Jesus Saves Zacchaeus

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Introduction

As we have seen, the third year of Jesus’ ministry was characterized by teaching that was bolder and more polarizing than many of the earlier sermons. As the end of his ministry approached, Jesus began to speak more clearly about who he was and what that meant. The Jews had misunderstood his mission, and through his third year, he revealed his true purpose more fully.

• As we began this unit, what significant confession did Peter make (Matthew 16:16)? Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.
• Who did Jesus say revealed this truth to Peter? The Father in heaven revealed this truth to him (Matthew 16:17).
• Soon after Peter’s confession, what happened that revealed the glory of Jesus more fully to three of the disciples? Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, where he appeared in radiant glory and received the affirmation of God the Father (Matthew 17:1–8).
• Then we saw Jesus make an astonishing claim that the Jews considered to be blasphemy. What was the claim? Jesus said, “before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).
• Why did the Jews consider this to be blasphemy? He was claiming to be God by applying to himself the eternal name of God that was revealed to Moses from the burning bush.

  Then we saw Jesus’ authority as he healed the man born blind, giving the man both physical and spiritual sight. Jesus went on to teach in parables, like the parable of the good Samaritan.

• Why did Jesus teach in parables? He taught in parables so that those to whom it had been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven would have ears to hear the truths, but to those who did not have ears to hear, the truth would be hidden.

  We also saw how he taught about discipleship and prayer, and how he raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus spent most of the last three months of his life in the wilderness of Judea and Perea. Our lesson today follows his final approach to Jerusalem.

The Response of the Rich

As the time of the Passover approached, Jesus began his journey toward Jerusalem for the last time. As Jesus was finishing up his ministry tour, most likely in Perea, he was approached by a certain young ruler. We know he was young because of the parallel account in Matthew 19:16–26).

Let’s read about the encounter in Luke 18:18–30. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• What did the ruler ask Jesus? He asked him what he must do to inherit eternal life. It is worth noting that this seems like a genuine question. Unlike many of the questions posed by scribes, lawyers, and Pharisees, there is no indication here that the man was trying to trap or discredit Jesus.
• Was Jesus denying that he was God when he said no one is good except God? Discuss answers.

  We have already seen how Jesus clearly claimed to be God. Jesus was not denying that he was God; rather, he was making the point that all are sinful except God and asking the ruler to consider the implications of the description, “Good Teacher.” Was he ready to affirm that Jesus was God? Or did he fail to understand that only God is good (Romans 3:10, 23; Psalm 14:1–3)?

• What did Jesus tell the ruler in verse 20? He told the ruler he knew the commandments. Jesus specifically mentioned five commands.
• What does the ruler’s response tell us about his understanding of God’s law? He likely grew up learning the law, and he lived according to the tradition of the Jews. But he did not understand the law as God intended it. In the sermon on the mount, we read about how Jesus refocused the interpretation of the law, not as a list of rules, but as an impossible standard that points men toward their need for the Savior.

  It is interesting that Jesus began by quoting the law. This is clearly not the gospel he had been preaching for the last three years. Instead, he began the conversation the way God did with the nation of Israel, pointing to God’s perfect standard. Notice the confidence of the ruler. He declared that he had kept the commandments since his youth. The reference to the law should have led the man to realize he could not earn eternal life on his own. But he was thinking in terms of the legalism that defined first-century Judaism. He felt that his works justified him.

• How did Jesus respond to the man’s misconception? Rather than openly refuting his claim to have perfectly kept the commandments or correcting his self-righteous understanding of the law, Jesus simply pointed to the heart of the matter. He asked the man to abandon everything to follow him.
• Was Jesus teaching that selling everything and giving it to the poor would earn eternal life? No, that would be works-based salvation. Rather, Jesus revealed the man’s heart. His treasure was his earthly wealth, and there his heart was (Luke 12:34).
• Jesus explained that it is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples then wondered who could be saved. How did Jesus answer their concern? He said that what is impossible for man is possible for God. The disciples recognized that no one could be saved by the efforts of man. Thank God that what is impossible for us is possible for him and already accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• What assurance did Jesus give to the disciples? He assured them that those who had sacrificed everything to follow him would receive eternal life, as well as blessings in this time.

