Year 2, Week 36, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 36, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Luke 19.

Today’s reading, like a portion of yesterday’s reading, orients us to the week of Jesus’ crucifixion. All four Gospel accounts slow down the pace and take more time to detail the week of Jesus’ death. Luke 19 begins with a person that Jesus encounters on the way to Jerusalem, who was eager to meet Jesus: “He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich” (Luke 19:1-2). Prior to actually arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus tells His disciples a parable, which speaks of the ultimate danger that would await all who hate and reject Jesus as King: “But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me” (Luke 19:27). As Jesus enters Jerusalem on the start of His last week, His followers praise Him as their King: “As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:37-38, with an allusion to Psalm 118:26).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the contrast between the rich Zacchaeus and the preceding rich man noted in Luke 18. Luke offers a marked difference between the two encounters. From Luke 18 a rich man approaches Jesus about eternal life: “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). Jesus confronts the rich ruler about His wealth: “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). Jesus is not teaching that a person secures their own entrance into the Kingdom and thus experiences eternal life by their own efforts such as selling all they have. Jesus has targeted what was at the heart of the rich ruler’s love and trust: himself and his riches. Coming to Jesus requires a turning from anything and everything that opposes reliance upon Jesus. Such turning involves humility. The rich ruler departs from Jesus and Jesus issues a startling statement to His disciples: “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24b-25). Jesus’ words cause His disciples to wonder if salvation is even possible: “Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” (Luke 18:26). Jesus then makes an important statement that will be illustrated through the life of Zacchaeus: “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). The rich ruler was enslaved by his riches and unable, on his own, to escape from his bondage. The rich are not universally excluded from salvation because God is able to humble and save even the rich.

In contrast to the rich ruler, Zacchaeus, who also had power and wealth, demonstrates the power of God to save a rich man: "And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10). Jesus does what is “impossible with man” but “possible with God”; He enables a rich man to enter the kingdom of God and be saved. Jesus goes directly to the place where Zacchaeus is, initiates a conversation, and calls Zacchaeus by name: “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). Jesus’ words accentuate the urgency and the divine plan in his initiative, deliberate actions, and command to Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus followed Jesus: “So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:6). Unlike the previous rich ruler, who went away sad in his rejection of Jesus, Zacchaeus’ response to the complaints of the crowd is proof of his acceptance of Jesus: “And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:7-8). Though his past was characterized by sinful extortion, Zacchaeus is determined to show generosity beyond legal requirements: "When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person realizes his guilt, he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong” (Numbers 5:6-7).

Zacchaeus responds to Jesus’ instructions with faith and repentance, and so even though he was a sinner, he is now a true son of Abraham: “Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:6-7). Salvation came to Zacchaeus, not because he generously gave to the poor and paid back all whom he had defrauded fourfold; but the salvation that came to Zacchaeus through Jesus was displayed in his generous giving and greater than required restitution. Salvation came to Zacchaeus because Jesus called him to Himself: “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). And repentance is expressed by evidence: “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8a).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe