BEHIND THE BOOK Connecting to the Bible

Transcription

1 BEHIND THE BOOK Connecting to the Bible (Observation) LUKE 19:1-10 (READ VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS) MAY 31 ST, 2017 RESOURCES: THE NEW INTERNATIONAL COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT THE PILLAR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY MARK 1-8: TIM CHESTER MARK: 9-16: TIM CHESTER MARK: 1-8: JOHN MacARTHUR: THE MacARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY MARK: 9-16: JOHN MacARTHUR: THE MacARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY THE KING S CROSS: TIM KELLER Introduction: The story of Zacchaeus is one of the most popular Bible stories of all time. This story appears only in Luke s gospel. Many times the focus of this story is on Zacchaeus and his determination to seek Jesus. However, the main focus of this passage is on Jesus determination to seek and save Zacchaeus. This is a story of the sovereignty of God in salvation. Zacchaeus story is the second part of a section beginning in Luke 18:35 and ending with 19:10, which deals with Jesus purpose for coming to the world. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (19:10). The necessity of faith for salvation is taught through the healing of the blind man (18:35-43), while the necessity of repentance is demonstrated through the salvation of Zacchaeus (19:1-10). As for the question of faith verses repentance in salvation, Luke is showing us that they are inseparable. John Murray wrote, The faith that is unto salvation is a penitent faith, and the repentance that is unto life is a believing repentance. 1 The story of Zacchaeus is a wonderful illustration of a lost sinner, sought and saved by the Seeking Savior, and brought to a genuine salvation evidenced by true repentance. 1 John Murray, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995), R. Kent Hughes, Luke: That You May Know the Truth, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1998), 2:222. 1

2 1. The Sinner (19:1-4) He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. Jericho was located about fifteen miles northeast of Jerusalem and about five miles from the Jordan River. Alfred Edersheim says, All around wave groves of feathery palms, rising in stately beauty; stretch gardens of roses, and especially sweet-scented balsam-plantations, the largest behind the royal gardens, of which the perfume is carried by the wind almost out to sea, and which may have given to the city its name (Jericho, the perfumed ). It is the Eden of Palestine, the very fairyland of the old world. Jericho was a wealthy city on a major trade route, which made for big business for tax collectors like Zacchaeus. Tax collecting is not within itself an evil thing. God instituted taxation (Romans 13:7). However, The majority of tax collectors in this day were abusing their position to get rich. You had to purchase a tax collecting business from the Romans, which made Jewish publicans traitors in the eyes of other Jews. Rome would charge the business owner a set fee to be collected and the collector would then add interest to what he collected at his own discretion. This is a recipe for corruption. Zacchaeus was a man who had profited greatly from this business, which infers he was extremely corrupt in his practices. Luke calls him a chief tax collector. This means he was a middleman who did not have to participate in the dirty work of collecting the taxes. R. Kent Hughes called Zacchaeus, The kingpin of the Jericho tax cartel. 2 Zacchaeus name means, clean, innocent, pure, or righteous. Zacchaeus was also a small man who could not see over crowds very well, especially if the crowd hated him and was not sympathetic to his dilemma. Luke tells us that he was seeking to see Jesus. Though he was rich, Zacchaeus obviously desired something that his money could not buy. Based on Jesus reputation as a healer and life-giver, we can assume Zacchaeus was unfulfilled by his riches and most likely greatly convicted over his sin. He wanted to see Jesus so badly that he humbled himself by running ahead of the procession and climbing a sycamore tree. Climbing the tree would have brought attention to his presence, something tax collectors most likely tried to avoid. 2. The Savior (19:5-7) 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 2 R. Kent Hughes, Luke: That You May Know the Truth, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1998), 2:222. 2

3 There are many clues in the text that indicate Zacchaeus encounter with Jesus was by Divine appointment and initiative, and not a result of his seeking. In fact, J.C. Ryle says, If ever there was a soul sought and saved, without having done anything to deserve it, that soul was the soul of Zacchaeus Unasked, our Lord stops and speaks to Zacchaeus. Unasked, He offers himself to be a guest in the house of a sinner. Unasked, He sends into the heart of a publican the renewing grace of the Spirit, and puts him that very day among the children of God. 3 Matthew Henry also says that Jesus, brings his own welcome; he opens the heart and inclines it to receive him. 4 When Jesus arrives at the place where Zacchaeus was in the tree, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. The first great indicator of the divine appointment was that Jesus knew his name; just as He knew Nathaniel personally before ever having met him (John 1:45-48). Salvation is not a general offer made to an unspecified group of people that are welcomed in if they respond correctly when told about it. It is a personal relationship with a Sovereign and loving God who knew us before the foundation of the world was laid. The second indicator is found in Jesus command to Zacchaeus to hurry and come down right then because Jesus was to enter his house that day. Zacchaeus encounter with Jesus was according to a specific time. Jesus was always cognizant of the timing of his actions during his earthly ministry. He sought not only to do the will of the Father, but also to do it exactly how and when the Father led Him to do so. We like to use the phrase, everything happens for a reason. This is especially true and applicable to our salvation. Everything that happened before our conversion happened exactly the way God allowed and ordained it to happen. Our salvation came at the exact moment that God ordained it to happen, just like Zacchaeus. The final indicator in the text that demonstrates the Divinely appointed nature of Zacchaeus salvation is found in the word dei, translated must in the text. Jesus tells Zacchaeus that He must stay at his house that day. John MacArthur points out, The particle dei (must) is used throughout Luke s gospel to speak of divine necessity (cf. 2:49; 4:43; 9:22; 13:33; 17:25; 22:37; 24:7, 44). It was predetermined before the foundation of the world that Jesus would stay at Zacchaeus house that day and grant him eternal life. We see the first evidence of a true conversion at work when Zacchaeus hurried and came down and received him joyfully. This is a great example of how we can understand Christian baptism. Zacchaeus heard the first command Jesus gave him and without delay, sought to obey. Baptism is the first command we are given in Scripture when we are converted and it is our duty to share that command with others, under the authority of Jesus (Mt. 28:18-20). If a true conversion is taking place, there should be no hesitations in obeying the Lord s command. 3 J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke (1858; reprint Cambridge: James Clarke, 1976), 2: Quoted in Richard D. Philips, Encounters with Jesus (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2002),