  The rich ruler came to Jesus to find out how to inherit eternal life. But when confronted with the cost of following Jesus, the ruler went away sad, unwilling to sacrifice his earthly treasures. Very shortly after this encounter, perhaps only a day or so, Jesus met another rich man.

Let’s read about Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus in Luke 19:1–10. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• Where did this account take place? In Jericho. Jews traveling to Jerusalem from the north commonly traveled along the east of the Jordan, crossing at Jericho and then continuing on the main road from there to Jerusalem.
• How was Zacchaeus described? He was a chief tax collector. He was rich. He was small in stature.
• What was Zacchaeus doing when Jesus came into town? Zacchaeus was seeking to see who Jesus was.
• How did Zacchaeus respond to the obstacles to meeting Jesus? He could not see because he was too short to see over the crowd. But instead of giving up, he found a way around the obstacle. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree so he could see over the crowd as Jesus passed by.
• What attribute of God do we see in Jesus’ greeting of Zacchaeus? Refer to Attributes of God poster. Jesus displayed his omniscience by not only knowing that Zacchaeus was in the tree, but also knowing his name. We also see that Jesus was merciful and loving, showing compassion to sinners.

  It may seem strange to us that Jesus invited himself over to Zacchaeus’ house, but hospitality was a big part of Jewish culture. Although this was worded as a mandate rather than a request, Jesus was showing compassion by choosing to stay with Zacchaeus rather than one of the religious elite.

• How did Zacchaeus respond to Jesus’ invitation? He received him joyfully.
• How did those in the crowd respond? They grumbled, upset that Jesus was associating with sinners.

  Remember, tax collectors were despised among the Jews. They were seen as traitors, cheating their own people while helping Rome to prosper. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, meaning he was wealthier than most, likely more corrupt than most, and more firmly in Rome’s pocket. He most likely oversaw a large district with many subordinate tax collectors. But as we’ve seen before, Jesus never shied away from interacting with sinners, especially those who recognized their sin.

• We aren’t told exactly how the rest of the encounter transpired. What we are told is that Zacchaeus was transformed by his encounter with Jesus. What evidence of transformation do we see from Zacchaeus? He determined to restore fourfold (i.e., four times) if he had taken anything dishonestly. Further, he willingly sacrificed half of his wealth to the poor.
• Leviticus 6:1–5 gives requirements for paying restitution. Based on this passage, what was required of Zacchaeus? He would have been required to return what he had stolen plus a fifth. To meet this requirement, he should have only needed to return what he cheated 1.2-fold. Zacchaeus imposed on himself a harsh sentence, following the expectation for repaying livestock, which required a minimum of fourfold restitution (Exodus 22:1).
• What does this suggest about Zacchaeus’ response? Discuss answers. This suggests that Zacchaeus was genuinely repentant. His was an attitude change rather than a behavior change. He was not trying to find the minimum requirement for satisfying the law; rather, he was interested in truly making things right. Additionally, it is clear his priorities had changed. His wealth was no longer his treasure.
• How did Jesus validate that this was true repentance? He said that salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house.
• What is significant about Jesus’ final statement? This statement is significant because Jesus identified himself as the Son of Man, the Messiah. It is also reminiscent of earlier statements Jesus made about coming to call sinners (not the righteous) to repentance (Matthew 9:13). This is a statement about Jesus’ mission, and it brings into stark contrast the compassion of Jesus toward sinners and the prideful contempt of those who saw themselves as righteous.

Discover the Truth

• How does Zacchaeus’ response compare with that of the rich ruler? Discuss answers.

