WHO IS HE?
“When Jesus came To Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, ‘who are the people saying I am?’ ‘Well they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist; some Elijah; some Jeremiah or one of the prophets’.
(Matthew 16: 13-14, The Living Bible)
In today’s reading we are
reintroduced to perhaps one of the Bible’s best-known characters, Zacchaeus. I
am sure my Sunday school teachers tried to teach me about numerous other
biblical personages and events but Zacchaeus remains the favorite and most
memorable!! I vividly remember climbing
the imaginary sycamore tree and intensely peering for a sight of Jesus. Do you, too, recall that catchy little tune
that accompanied the introduction of that “wee, little man”?
Zacchaeus was a wee little
man,
and a wee little man was
he.
He climbed up in a sycamore
tree
to see what he could see.
To see what he could see!
Although
this simple ditty may jog our memories of less troublesome childhood days, it
seems to obscure what Zacchaeus was really seeking! Was he only trying to just see Jesus or was an important point
omitted in that long-ago Sunday school lesson? Luke clearly states: “He
was trying to see who Jesus was.”
No
doubt Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus and wanted to figure out what was it that
made Jesus different from everyone else.
That quest is a frequent topic in scripture. Pilate attempted to discern who He was. However, when our Lord asked His disciples: “But what about you? “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, The Son of the living
God” (Matthew 16: 15-16, NIV). Peter was right on target!
However, even today after two
thousand years while very few disparage Jesus’ greatness or question His
goodness and many would even concede that He was great teacher and leader. But do such descriptions really identify who
He is?
Luke leaves it to our imagination as
to what went on inside of Zacchaeus’ home.
But he leaves no doubt as the consequences of the time Jesus and
Zacchaeus spent together. Zacchaeus
repented of his past ways, made a
huge financial commitment to benefit the poor, and offered fourfold payment to
those who he may have overcharged. All
of this prompted Jesus to say what had already become apparent: “Today salvation has come to this house
because he too is a son of Abraham” and when Jesus said these words
Zacchaeus not only saw who Jesus was, he discovered his long-lost identity and
subsequently became aware of a new purpose for his life. Zacchaeus’ actions should prompt each of us
to ask ourselves the question: “Who do I say Jesus is and what does He
desire for my life?”