The Wheeee! Little Man

Luke 19:1-10, the gospel lesson appointed for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, is a delightful story about a wealthy man who is quite the contrast to the rich fellow we met only one chapter earlier.  To that fellow Jesus said, "There is still one thing lacking.  Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (18:22) And Luke tells us that this fellow went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.  In marked contrast to that man, Zacchaeus, the rich man here, like a little kid that just got permission to have his best friend stay overnight, alights from the tree he is in and welcomes Jesus into his home with joy! (In Greek, chairon)  Even the grumblers don't sour his mood, but he happily proclaims the freedom he has found in Christ.  It shall be the preacher's job to proclaim this story with joy as well.

(The following questions were developed to get at some of the fundamental concerns of Law and Gospel preachers, particularly questions about how the Word is functioning.  To learn more about this unique genre of preaching, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, where you will find the rationale for this method.  It can be gotten at wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions here as Gospel as the story shows us the gospel worked out:  a known sinner, one who admits his sins as well, comes to faith and finds freedom from the god Mammon.  Jesus announces to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham."  There is no greater gospel news than that.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little evidence of Law in this text, i.e. a Word which declares, "You need Jesus."  We could perhaps understand that those who grumble that Jesus is "the guest of one who is a sinner" stand in real need of a Savior, and that is so, but there is no word of condemnation for those grumblers here.  It is good news that Jesus is the guest of one who is a sinner, not bad news.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is always important to identify with the people whom are addressed by the Word, and so here we happily identify with Zacchaeus.  We are those who are small of (spiritual?) stature whom the Lord notices.  We are those to whom the Lord says, "I must stay at your house today."  We are those who make peace with all those we have wronged because we understand that salvation has come to our house today.  We are the lost whom Jesus came to seek out and to save!

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The call to obedience in this text is the implicit call which comes from the actions of Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus understands that because salvation has come to his house, he must respond in repentance, renewal, and works of justice.  So we too are called to do the same.  Our lives must reflect the compassion of the Savior.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  There are a number of terms in this story that lend themselves well to couplets: lost/found; shunned/welcomed; sinner/forgiven.

6.  Exegetical work:  Speaking of the response of Zacchaeus to the graciousness of the Christ, St. Augustine says this:  "While imagining it was a marvelous piece of luck quite beyond words to see [Jesus] passing by, he was suddenly found worthy to have him in his house. Grace is poured out, and faith starts working through love."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. III, p. 291).  Fred Craddock's contemporary commentary follows in this same vein: "His salvation therefore, has personal, domestic, social, and economic dimensions... The whole life is affected by Jesus' ministry, a foretaste of the complete reign of God."  (Interpretation series, Luke, p. 220)  Craddock is also quick to note that since Zacchaeus is called a "chief tax collector" he is even more deeply embedded in a corrupt system, thus making his salvation that much more dramatic. (Ibid., p. 218)  Ben Witherington also sees the "this worldly" results of Zacchaeus' salvation:  "By labeling Zacchaeus a 'son of Abraham,' Jesus reinforces the tax collector's membership in the covenant community.  By speaking of his 'salvation,' Jesus focuses not on eternal life but on restitution with others in that same community." (New Cambridge Bible Commentary series, The Gospel of Luke, p. 512).

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Ed Schroeder, one of the founders of the Crossings Community, shows well how this text can function as Law and Gospel.  In his diagnosis he shows that Zacchaeus is "too short" in many ways, his heart is corrupt, and in the final analysis is "lost."  Jesus sees him as he is and invites him to "come down" rather than "climb up."  In other words, Zacchaeus is invited to learn that salvation comes to your house by grace not by climbing up to it.  See Ed's entire commentary, "Jesus, A Do-it-Yourself Study" archived at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!