The character of zacchaeus bible: In the Gospel of Luke 19:1-10, he was a tax collector, born Jewish and hated by his own people. Due to his office, which placed him as a sinful publican in Jericho, a very fruitful city for being located in an oasis. Enter here to know a story that talks about the true encounter of the man with Jesus:
The character of Zacchaeus Bible
The story of the character of Zacchaeus from the Bible can be read in the Gospel of Luke 19: 1-10. This man was a very wealthy publican, because he held the position of chief tax collector in a very important productive land like the City of Jericho. A city that can be located in the region of Judea in the map of Palestine at the time of Jesus. Enter this article that will take you to know the places that the Lord traveled during his earthly ministry, being a good way to understand the value of his message.
Zacchaeus was also a Jew hated by his own people, since the work he did was done for the Romans, who had dominion and control of the entire territory of Palestine at the time. Collectors such as Zacchaeus were in charge of collecting the taxes or public revenues demanded by Rome from the town, and even demanded more money from the account. In this way the publicans managed to enrich their own personal coffers and be frowned upon by the population.
The etymological origin of the name of Zacchaeus is derived from a Hebrew term whose meaning is pure or innocent. If we compare it with what the man in the story was, it can be said that it represents an antagonism to the etymology of his personal name. More, however, in the Bible you can find cases like this, where any term of a story intrinsically carries a message or contributes to reinforcing the message of the story.
Jesus and Zacchaeus Bible – Luke 19:1-10
As mentioned above, in the Bible you can find several stories or stories that each of them have a message for the people of God. Because God himself has been his inspirer through the Holy Spirit. The story that is treated on this occasion is about the encounter of Jesus with a man named Zacchaeus, which is shown below and is invited to read it in the name of Jesus, asking for the revelation of the Holy Spirit of him when doing so:
Luke 19:1-10: 19 When Jesus entered Jericho, I was passing through the city. 2 And it came to pass that a man named Zacchaeus, who was chief of the publicans, and rich, 3 I tried to see who Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 And running ahead, climbed a sycamore tree to see him; because I had to go there.
5 When Jesus came to that place, looking up, he saw him and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry down, come down, because today it is necessary that I pose in your house. 6 then he went down in haste, and received him joyfully. 7 Seeing this, they all murmured, saying that she had entered to pose with a sinful man.
8 Then Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, half of I give my goods to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will return it quadrupled. 9 Jesus said to him: Today salvation has come to this house; because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
The story of Zaccheus Bible can only be located in the Gospel of Luke, and this evangelist writes it right after another story:
Jesus and the rich young ruler – Luke 18:18-30
In the chapter of the Gospel of Luke prior to where the story of Zacchaeus in the Bible is found, another story can be found about a character who has a condition similar to that of the publican. And it is that both characters possessed great wealth, with both Jesus had a personal encounter, here is this second story that will help to better understand that of Zacchaeus:
Luke 18:18-30: 18 A main man asked him, saying: Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 Jesus said to him: Why do you call me good? There is none good, but only God. 20 You know the commandments: You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; nor will you steal; you will not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother. 21 He said: All this I have kept from my youth.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing: sell everything you have, and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me. 23 Then he, hearing this, he became very sad, because he was very rich. 24 When Jesus saw that he had become very sad, he said:How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
Because it will be that Luke intentionally places these two stories in his gospel close together. It seems that he wanted to establish a comparison between both characters. It shows both of them of great wealth, one apparently good and accepted by the Jewish people, the rich young man. While the other considered by the Jewish people as bad and sinful, Zacchaeus.
The rich young man was a keeper of the Law, the Jewish Torah, on the other hand, Zacchaeus, according to the people, did not comply with the commandments. He knows here Commandments of the law of God that you must fulfill and know, the same ones that Jesus asks the rich young man, what he must know.
What is the difference that Jesus sees between the rich young man and Zaccheus Bible?
In the previous biblical texts, some words or expressions were underlined in order to emphasize and extract part of what Luke wants to be revealed to the reader in the spirit. One of them is Jesus I was passing through the city. The story shows that Jesus was not exactly going to Jericho, he just passed by. But there was a man there who knew that Jesus was going to pass by and felt in his heart the true desire to know the Lord. This desire was what caused Jesus to make a stop at Jericho to meet the man who longed not only to see him but also to know him. That man was Zacchaeus, perhaps the least suitable person for Jesus to want to reach him and even less to sit at his table and have dinner with him.
