2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.
Luke 19:2-3
The account of Zacchaeus is one that’s dear and near many of our hearts. It is a Sunday school story that resonates with us till this day. A children’s song with lyrics so catchy you’re bound to hum the tune every time you hear of that wee little man (and a very little man was he).
Recently, I came across the same story, from the same passage. But this time, I saw parallels with other passages in scripture I hadn’t previously noticed. As it so often with any other well-known plot in the Bible, there are more lessons to be learnt when we dig deeper. More wisdom to be gained than just what’s on surface.
Rich but Poor
Luke makes effort to mention Zacchaeus’ position and wealth. How “he was a chief tax collector and was rich”.
It might be a coincidence that in the chapter before, Jesus encounters an individual of similar status, a rich young ruler. However, I believe the events were written in that specific order so as to compare the two incidents side by side.
Because although both were rich and both encountered Jesus. Only one was saved.
It is a familiar axiom that “money doesn’t buy happiness”. This was evidently the case here with both these men. Their positions entailed significant wealth, yet it wasn’t enough for them. If riches were enough, if riches satisfied every desire in their heart leaving them with no more want, then the young ruler wouldn’t have asked Jesus about eternal life nor would Zacchaeus have laboured to climb up to see Jesus.
There was still a yearning for something else. Something immaterial, invisible and immortal. Something of far greater value than any object they could purchase on earth (or so it seemed with the young ruler).
They might have been rich materially, but spiritually, they were bankrupt.
Righteous but Lost
Curiosity led these men, poor in Spirit, to search for a greater meaning, a greater purpose, a greater end.
Let’s examine their interaction with Jesus.
The young ruler was forthright, he already had in mind what he would ask Jesus even before he met him. “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18)
Jesus then proceeds to list some of the commandments, to which the man presumptuously responds “All these I have kept from my youth.”
What an upright young man! Here was someone who had apparently kept the whole law. What more could he possibly do? If there was anyone fit for heaven, it was certainly this saint.
Far from that being Jesus’ reaction, we instead read of how the Son of God saw right through him.
“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.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
Luke 19:22-23
What a disappointing reaction that would have been. How confused the disciples must have been. How could someone so well off and “righteous” suddenly just walk away like that? At the same time, why would Jesus say something so demanding, something so unreasonable that it would put off one of the most promising converts.
Jesus plainly warns of the difficulty of a rich man entering the kingdom of God. A man that has his priorities set someplace other than in Christ. A man that has sold his soul to the material things of this world.
This man, though he was extremely rich, yet he was impoverished in his understanding of salvation.
Though he might have thought he was righteous, he couldn’t have been further from the truth.
But all hope is not lost…
Outcast But Welcome
Right at the beginning of the next chapter of Luke, we read of another account with a similar affluent individual: Zacchaeus. And we all know how his story was drastically different from the young ruler’s. We read how instead of departing sorrowfully, Zacchaeus celebrated with exuberant joy. Instead of being a hopeless case, Jesus declares that salvation has come to Zacchaeus. (The full account is found in Luke 19)
The young man might have come to Jesus looking for commendation and confirmation, but he was left with consternation and confusion. Zacchaeus without approaching Jesus, was approached by Jesus. He was called, he was enabled to receive and he was accepted.
The young ruler was perfectly right in raising his question. We all have wondered that before. What must we do to inherit eternal life? But what the young ruler, along with many of us, fail to understand is that we can not so much do anything to inherit eternal life as contribute to our birth.
This was what Jesus meant when he said “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
This was why Nicodemus was completely astonished and perplexed. To be “born again” was impossible, inconceivable, absolutely absurd.
The disciples too were shocked and dismayed.
“Then who can be saved?” they replied baffled. (Luke 18:26)
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
Though it might have been impossible with man to transform a man like Nicodemus. One that was despised by his own people. One that had an infamous and dishonourable past. Yet with God, it became possible.
With God, even people we might view as a lost cause, have hope. Even those who have strayed far from the truth are still within the reach of his grace.
Our Spiritual Stature
There is nothing a man can do unless he is stirred by the Spirit of God.
To be born again is a supernatural process, it is a miraculous process, it is a divine process.
Without one being born again, without one becoming a new creature in Christ, (2 Cor. 5:17) it is impossible for anyone to earn their way to heaven, no matter how many “good works” we do.
Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand!
George Whitefield
Though we may be small in stature. Though heaven is too high and out of our reach. We stand on the shoulders of Christ’s finished work on Calvary. We are able to approach the almighty God, the Creator of the cosmos, the all-wise and all-powerful King because Christ has elevated us to the heights of heaven.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
It was for sinners like Nicodemus. Sinners like you and I, that Jesus came.
So why come to Jesus? Why receive him with an open and honest heart? For Jesus is the fountain of life, we shall never thirst for any other truth. He is the bread of life, we shall never hunger for the vain things in life.
Where is your heart?
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 19:34
The young ruler’s heart was elsewhere. It wasn’t with the eternal, it was with the temporal. And so, he could not part with his wealth.
Zacchaeus’ heart was in the right place. As a result, he could freely give away his possessions even when it wasn’t asked of him. For he had acquired a greater treasure: eternal life.
