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Summer
2004, Vol. 1, No. 1
Part 1
The Church as a Transformational
Agent in Society: The Story of Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10
 James D. Hernando,
Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament, Assemblies
of God Theological Seminary
This is the first of a series of vignettes
from the New Testament that illustrate the power of
personal faith in Christ to change people and the society
around them.
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The story of Zaccheus is one of the most
intriguing in Luke’s gospel—a literary masterpiece
filled with vivid imagery, drama, and biting irony. It
is the story of the conversion of an arch villain in
Jewish society who has a transforming encounter with
the Lord. But it also offers marvelous insight into how
the church transforms society one converted sinner at
a time.
Enter the Villain
Luke quickly opens his story by introducing the main
character in the briefest fashion. However, English
readers seldom catch the innuendo of the Greek syntax. “There
was a man called by name Zaccheus.” Luke is undoubtedly
calling attention to the man’s name, which is
derived from the Hebrew root1 meaning “pure” or “acquitted
one.” The irony leaps out from Luke’s pen
with the ensuing words, “and he was a chief tax
collector”. Tax collectors (Gk. telonai)
were locals hired by cities and towns to collect taxes
for the Romans. Zaccheus was a “chief” tax
collector (Gk. architelones), which meant he
probably had supervision over a region and number of
tax collectors. Luke’s words “and he was
rich” would
certainly not go unnoticed by Jews in Jesus’ day.
The privilege of collecting taxes was offered at a
steep price and those who held that job set tax rates
that often exceeded by far any quotas demanded by Rome.
While tax-collectors had no authority to confiscate
funds or property, they held great leverage over the
people as they could exact severe penalties by reporting
tax delinquency to the Romans. This they often did
whether the charge were true or not.2 And
so here Luke presents an arch villain who is ironically
named. He was anything but someone of pure or blameless
character; he was, in fact, the exact opposite of his
name. Keep in mind also that “tax-collectors” were
notorious for their corruption and the mere mention
of their profession aligned them with “sinners.” (See
Matt. 9:11; Mark 2:15f; Luke 5:30).
The Action of Zaccheus
But this notorious sinner is soon found to be in a seeking mode.
How and when he heard about Jesus we do not know. What
kind of report sparked his desire to see Jesus is also
unknown. However, what we read paints an ironic
and even comical picture. Zaccheus was obviously well-known
in the area (v.7) at least by reputation. His position
and wealth would have placed him at the highest echelon
of societal status. But this “big” man in
society was woefully lacking in physical stature. He
who often looked down at people from his pinnacle of
societal power could not see Jesus over the crowd. Although
left unstated, I cannot help but conclude that only an
unseen and desperate spiritual need could have forced
a man of his status to take up the humiliating posture
of an adolescent “tree-climber.”
The Call and Invitation of Jesus
The irony continues when Jesus stops under this “sycamore” tree
and calls him to come down. If as some scholars suggest
the tree was a variety of “fig” tree (mulberry),3 the
irony soars. The great “shake down” artist
who could extort excessive taxes by falsely accusing
people of tax delinquency is now is “shook down” down
out of the fig tree!4 But
Jesus does not berate him or add to his obvious humiliating
posture. Instead he honors him by calling him by
name and declaring his intent to be a guest at his house.
The Transforming Fellowship
What Luke leaves out in this story screams for completion. Except
for the peoples’ complaint that Jesus was going
as a guest to the home of a sinner,5 Luke
says nothing about what happened next. Instead we find
Zacchaeus stopping6 and
saying to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my
possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have
defrauded7 anyone
of anything, I will give them back four times as much.” Embedded
in these words are all the marks of true repentance:
a recognition of sin, a willingness to make restitution,
and a commitment to embark on a path of righteousness.
Somehow, perhaps while fellowshipping with Jesus in
his home, the taker was transformed into a giver.
The greedy cheat who defrauded people was given a benevolent
and just heart. Zacchaeus even adopts the spirit of
the Law when he commits to making restitution for past
sins (See Exod. 22:1-4). Nothing can account
for this dramatic change, except the grace of God that
produces repentance.
Concluding Thoughts and Application
The transforming effect that the Church brings to society
is only possible through individuals who have had a
transforming encounter with Jesus Christ. At conversion
sinners experience an inner transformation that reorients
their entire lives. In a very real sense, all things
become new (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). Regeneration (“being
born again”) and the indwelling presence of the
Holy Spirit initiate the process of transformation
into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28f; 2 Cor. 3:18;
Titus 3:5). However, all too often Christians think about
this work of transformation exclusively in a personal
spiritual sense. Seldom do we “think outside the
soul,” to
borrow a cliché.