Zacchaeus' attitude
But, Zacchaeus ran out and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, this action denotes the intensity and desire of this man to meet Jesus. In addition to separating from the crowd, to be able to see him. The world often does the same as the crowd, it prevents us from truly seeing and knowing Jesus, meditate on this. This action of Zacchaeus does not go unnoticed by Jesus, he feels it in his Spirit, looks for him with his eyes and tells him: come down, it is necessary that I pose in your house.
Zaque obeys the call of the Lord and received him joyfully. Upon receiving Jesus with joy in his heart, repentance, change and transformation take place, I give my goods to the poor and in repentance I reward the damage, this was the attitude of Zacchaeus. In response, Jesus tells him: Today salvation has come to this house, the Lord promises him not only the salvation of his soul but that of his entire family.
The attitude of the rich young man
In this story we find a main man who keeps the Law, All this I have kept from my youth. The man answers Jesus to the question if he knows the commandments of God's law. This character then for keeping the law and being of good social position was very well accepted among the religious society of the time. Immediately afterwards, Jesus, to finish telling the principal that something else was necessary to obtain salvation, exclaims: Give all that is yours to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.
The attitude of the young man before the demand of Jesus, is one of fear, sadness and above all this, not wanting a commitment with the Lord: The main man he became very sad, because he was very rich. This is the difference that Jesus sees between the rich young man and Zacchaeus, the attitude of each one:
-Zacchaeus, on the one hand, assumes a radical attitude of repentance and experiences the joy of receiving Jesus into his life.
-The rich young man assumes the attitude of turning his back on Jesus and becomes sad when he sees that he is not capable of assuming the commitment to leave everything to follow the Lord.
Reflection
This is very important to meditate on and lead to the reflection of our lives. How determined are we to follow Christ? How do we carry Christian morality in our lives?
And it is that the first commandment of the law of God is: - You will not be able to idolize others before me! And his word also says:
Matthew 6: 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The main man put before the Lord a foreign idol, his wealth! Yes, many times without realizing it we place "Idols" above the Lord that prevent our spiritual growth in Christ, turning our backs on him. Many times we even do it to feel accepted by others, forgetting that what matters most is that the Lord has already accepted us and has come to live in us.
God in these passages also teaches us that we must stop being less religious to be better and more true Christians. This will lead us to accumulate treasures in heaven, as Jesus says: If you follow me and do my work you will have treasure in heaven!
Jesus accepts others who have been rejected
In the Bible we find cases similar to that of Zacchaeus, where Jesus does not notice the vices, bad habits or sins of the person, but in the desire that he has in his heart to know him and follow him. All these cases are of men and women who have been rejected or singled out by the society in which they lived.
-A sinful woman and the alabaster bottle of perfume, read Luke 7:36-50
-The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, read Luke 18:9-14. A parable that Jesus addresses to all those who trust their own judgment, daring to point out or reject others.
We invite you to enter the article of the best parables of Jesus and its biblical meaning. These parables are other short stories with which Jesus taught the people and his disciples. So that they could understand the message of God and his Kingdom, through comparative, symbolic, reflective and credible stories. These teachings are found in the Gospels of the Bible.
Zacchaeus Bible as an example of a life in Christ
Undoubtedly, the first thing that can be deduced from the story of Zacchaeus in the text of Luke 19:1-10, is his decision. This same decision is what a Christian should experience when he receives God's call to be part of his church. In addition to that, it also represents an example to follow for the development of Christian morality.
In the story it can be seen that Zacchaeus makes the decision to follow Jesus of his own free will and from his heart. At no time is Jesus seen in an attitude of pressure or imposition. In the same way, the decision is from the heart because Zacchaeus experiences repentance, assuming the commitment to repair the damage caused by his previous way of living, considering all wealth worthless in order to know Jesus, as expressed by the apostle Paul in:
Filipenses 3: 8 (TLA): I have put all that aside, and I consider it rubbish, as long as I get to know Christ well, because there is no better knowledge. And I want God to accept me, not because I have obeyed the law, but because I trust in Christ, because that is how God wants to accept us.
Quite the opposite happens with the rich young man who values his riches more than the excellence that knowing Jesus intimately represents.
