Rome, do as the Romans, accept every culture completely for what it is without criticism. The other is ethnocentrism which measure every other culture by your “superior” culture.

Both extreme approaches in viewing cultures are flawed. And every culture is flawed. All of us find ourselves profoundly influenced and molded by the culture in which we live, work, and worship, but because sin entered the world and we became flawed because of sin, the cultures we develop hold those same flawed concepts.

So, the Pharisee with all his piety becomes pious and his religion becomes his prideful downfall. He takes a view that his religion makes him better than those around him. His culture sets him apart as better than the tax collector who kneels at the altar near him. Surely God sees the difference between the two of them, and the Pharisee thanks God for the distinct superiority he holds in his goodness.

God has a problem with the Pharisee’s prayer. The Pharisee forgot he doesn’t come close to meeting God’s standard of goodness. In comparison, the Pharisee is much closer to the tax collector in terms of behavior than he is to God. We are all sinners and can’t live the standards God sets in our own strength. In fact, Jesus said the tax collector found himself closer to God than the Pharisee because he at least knew his position. The Pharisee did not.

The story is about humility and pride. It is also about being careful not to assume other’s position with God. And about prayer. The story tells us we all sin and fall short of God’s standard of right living. It tells us we should all take the position of the tax collector, sinner in God’s eyes, needing His forgiveness, needing His help.

The story is much more than the different cultures of the two, but it’s easy to start there. It’s easy for us to think ourselves better than others because of where we live, the color of our skin, the house we live in, or the car we drive. It might be the gang with which we associate or the job where we work or any number of things that describe our culture or subculture that makes us think we are different or better than another. But we must always remember we are nothing without the blood of Jesus. Until we become citizens of the Kingdom of God where only His culture matters, we live far below what God has in store for us.

Join me next time, won’t you?

Richard

Just Look at Me! (Luke 18:12)

Today’s Readings: Isaiah 52-54; Luke 18

 

Jesus tells the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying at the altar in today’s reading. In The Voice, the contrast between the two prayers and two attitudes is evident. The Pharisee prays (to himself), “God, how I thank you that I am not on the same level as other people – crooks, cheaters, and sexually immoral – like this tax collector over here. Just look at me! I fast not once but twice a week, and I faithfully pay my tithes on every penny of income.” Contrast his prayer with that of the tax collector, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

How often are we guilty of playing the role of the Pharisee? I’m okay because I’m better than the guy next to me. I go to church. I pay my tithe. I put offerings in the plate. I give to charities. I’m polite most of the time. I don’t rob banks or hurt people. Look what a catch God has in me! I’m a contributor to society instead of a taker. I must be one of His chosen, right?

Well, it just doesn’t work that way. You see, none of us measure up to God’s standards. If you put any of us up to His standards we fall so far short by comparison it’s like measuring our two-story house against a one-story house and then comparing both of them to the Empire State Building. There’s just no sense in bragging about our two-story house. Both are miniscule in comparison. Both are swallowed up by the majesty and overpowering size of the Empire State Building. How can stand up and talk about how much better we are than someone else, or even think about it when we fall so short ourselves…always.

The tax collector had a honest view of where he stood before God. The Pharisee tried to disillusion himself by looking around at other people. That was his problem. As soon as we get our eyes off of God and on others, they get between us and Him. And quite frankly, if they are between us and God, theorems in geometry prove they are closer to God than we are! The lesson for us? Keep your eyes on God. Understand we are all sinners, some saved by His precious and marvelous grace, but all of us fall far short of His perfect standards. We just can’t live perfectly this side of eternity because of our imperfect frailties. We can, however, let Him perfect us day by day by following in His footsteps and listening and obeying His word.

Join me next time, won’t you?

Richard