Deeper Reflection
ZACCHAEUS WAS VERY EAGER TO SEE JESUS AND DID everything possible – even climbing a tree! – just to be able to catch a glimpse of Jesus’ face as He passed by (vv.3, 4). Yet it was Jesus who “took the initiative in arranging a personal contact between the two”¹⁸. Zacchaeus’ eagerness to see Jesus was “surpassed by Jesus’ personal invitation to meet with Him”¹⁹. Jesus stopped at where Zacchaeus was, spotted him and called out his name (v.5a). Jesus knew Zacchaeus.Jesus said, “I must stay at your house today” (v.5b). ‘The “must” (dei) implies a divine necessity’²⁰, in unfolding God’s salvation plan. “Just as Jesus’ forthcoming passion in Jerusalem was divinely ordained, so Jesus’ individual actions all fit into the divine plan, even his bringing salvation to Zacchaeus’ home.”²¹ Jesus knew Zacchaeus’ needs.Jesus disregarded the crowd’s murmurings about His association with Zacchaeus (v.7), because “His priority is to associate closely enough with the lost that they may come to know the grace of God”²². Jesus’ love embraces the social disfavour.This narrative of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus ended with what may well be considered the key verse of the Gospel of Luke – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (v.10). “Jesus came to Jericho to save a lost Zacchaeus.”²³ Jesus had sought, found and saved Zacchaeus (vv.5, 9, 10). “Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost, a mission that now belongs to the church as His body.”²⁴ Brothers and sisters, is Jesus’ mission our mission today?

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¹⁸ William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Luke, 855. ¹⁹ The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Luke-Acts (Revised Edition). ²⁰ Robert H. Stein, The New American Commentary, Volume 24: Luke, 467. ²¹ Robert H. Stein, The New American Commentary, Volume 24: Luke, 467. ²² Darrell L. Bock, The NIV Application Commentary: Luke, 479. ²³ Robert H. Stein, The New American Commentary, Volume 24: Luke, 466-467. ²⁴ Darrell L. Bock, The NIV Application Commentary: Luke, 481.