Sunday, October 28, 2012

Jesus in Jericho (Luke 19:1-10)


Jesus arrives in Jericho.

A tax collector named Zacchaeus climbs in a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus.  Jesus approaches him, calls Zacchaeus by name, tells him to get down, and that Jesus needs to spend the night at his home.

He climbs down and welcomes Jesus.

The people snicker because Jesus is going to stay with a tax collector.  Zacchaeus then states that he gives half his possessions to the poor and will pay back anyone he cheated four times.  

Jesus approves and talks about how he came to save the lost.

Here, Zacchaeus gives half his possessions away to the poor.  Jesus had instructed the "rich man" to give all his possessions away to the poor.  This shows that with each person, there is a different level of hold of material wealth.  Jesus does not want everyone to give all their possessions away to the poor, otherwise, Jesus would have told Zacchaeus to give the other half of his possessions away.  

Also, repayment of "four times" is alignment with the remedy and punishment for theft under Mosaic law.

Here, a rich man has entered the Kingdom of God.  With God, all things are possible and Jesus praises this man.

No comments:

Post a Comment