  Though both sought Jesus initially, the two men responded in drastically different ways. The ruler was unwilling to sacrifice his wealth; Zacchaeus took the initiative to offer monetary restitution and to generously give away half of his possessions. The ruler went away sad; Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully. The ruler rejected the gospel message; salvation came to Zacchaeus’ house. The ruler left unwilling to change; Zacchaeus was radically changed.

  But their responses were not the only difference between the two accounts. Notice the way in which the men approached Jesus. The rich ruler came asking a teacher what he could do to inherit eternal life. He wanted the reward and thought he could earn it. Zacchaeus was seeking to see who Jesus was. The ruler pridefully declared that he had kept the commandments from his youth; he did not recognize himself as a sinner in need of the Savior. Zacchaeus was willing to climb a tree—an undignified act—just to get a glimpse of Jesus. The ruler treasured his wealth above the promises of Jesus and his kingdom. Zacchaeus treasured his encounter with Jesus over his wealth.

  Jesus dealt compassionately with both men. Mark tells us that Jesus loved the rich ruler (Mark 10:21). We can see Jesus’ love for Zacchaeus. He knew his name. He chose to stay with him even though all the people thought Zacchaeus was a despicable sinner. Although Jesus often showed compassion to those who were sick, hurting, or despised by others, his real act of love is not seen in publicly associating with Zacchaeus, but in bringing the gospel to him—in coming “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

  We must also remark on the fact that the account of the rich young ruler ended with Jesus speaking about the difficulty of a rich man entering the kingdom of heaven (Luke 18:24–25). And yet a few verses later, rich Zacchaeus repented and trusted in Jesus for salvation (Luke 19:9). Salvation is impossible with man, as demonstrated by the account of the rich ruler, but we know that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), as demonstrated in the account of Zacchaeus.

Active Repentance Activity

There are many accounts in Scripture where people encountered Jesus and we do not know exactly how they responded. But in the case of Zacchaeus, we don’t have to wonder whether he was truly converted. Jesus told us that salvation had come to his house. Even without that statement, we see much evidence of Zacchaeus’ repentance. But that brings up a good question: what does repentance look like?

You will find the Active Repentance activity in your Student Guide. Work together through the activity and we will discuss what you have found in a few minutes. Have the students work in small groups to complete the activity.

Connect to the Truth

Let’s see what you discovered about repentance and dealing with sin. Use the answers below to review the activity.

There are many more passages we could look at dealing with repentance, but we’ve discovered the main ideas. Now let’s talk about the examples you worked through.

Repentance, most simply, is turning away from sin and toward God. But we must be careful not to trivialize or oversimplify repentance. It is not just conviction or confession with no outward evidence. It is not action or behavioral change without internal contrition. It is not remorse that fails to lead toward God. Biblical repentance is a change of heart that results in a change of behavior—turning away from our sin (mentally, emotionally, and behaviorally) and toward God. Inward repentance is necessarily evidenced by outward action as we replace our sinful desires and tendencies with righteousness and godliness (1 Timothy 6:11).

First, we must recognize our sin as an offense against God. This conviction should lead to contrition, or brokenness and grief over our sin. Then we confess our fault and forsake the transgression, replacing it with its God-honoring counterpart. This results in a change in heart and behavior. In other words, repentance should look like sanctification.

Note: For the purpose of this activity, we are not distinguishing between an original repentance connected with conversion and the practice of repentance that should characterize the Christian life. If appropriate, you may wish to discuss the distinction at this time. You may also wish to use the discussion as an opportunity to present the gospel.

