Friday, February 6, 2015

The Repentance of a Wee Little Man

The story of Zacchaeus is a story that many of us will find familiar. Jesus, on His way to Jerusalem passes through Jericho, and stops beneath the very tree in which Zacchaeus sits.

Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector, a collaborator with the Roman oppressors and therefore a benefactor of the oppression of the Jews, the sons and daughters of Abraham. He was loathed by the populace. Many in Israel would have hoped and prayed for his murder, and believed it a holy and necessary deed in the restoration of the kingdom of God.

Zacchaeus was also short and curious, and so he climbed a tree to better see Jesus as He passed. Perhaps there smoldered some desperation in his wee little heart, for climbing a tree was surely not a dignified act. But, he had no dignity to lose in the eyes of the crowd. Perhaps he was unconcerned. It is hard to know his motivations here.

But when Jesus stops beneath his tree and invites Himself over for dinner, Zacchaeus's response is plainly told. He hurries with great joy to receive Him. And so Jesus enters into Zacchaeus' opulence, into his sin-gained wealth and comfort. Jesus enters into his home, and is fed and perhaps even housed from the man's sinful purse. There is little wonder that the crowds murmur against Jesus. He is benefiting from their oppression. He is the guest of a man who had never welcomed anyone into his home before, and had made a living taking money out of theirs.  Is Jesus, the wise teacher, simply unaware of the nature of him with whom He dines? Is Jesus unconcerned with the oppression of Abraham's children? Is Jesus giving tacit approval to all that Zacchaeus had done?

No, not at all. For look at what the presence of Christ in the midst of the trappings of sin accomplishes. As Jesus initiates relationship, and so is welcomed into a home conceived and built in sin, the home is transformed. The wee little man is made smaller, humbled by the presence of so righteous a Man at his table. But so is the little man made great, for God has deigned to dine with him. In the presence of Christ he finds himself both utterly worthless by nature, and immeasurably worthy by the nature of the One who has condescended to be his Guest. This humbling and concurrent lifting of Zacchaeus so transforms his heart that Zacchaeus renounces every wrong he has ever committed, and moves to right them, as best he can. He will repay with heavy interest, and give to those in need.

And so Jesus declares, "Today, salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham."

Jesus is deeply concerned with the oppression of His people, of all of His people, perpetrator and victim alike. And yet look how He breaks this oppression: not by force, but by love. Not by demands, but by the transformation of the very nature of man. There is a preexistent, greater and deeper oppression than that of the Romans and their traitorous allies- the oppression of sin, the oppression of selfish desire and of pride, of treason against almighty God. And remarkably, as almighty God enters his home, as Jesus addresses this fundamental, primary oppression in Zacchaeus, all secondary oppressions fall away.

Salvation has come to this house indeed. It came as a Jewish rabbi entered its front door, and it came as a wee little tax collector responded in joyful, exuberant repentance.

How sweet is the word that tells us that God will meet us even in our oppressions and greed and pride and treason, but will not leave us so bound! His love will enter in, and His love will set us free, unto a joyful and exuberant repentance.

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