During the summer of 1988 I worked as a carpenter helper. I began knowing absolutely nothing and thanks to the patience and generosity of my boss I did not get killed in the process. With time, I eventually picked up the basic skills of the trade: “this is how you hold the hammer,” “this is how you cut a 2X4,” “this is what you do when there is nothing to do.” But my development was not all a rose garden. My boss, a fastidiously precise German carpenter would very seldom let any imperfections go without a lecture or “learning opportunity” for me. I found this pattern thoroughly humiliating, since in
Zacchaeus, a short, decidedly wealthy and also marginalized character in Jewish society in the first century, was also an influential player in the roman-occupied region of Palestine
His status as “ruler among tax collectors” sets him apart from others who, through their physical misfortune, were kept outside the circles of Jewish social privilege. His status was that of a wealthy, influential outsider, perhaps like the rich ruler in chapter 18. While Jesus is at table with him, Zacchaeus is quick to list the things he already does that are consistent with Jesus’ message of the kingdom of God kingdom of God kingdom of God
Jesus surprises Zacchaeus with his own hospitality. Out of all the people he could have dined with, the prize goes to the short man on the tree. But Jesus is not simply going to lunch. Middle Eastern culture will not let us separate the man form his “house” which was a veritable institution in Jesus’ society. Sons, daughters, servants, wives and concubines were members of the Greek and Roman households. The reputation of a man was linked to that of his household. It stands to reason that the marginalization of the head of the household would trickle down to the rest of the household members as well. Marginalization can result from willful rejection, thoughtless miscommunication, unfounded xenophobia or lazy misinformation. But the message of Jesus (which is light on innovation, firmly established on the message of Justice found in the Torah, the prophets and John the Baptist himself) is about a complete restoration of the cosmos, going beyond individual wellbeing, encompassing the healing of social wounds and beyond.
It would be misguided to pay too much attention to Zaccheaus and his actions, other than to point out that he had responded effectively to the message of John the Baptist and later the message of the kingdom of God through Jesus. The central feature of this story is the all-encompassing salvation Jesus proclaims and offers. Salvation throughout this gospel embraces life in the present, restoring the integrity of human life, revitalizing human communities, setting the cosmos in order, and commissioning the community of God’s people to put God’s grace into practice among themselves and toward ever-widening circles of others. [1] Jesus proclaims salvation to the entire household, thus making the message of the kingdom clear: Salvation will not only restore the outsider seeking the kingdom and turn him into an "friend of God (a son of Abraham)" but will also encircle the entire household in social restoration, breaking down the barriers that previously separated people. Anything short of this couldn’t be rightly called “salvation.”