I contend that God has always intended that our personal
spiritual transformation have a societal impact (Matt.
5:15-16), because people are not saved in a vacuum
but as those who are in the world but no
longer of the
world. They become subjects and citizens of a
new Kingdom (see Col. 1:13; Phil 3:20). The Kingdom
of God is a spiritual reality, the effects of which
are intended by God to grow pervasively in the world
(Matt. 13:31-33; Luke 13:20-21). Let me ask a simple
question. After reading our story does anyone think
of Zacchaeus went back to tax-collecting “as
usual?” One
can only imagine the radical nature of the instructions
he gave to his subordinate tax-gatherers. Did
he admonish them after the words of John the Baptist
not to collect more taxes than they were ordered (Luke
3:13)? What impact did his own personal example have
on those who had present and would have future dealings
with him? Luke remains enticingly silent and invites
our imaginative speculation.
The Church can become a transformational agent in society
when people, who are daily being transformed into the
image of Christ, determine to live out “Kingdom” principles
in the various arenas of their personal lives. The
effect is magnified when these same individuals collectively
ask how those principles might inform and transform
the business of being “in this world,” but
not “of
this world.” This life is made possible by the
enabling presence and power of the Holy Spirit who
has been given to us as a pledge of the fullness to
come (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:22).
A few practical suggestions rise from our study. First,
pastors and spiritual leaders can facilitate this process
by starting, encouraging, and supporting discipleship
through relational mentoring. Jesus took the time to
be with Zacchaeus in his home. The home was the site
of intimate personal interaction and fellowship, and
it was in this context that Zacchaeus had his transforming
encounter with Jesus. Second, the so-called “friendship” model
of evangelism finds merit in our story, not only because
it has scriptural precedent, but because it provides
a natural bridge and vehicle for mentoring new believers.8 However,
relational discipleship must make an effort to include “non-believers.” Home
cells, “Koinonia” groups and Bible
studies, get cozy and comfortable with only Christians
in attendance, but can also become exclusive. Such
groups need to find, as Jesus did, common ground upon
which to relate and have meaningful interaction, a
setting where unbelievers have access to the Christian
faith lived out and proclaimed by authentic Christians. Finally,
as our story illustrates, faith must be made relevant
to the practical issues of life. Salvation is the entrance
into the kingdom of God, where God’s reign extends
over the totality of our earthly as well as spiritual
existence. It was our Lord Jesus who taught us to pray, “Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven” (Matt. 6:10, KJV).
Endnotes...
1. If
Frederick Danker is correct and Zachaios is derived
from the Hebrew Zakkai then
his name points to the moral character of purity or
uprightness. See F. Danker, ed. A Greek-English Lexicon
of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature (Chicago:
University Press, 2000), 214. Cf. R. L. Harris, G.L.
Archer and B.K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of
the Old Testament, vol. 1 (Chicago: Moody Press,
1980), 548.
2. Everett Ferguson
points out that the word translated “defrauded” in
19:8 (Gk. sukophanteo) actually means to “bring
false charges.” See E. Ferguson, Backgrounds
of Early Christianity (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Co., 2nd ed., 1993), 88.
3. See sukomorea in DBAG
Lexicon, 955.
4. Thanks goes to
my colleague and Academic Dean at the AG Theological
Seminary, Joseph Castleberry, for this illuminating metaphor.
5. This undoubtedly
they regarded as a gross social and religious indiscretion.
6. Whether this happened
on the way to Zacchaeus’ house, or in the house
some time during their visit is not certain, although
the latter is more probable.
7. The Greek syntax
indicates that what is described in the “if” clause
of this conditional sentence is assumed to be “true.”
8. The author is
not endorsing “friendship” evangelism over
all other modes of evangelism, only pointing out the
validity and effectiveness of this model to combine the
aims of evangelism and discipleship. Recently, a friend
of mine shared with me his joy over a friend who had
come to Christ, after several years of meeting regularly
for coffee and conversation. His friend is now a brother
in Christ, attends church and continues to be mentored
and discipled. As far as I know, their weekly coffee
meetings continue.
Updated:
Monday, February 6, 2006 12:39 PM
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