• Psalm 51:3–6 — As David did, we must recognize our sin and our tendency to sin, realizing the severity of our offense against God. This is often called conviction.
• Joel 2:12–13 — We are to be broken over our sin, not just going through the motions, but returning to the Lord with all our heart.
• Proverbs 28:13 — We should confess and forsake our transgressions.
• Ezekiel 18:30–32 — We are commanded to cast away our transgressions, to make a new heart and spirit, and to turn and live.
• Ephesians 4:22–32 — We must fight against our sin and instead pursue righteousness. Every evil desire from our old self should be replaced by the opposite righteous desire. Falsehood should be replaced with truth, thievery with honest work, and corrupt talk with exhortation.
• 2 Chronicles 34:29–33 — Josiah led the nation in a covenant to walk after the Lord and keep his commandments. Then he took away all the abominations in Israel (i.e., idols and places of idol worship).
• Jonah 3:6–9 — The king of Nineveh humbled himself, traded his royal clothes for sackcloth, sat in ashes, and proclaimed that all Ninevites should fast, pray, and turn from their evil ways.
• Luke 19:1–8 — Zacchaeus made restitution to everyone he had wronged and acted generously toward the poor.
• Acts 16:30–34 — The jailer washed the wounds of Paul and Silas, brought them into his house, and fed them. He served the ones he had just imprisoned.
• Acts 9:1–22 — When he encountered Jesus, Saul immediately quit persecuting the church and began proclaiming Jesus was the Son of God. As we know from the rest of Scripture, he went on to risk everything for the gospel.
• Considering all these things, what does biblical repentance look like? Discuss answers.
• Where do you need to practice biblical repentance in your life? Discuss answers or encourage students to carefully reflect on this question, moving toward genuine biblical repentance.

The Anticipated Kingdom

As Jesus and his followers traveled toward Jerusalem, Jesus knew his hour was approaching. As we wrap up our study of Jesus’ ministry leading up to his final week, let’s look at a couple final passages.

First, let’s read Luke 18:31–34 together. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• When did this account take place? While we are not given specific time markers, it seems that this event likely happened on the road to Jericho, sometime after the encounter with the rich ruler.
• To whom was Jesus speaking? Luke recorded that this was a private remark given to the 12 disciples (Luke 18:31).
• What did Jesus explain to his disciples? He warned them that they were on the way to Jerusalem so that the Scriptures could be fulfilled. He would be delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, shamed, flogged, and killed, but he would rise again on the third day.
• What strikes you as significant about Jesus’ words? This foretelling is much more detailed than the previous two (cf. Luke 9:21–22, 9:43–45).
• Does it surprise you that none of the disciples understood these things? Discuss answers.

  At first, it may seem surprising that the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. After all, they knew the prophecies about the Messiah, they knew that Jesus was the Christ, and he very clearly explained what was about to happen to him. But we have also seen the disciples consistently misunderstand certain teachings of Jesus, sometimes immediately after a major enlightenment. It is not hard to understand their lack of comprehension when you consider how the cultural expectation of the Messiah differed from Jesus’ real mission. Additionally, we read in verse 34 that the truth was hidden from them. This was a spiritual truth that was not for them to fully grasp—yet.

Now flip over to Luke 19:11–27 and let’s read that together. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• Whom was Jesus speaking to in this passage? It seems that Jesus was speaking to the crowd. We can’t be sure if the audience is Jesus’ traveling party, a smaller group of followers, or the crowd who had gathered in the city. What we can infer is that these were people who believed Jesus was the Messiah, though they had a misunderstanding of what that would mean.
• How did the listeners misunderstand Jesus’ mission? They supposed that Jesus had come to usher in the kingdom of God and that it would appear immediately. Some may have assumed this to mean Jesus would overthrow Roman rule. Others may have understood the eternal nature of the kingdom but misunderstood the timing.
• What characters are described in Jesus’ parable? We see the nobleman, his 10 servants, and his citizens.
• Whom did the characters represent? In this parable, the nobleman represented Jesus, the servants were those who profess to know and serve Christ, and the citizens were those who reject Jesus as King.
• Where did the nobleman go? He went to a far country to receive his kingdom.