The meaning of this decision
Zacchaeus also demonstrates with his decision the attitude that a Christian must have in order to serve the Lord, which must be by initiative and spontaneous will. At no time can it be by imposition or look good to someone. It is good to remember that only the Lord is capable of seeing hearts. That is why the Lord approached Zacchaeus and made him see the need for him to pose in his house.
The fruit that Zacchaeus manifested when experiencing meeting and getting to know Jesus, is that he stopped being who he was. Therefore a true encounter with Jesus must mean a radical change in the life of a Christian. He can never ever be the same, both in the way of thinking, as in acting and speaking.
Zacchaeus ceased to be a cunning and cunning wolf in the figurative sense, becoming a sheep of Jesus and even more assumes a shepherd's attitude by stripping himself of goods, in order to help those in need, doing good to others.
The challenges that Zacchaeus faced Bible
In this story, Zacchaeus manifests facing at least three challenges or challenges. He not only faces them but he is victorious in each one of them. Receiving as a prize knowing Jesus and thus obtaining salvation through him. Let's take a look at these challenges:
La entrega
Zacchaeus faces the voluntary challenge of carrying out a completely disinterested delivery of half of his goods to the needy. He was a Jew and knew the law so he could offer only the tithe or firstfruits, an amount that would not affect his wealth. But knowing Jesus makes him experience a surrender of the heart giving more than what could be expected and the best without expecting anything in return. In the Bible you can read something about it in:
2 Corintios 9: 7 (NASB): Let each one give as he has proposed in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
Transparency
Zacchaeus faces a second challenge or challenge by exposing himself to public ridicule, expressing: -If I have defrauded someone of anything, I will return it quadrupled-. Exposing yourself publicly to an evaluation is being willing to leave nothing hidden, it represents a transparency not only before others but also before God, the Bible says in:
1 Corintios 4: 5 (NASB): Therefore, do not judge before the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will also reveal the purposes of the hearts; and then each one will receive his praise from God
Repentance
Zacchaeus by committing to restore and indemnify those who had committed fraud. This publican assumes the responsibility of returning quadruple the value of what he had fraudulently taken, fulfilling far beyond what the Jewish Torah law required. This law demanded to return four or five times more what was obtained by theft:
Éxodo 22: 1 (NASB): If anyone steals an ox or a sheep, and kills or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
Zacchaeus Bible – The true encounter of man with Jesus
Zacchaeus in the Bible represents the true encounter of a man or woman with Jesus Christ. The Christian must be willing like Zacchaeus to surrender everything for the love of Jesus, for wanting to do everything that pleases God in order to be in the peace that only Christ can give.
When we meet Jesus, there must be a visible manifestation of the effect of that encounter. Only through a true encounter with Jesus Christ can we achieve eternal life, as Jesus manifests with Zacchaeus when he tells him: - Today salvation has come to this house -. That is what the encounter with Jesus does, give us salvation.
Being a Christian consists in knowing Jesus
Thus the essence of a Christian is to know Jesus. Being a Christian is not leading a religious life, which consists of doing or not doing, wearing or not wearing, eating or not eating, etc. Jesus himself tells us in:
John 17:3 (KJV 1960): And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Then the question arises:
How can I know Jesus?
For this there are three important things through which we can know Jesus Christ:
Prayer It is important to learn to pray! How should one pray? Praying is simple, do it with your words, present yourself to God as you are. The important thing is to do it from the heart, with your own words and always in the name of Jesus. Because he is the only mediator between God and man Example:
Father in the name of Jesus! Help me! Teach me, I don't understand anything! Help me because it is difficult for me to forgive! Teach me to forgive!
Jesus comes into my heart, comes into my life! To you Jesus I give my mind, my soul, my body, everything is yours!
In your daily prayer from now on tell Jesus:
Jesus Christ, I need to meet you! I long to meet you! Reveal yourself to my spirit!
knowledge of the scriptures: The scriptures should be treasured in our hearts. When reading them you must be clear that what you read is for you and not for someone else. When you read the scriptures God speaks to you and what he speaks to you is to teach you. As you treasure them, you meditate more on them, and in this way you begin to establish communication with the Lord, through his word.
Listen to the Words of the Lord: The Bible tells us in Romans 10:17 -So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God-. Therefore it is important that you learn to listen, to listen carefully to the word of God. In these times, doing this is very easy because we find Word every day on all social networks. Once you meet Jesus you will have confidence and a well-founded faith because you know that for Him nothing is impossible.