CIII.
ZACCHÆUS. PARABLE OF THE POUNDS.
JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM.
(Jericho.)
cLUKE XIX. 1-28.
c1 And he entered and was
passing through Jericho. [This was about one week before the crucifixion.
Jericho is about seven miles from the Jordan and about seventeen and a
half from Jerusalem.] 2 And behold,
a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was
rich. [See p. 76. It is
probable that Zacchæus was a sub-contractor under some Roman knight
who had bought the privilege of collecting taxes at Jericho, or perhaps
the privilege of all Judæa. As the Jordan separated between the provinces
of Judæa and Peræa, and as Jericho was the border city between
these two provinces, the custom duties of the place were apt to be considerable.
The famous balm of Gilead was cultivated in Peræa, and probably added
considerably to the trade which passed through Jericho. Herod the Great
had raised Jericho to opulence, and to be rich in such a city was no small
matter. Zacchæus had not consented to become a social outcast without
reaping his reward.] 3 And he sought
to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little
of stature. [Jericho had been filled with reports about Jesus, and
great excitement existed among the people. Zacchæus shared this excitement.]
4 And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him:
for he was to pass that way. [This tree differs from the sycamine,
and grows only in those parts of Palestine where the climate is warmest.
It is the wild fig, and because of its low trunk and spreading branches
it is very easy to climb. The sycamore which grows along our streams is
the "buttonwood," and is in no way related to the fig family.]
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto
him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy
house. [This is the only instance where Jesus invited himself to be
any man's guest. He knew the feeling of Zacchæus toward him as well
as he knew his name, and hence had no doubt as to his welcome. Jesus says,
"I must." Love constrained him to pause in Jericho that he might save the
house of Zacchæus.] 6 And he
made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. [Glad that he
had obtained not only the wished-for sight of Jesus, but a favor which
he had not dared to hope for. To be thus honored of the Messiah was balm
indeed to the outcast's heart.] 7 And
when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with
a man that is a sinner. [See pp.
349 and 499. The "all"
in this case did not include Jesus' disciples. Jesus was a constant disappointment
to those who were seeking to make him an earthly king and who therefore
desired him to manifest a kingly pride.]
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of
my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of
any man, I restore fourfold. [Zacchæus stood to give emphasis
and publicity to his words. He does not mean that he is in the habit of
giving half his goods to the poor, but that he does so now, immediately,
on the spot, without delay. He does not merely promise to do so hereafter,
or to make such a provision in his will. The laws of restoration in cases
of theft or fraud will be found at Ex. xxii. 1-4; Num. v. 7. The proposition
of Zacchæus to restore fourfold suggests that the bulk of his wealth
had not been gained in dishonest ways, for if so he would not have been
able to make such a restitution.] 9
And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch
as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For
the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. [The
visit of Jesus had converted Zacchæus and brought salvation to his
house. Though as yet Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel (Matt. xv. 24), and was not proclaiming [563] salvation
to the Gentiles, yet he could consistently receive Zacchæus, for,
though an outcast publican, he had not so forfeited his sonship in Abraham
as to bar him from this right. He was one of the "lost sheep," the very
class to which Jesus was sent.] 11
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he
was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom
of God was immediately to appear. [The opening words show that the
parable which follows was spoken in the house of Zacchæus. So far
as the record shows, this was the first time in his ministry that Jesus
ever approached Jerusalem with a crowd. By thus approaching Jerusalem with
a multitude it seemed to the people that Jesus was consenting to be crowned.
And they were filled with those dreams and expectations which a few days
later resulted in the triumphal entry. All things pointed to a crisis,
and the people were eagerly looking for honors and rewards under the new
ruler. Jesus corrected these false views by a parable which showed that
there must be patient waiting and faithful work before there could be any
season of reward.] 12 A certain nobleman
went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
[Those present were looking for the crowning of Jesus at Jerusalem, but
he was to ascend into that far country called heaven and was there to receive
the kingdom of the earth (Acts ii. 32, 33; Matt. xxviii. 18), and his return
in earthly majesty is yet to take place--I. Cor. xi. 26.
