The Son Of Man Came To Seek And Save The Lost
A Reflection On Luke 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way.
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”
RSV Luke 19:1-10
Happy New Year, everyone! After our hiatus, we are back to our weekly musings on our Sunday scripture readings. With Lent on the horizon, I feel it fitting to begin the approaching Triodion period by focusing on the Gospel readings for this season, considering we started our musings on the Epistles around this time last year.
Now on to Sunday’s Gospel reading. Today’s reading is taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke and speaks of Zacchaeus, a wealthy chief tax collector. This detail tells us that, in the eyes of the Jews living in Jerusalem at the time of Christ, Zacchaeus was seen as a great robber, since tax collectors were not paid by the Romans; whatever wealth they acquired was extorted from their fellow citizens. Seeing that Zacchaeus was very rich tells us that this is not a man who occasionally skimmed off the top; he is a man who robbed his fellow Jews.
Yet we are also told that when he heard Jesus was coming through Jericho, he sought to see who Jesus was. This narrative is toward the end of our Lord’s earthly ministry, and now the word is continuing to spread regarding all His saving works. Hearing all of this piques Zacchaeus’ interest to the point where he has a profound desire to see who Jesus is. Yet we hear that, because of the crowd and his short stature, Zacchaeus is unable to see Christ.
It is in his subsequent actions that we see the embodiment of Zacchaeus’ desire to see who Christ is, for he climbs a sycamore tree to see him as He passed by. The obstacle of his height stands between Zacchaeus and seeing our Lord, so Zacchaeus takes action and ascends the tallest tree he can find to gain a glimpse of our Lord and God.
Seeing Zacchaeus, Christ calls him by name without first meeting him, showing that He, as God, knew who Zacchaeus was, even though the two had no prior interaction. Christ’s call, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today,’ reveals His deep desire to know and save sinners, reassuring Zacchaeus of God’s loving pursuit of us all.
In this narrative, we see that Zacchaeus desired to see who Christ was, and through his efforts, Christ reveals that it was His desire to know who Zacchaeus is. This call to dine together shows us Christ’s desire, expressed through the request for hospitality, and Zacchaeus’ willingness to host Christ opens the door to communion between the two. In this example, we see that Zacchaeus’ faith goes further than merely climbing a tree to see Christ, for he then invites Christ to dine in his home.
Others murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” Yet in the openness that Christ shows to Zacchaeus, we see that the path towards Zacchaeus’s repentance is opened. Zacchaeus tells our Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
By promising to restore fourfold what he has stolen, Zacchaeus demonstrates genuine repentance and a transformed heart. This act of restitution shows that true salvation involves a sincere change in behavior, encouraging us to pursue authentic repentance through God’s presence in our lives.
Before Zacchaeus extorted all, and now he vows to put himself into poverty not only to make amends with those he has wronged, but also in support of those who are in need. It is for this reason that Christ replies, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” In making his offering, as Abraham did, Zacchaeus has now been shown to pursue God with all he has. Remember from the example Paul gives in Romans, Abraham is seen as our model of faithful living in his continual pursuit of God and His promises.
By stating “For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost,” this statement also shows us the purpose of Christ’s ministry. There is a murmur that He has gone to be the guest of a sinner, indicating from the perspective of the crowd that Christ is now defiled by entering the company of those overcome by sin. Yet, in highlighting the role of the Son of Man as saving the lost, He shows that He is not being defiled; instead, He restores all who are lost to Himself. Sin is dissolved by the presence of Christ, and as we draw near to Him, He is the one offering us the liberation from sin and death found in our salvation.
It is important here to highlight how salvation has come into Zacchaeus’ house. The role of the Son of Man is to save the lost, and in Zacchaeus, we see a profound example of one who has lost his way through robbing others. Yet, in his desire to know who Christ is, we see that Christ also desires to know Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus pursues God, and in doing so, it is revealed not only that God knows him but also that God desires to enter into full communion with him, as we see in the request to be hosted in his home.
Salvation is thus portrayed as being known by God and striving to know God fully. Remember, in the very presence of Christ, sin is dissolved for His presence offers transfiguration and new life. When we are lost, it means we have lost our orientation towards God, so we find ourselves in a land of sin. Yet this is the beauty of the gift that Christ has given us all: presenting Himself to us where we are through the incarnation. Even though we are often lost in the distractions and evils of this world, He still desires to know us and be known by us, fostering a sense of worth and belonging in His presence.
Turning from evil and allowing God to enter our homes is, in effect, how we receive the gift of salvation Christ offers us all. If we look at Zacchaeus as our example, we see a robber turned servant. In pursuing Christ and accepting the call to allow Him into his life, we know that Zacchaeus’s path to salvation is laid out before him, as is ours. After meeting Christ and being strengthened by Him, Zacchaeus promises to live a life of service, in contrast to his years of extortion.
Now, as we begin this period of Triodion, in anticipation of our Lenten struggle towards the resurrection of our Lord, the Church, in her wisdom, calls our attention to the reality of examining how we are living our lives.
God, as our creator, knows us better than anyone, and being known by Him while desiring to do likewise becomes our path to salvation. Even when we are lost, His desire for us is so great that He always leaves the door open to enter into full communion with Him. Yet we are the ones who stand in our own way when we live lives that are opposed to the will of God, lives that are fraught with division, resentment of others, and all manner of self-destructive tendencies.
Life is full of struggle, self-imposed or otherwise. In the midst of this struggle, it becomes easy for us to inflict our wrath on others or to fall into despair. Yet Zacchaeus, a man who inflicted his wrath through extortion, turned his life around upon seeing our Savior. If such a lost soul can be saved by meeting Christ and leading a life of service, then how can any of us be too lost to be saved by turning our lives toward Christ and receiving the true mercy He offers?
There is work to be done in tandem with Christ to receive the gift of salvation He offers us, for we are to let go of what isolates us from Him and our neighbor to truly receive the gift of salvation He offers. Yet the gift of our salvation is always there for us, regardless of how lost we may be. The choice for us is whether we are willing to live a life oriented towards Christ, in the way we treat others, our Lord, and, ultimately, ourselves.
God shows us how much He values us in offering each of us His gift of salvation. Yet, to receive this gift, we need to recognize the value God shows us in ourselves and in the lives of those around us. If we devalue ourselves or others through our actions, we ultimately devalue God and the value He places in each of us by granting us His image. So as we contemplate the example of Zacchaeus, let us seek ways to value the gift of life in the way that God values us all, for in living a life commensurate with the great gifts God has given us, we too as sons of Abraham will today allow for salvation to come into our homes for the Son of Man has genuinely come to seek and save all those lost.
If any of the topics in today’s reflection interest you, give our Bible Study Make His Path Straight: A St. John the Baptist Bible Study a stream!
We have completed sessions on Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, First and Second Corinthians, and are now in the middle of Hebrews.
Stream Make His Path Straight: A St. John The Baptist Bible Study Here
This publication is free to all, and if you are interested in supporting my work, please consider supporting this work through the link below. Any support is greatly appreciated!
Visit our website for more information about our St. John the Baptist Community, and consider joining us every Sunday for Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at approximately 9:45 a.m. Our faith as Orthodox Christians is an embodied reality; therefore, to understand our theology, one must become part of a community.
If you aren’t in the Boston area and are looking for a parish to start attending, the following is a link to the GOA parishes directory to aid you on your journey toward Christ.