4 3. The Skeptics (19:7) 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. John MacArthur says, Nothing more clearly illustrates the difference between the heart of God and apostate first-century Judaism than the reaction of outrage by the crowd. They began to grumble. Diagonguzo is a strong word, an onomatopoeic verb, which indicates the crowd s intense displeasure with Zacchaeus and Jesus choosing his house as a place to stay. Katalysai is the verb translated by the phrase gone in to be the guest, which literally means to loosen one s clothing with the intent to stay the night. It is no surprise they were upset with Jesus choice of a host. Darrell L. Bock points out that in their culture to even eat with a known criminal was to be implicated with his crimes. 5 It was unheard of for any rabbi to associate with a publican, much less enter his home. However, social norms meant nothing to Jesus. He was on a mission to seek and to save the lost and he would not be deterred by fallen man s perceptions of him or his actions. This point was important for Luke as he spoke a total of six times about publicans and all were favorable. 4. The Salvation (19:8-9) 8 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 anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. 9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. Zacchaeus wanted to verbally express the change he was experiencing in his heart. He committed himself to give away half of his riches and to restore anyone he has defrauded fourfold. The four-fold commitment was in accordance with the Mosaic Law (Ex. 22:1 cf. vv.4-14; Num. 5:6-7). Jesus confirms the heart change in Zacchaeus by saying, Today salvation has come to this house. Jesus also makes an interesting comment when he says, since he also is a son of Abraham. There was great confusion amongst the Jews regarding their relationship to Abraham and their salvation with God. There is a discussion between Jesus and the religious leaders recorded in John 8:34-47 that sheds great light on this topic. The apostle Paul makes it clear that a true son of Abraham is one that believes in Jesus and that belief is evidenced through good works (see Gal. 3:6-9 and Rom. 2:28-29). Conclusion (19:10) 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. 5 Darrell L. Bock, Luke, 2 vols. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1996), 2:

5 There was a time when it was in man s nature to run to and seek after God. However, after Adam and Eve committed the first sin, that changed. It is now in man s fallen nature to run away from and hide from God. This is not exclusive to a portion of humanity. The Psalmist and Paul say, None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one (Rom. 3:10-13). This is the condition we are all in without Divine intervention. That was Jesus purpose for coming to this fallen world. He came to seek and to save the lost. We translate the word lost from the Greek word apollumi, but the word lost does not best describe what is being said. The word literally means, to be ruined or destroyed. We know from the Scriptures that sin itself ruins and destroys people in this life and it is God s wrath over sin that will ruin and destroy people for eternity. What Jesus is saying is that he came to rescue people who are being ruined and destroyed in this life and will ultimately, unless something happens, will be eternally ruined and destroyed under the wrath of God. He is the something that happens that changes people s lives and eternal destinies. Zacchaeus story is our story if Jesus has saved us. We were wretched, cheating, dishonest sinners seeking after our own interests and riches. We were not seeking God. We were seeking self. But God, with the great love with which he had for us, sought and saved us. He sent Jesus to find us and rescues us from the grips of our depravity and the Hell we deserve. It stands to reason that if this is true about us, we should desire above all else, reconciliation with those we have wronged and sacrifice for those who do not yet possess this salvation in Jesus. Like Zacchaeus, we should long to share our riches with others and right any wrongs we may have committed. Small Group Discussion Questions 1. What does climbing the tree tell us about Zacchaeus condition when Jesus entered Jericho? He was seeking something. He was probably convicted by his life of sin and unfulfilled by his riches. 2. Do you agree that the main focus of this story is about God s sovereignty in Zacchaeus salvation? Why or why not? 3. Why is it important that we recognize the divinely appointed nature of our salvation? It is important that God receives all the glory for salvation. It is also important that we understand our salvation was completely a gift from God from beginning to end in order to prevent us from trusting in our own works. 4. Based on our discussion about tax collectors in Jesus day, what are some people groups that we tend to look down upon in our society? 5

6 5. Would you struggle with people from those people groups coming to this church and claiming to be saved? 6. How did Zacchaeus conversion speak about repentance in salvation? He gave half of his riches away and committed to a four-fold restitution of all those whom he defrauded. 7. Can anyone briefly share a wrong that you committed as an unbeliever that you made right as a believer? Behind the Book is only one aspect of Heritage s teaching ministry which seeks to employ our church s mission statement: Connecting to God, Growing with Others and Impacting the world. On Wednesday evenings we connect to Sunday morning s Bible passage and discover what it says through in-depth Bible study. Sunday morning in corporate worship (9:30am) we grow from the passage by learning what it means for our daily living. In Community Groups (10:45am) we practically apply the text, being impacted by it and learning to impact the world with it. CGI provides a balanced approach to life and Bible study; an upward look (Connect), an inward look (Grow) and an outward look (Impact) ensuring that our mission fulfils our vision to be a God-centered, Great Commission congregation. It s a well-known and beneficial way to approach the Bible Connect/Observation, Grow/Interpretation, Impact/Application. It s also a Trinitarian approach to Scripture: Connecting to the Father, Growing in Christ and Impacting the world by the Spirit, so that the way we study the Bible daily reminds us about who our God is and how he is unique among all religions of the world. 6