13 And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said
unto them, Trade ye herewith till I come. [To each of the servants
he gave a crown, which was equal to about seventeen dollars of our money.
It was a paltry sum for a nobleman and suggests a state of poverty and
humiliation such as would give small incentive to any to remain faithful
to his service.] 14 But his citizens
hated him, and sent an ambassage after him, saying, We will not that this
man reign over us. [In addition to the servants, this nobleman had
citizens, or subjects who owed him respect and reverence pending the confirmation
of his kingdom, and [564] homage and obedience
after that confirmation. But their hatred of him led them to oppose his
confirmation, saying, "We will not," etc. These citizens represented the
Jews, and Theophylact well observes how near the Jews came to repeating
these very words of rejection when they said to Pilate, "We have no king
but Cæsar . . . Write not, The King of the Jews."]
15 And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the
kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money,
to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.
16 And the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made ten
pounds more. [Thus Jesus shall call us to account for our stewardship
(II. Cor. v. 10), and some, despite the long absence of their Lord, and
the rebellion of the citizens, will be found to have been faithful. As
to this servant's answer Grotius says (comparing it with I. Cor. xv. 10),
"He modestly attributes this to his lord's money, and not to his own work."]
17 And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast
found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
[Thus by small faithfulness we are proved worthy of great trust (II. Cor.
iv. 17). We should note that while the bounty is royal, yet it is proportionate.
It suggests the difference in estate between the nobleman who departed
and the king who returned.] 18 And
the second came, saying, Thy pound, Lord, hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities. [The faithful
servants are promoted to be rulers (II. Tim. ii. 1, 2). The nobleman, having
been of low estate himself, could sympathize with his servants and delight
in promoting them--Phil. ii. 7.] 20
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which
I have kept laid up in a napkin [Having no banks in which to store
money, such as we have, the men of Palestine usually concealed it. At the
present time the people of that land are accustomed to bury their money
in the ground within their houses]: 21 for
I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which
[565] thou layedst not down, and reapest
that which thou didst not sow. [He impudently criticizes his lord,
saying that he was one hard to please and one who expected others to do
all the work and let him reap all the gain. The injustice of his criticism
had just been exposed beforehand by the king's treatment of the two preceding
servants. This servant represents those who make the labors and difficulties
of the Christian life an excuse for doing nothing.]
22 He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked
servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I
laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow;
23 then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming
should have required it with interest? [The king patiently grants for
argument's sake all that is urged, but shows that even so, the conduct
of this servant could not be justified. Thus no argument can justify the
sinner who contends against God. The word here translated "bank" means
the table of the money-changer and is so translated at Matt. xxi. 12; Mark
xi. 15, and John ii. 15. It would appear from this passage that the money-changers
were willing to borrow and pay some rate of interest. The bank, therefore,
was not a thing incorporated and watched by the government, but merely
an individual with whom money might be secure or not, according to his
personal honesty. Our present banking system has been the slow growth of
many centuries. The lesson taught is that we should work with others if
we have not self-confidence enough to work alone.]
24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give
it unto him that hath ten pounds. 25
And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.
26 I say unto you, that unto every one which hath shall be given; but from
him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.
[See p. 331. The meaning
here is that every one who makes use of what he has shall increase his
powers, a rule which applies to all the affairs of life.]
27 But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them
[566] bring hither, and slay them before
me. [A reference in the first instance to the Jews who were citizens
of Christ's kingdom and who were justly destroyed for rejecting him when
he ascended his throne. A reference in the second instance to all the inhabitants
of the globe who are all in his kingdom and who shall be destroyed at his
coming if they have rejected him. It is a fearful thing to contemplate
the destruction of sinners, but it is more fearful to think of sin, rebellion
and uncleanness being tolerated forever.]
28 And when he had thus spoken, he went on before, going up to Jerusalem.
[The crowd had paused, waiting for Jesus, and he now leads on toward Jerusalem.]
[567]
[FFG 562-567]