  This would have been a concept that the Jews understood. Rome had the power to assign rulers to their territories. A potential ruler would travel to Rome to be granted authority over the territory.

• What instructions did the nobleman give his servants? He told his servants to conduct business. This would have been understood as a command to trade or invest the minas that had been given them in order to earn profit.
• Did they obey? Two servants obeyed the command and were commended for their faithfulness. A third servant was disobedient and was rebuked for his failure to do even the minimum of what was required. This unfaithful servant represented one who professed to know about Jesus but did not obey his commandments. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This servant was like the branch that did not abide in the vine, didn’t bear fruit, and was thrown into the fire (John 15:1–6).
• How did the nobleman deal with the citizens who hated him? He had them slaughtered before him.
• Keeping in mind our principles for interpreting parables, what do you think Jesus was trying to teach? Discuss answers.

  Luke told us why Jesus told this parable. They were almost to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. Many of those who followed Jesus expected to see some climactic deliverance that would throw off Roman rule and usher in the kingdom of God. Jesus told this parable to explain that before the kingdom would appear, he would have to go away for a while. In the meantime, he had given his followers a job to do, to advance the kingdom. When he returned, he would bring judgment on his enemies and rewards for his faithful servants.

Discover the Truth

Jesus knew he was nearing the end of his earthly life and ministry. In little more than a week, he would have accomplished his purpose for taking on flesh and dwelling among us. But his followers still did not understand what that mission was. Even the disciples did not grasp what he said when he foretold his death and resurrection.

As we look at the teachings of Jesus, along with the scriptures penned by the apostles, we can understand that God is faithful to fulfill his promises, but his timing is not always as we would expect (2 Peter 3:9). As Christians, we can look at this parable as a challenge and an encouragement. May we be like the faithful servants who obey the Lord and invest what has been entrusted to us toward kingdom advancement.

Application

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. In the account of the rich ruler, we see a man who trusted in his own actions for righteousness. He believed he could do enough to earn eternal life. But God does not call us to salvation through our good works; he calls us to repentance and surrender in faith. The rich ruler was unwilling to surrender his wealth and abandon his previous life to follow Jesus. But Zacchaeus understood his wretchedness and joyfully abandoned his previous life, turning to follow Jesus completely. He demonstrated his regenerated heart by bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. His repentance resulted in action—restitution to all he had wronged and generosity to those less fortunate than himself.

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  The rich ruler was unwilling to sacrifice his wealth for the sake of Jesus. Is there anything in your life that you have failed to surrender to Jesus? Discuss answers, encouraging repentance and surrender of those things.
• Do you tend to grumble about interacting with those whom you consider to be worse sinners than you? How might you work toward a more compassionate view of others? Discuss answers. When we focus on our own perceptions, we tend to judge unjustly. But a correct view of ourselves and a correct view of God’s mercy and grace toward us should lead us to interact compassionately with all, especially those in need of the gospel.
• How have you demonstrated true repentance in your life? Do you consistently bear fruit in keeping with that repentance? Discuss answers. Be prepared to offer a personal example.
• What do you struggle with most in bearing fruit keeping with repentance? Discuss answers, offering your own struggles. Guide discussion into realms of encouragement, exhortation, and if appropriate, accountability.
• When you think of the parable of the minas, which of the servants do you identify as? Are you a faithful servant investing in the kingdom, or are you the wicked and disobedient servant? Discuss answers. This may be a good opportunity to share the gospel or to ask students to evaluate the genuineness of their faith.
• What does it look like to be a faithful servant awaiting your King? Discuss answers. Faithful servants are those who proclaim the gospel, serve others, grow spiritually, and otherwise obey the commands of Jesus. Consider drawing specific applications to contexts that your students encounter.

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your class before you dismiss them.

• Praise God as our patient and righteous King.
• Ask God to give us a heart of repentance and faithfulness to obey.
• Thank God for showing compassion to sinners.