The Symbolism of Zacchaeus
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ย. 2024
- Support the Channel: / thebibleisart
Email Signup: tinyurl.com/3h...
Email: thisdivineart@gmail.com
Twitter: @johnbhiggins
| Best Books on How to Learn to Read the Bible as Literary Art |
Reading Biblical Narrative: An Introductory Guide (amzn.to/30LzaRa)
Narrative Art in the Bible (amzn.to/30RVGIb)
The Art of Biblical Narrative (amzn.to/3aDrIfk)
Old Testament Narrative: A Guide to Interpretation (amzn.to/38rcE2C)
The Poetics of Biblical Narrative (amzn.to/2Gh4cqE)
| Transcription |
The story of Zacchaeus is one of the most well known stories in the gospels. But when you read it there is a strange information distribution. Now, what’s information distribution? One of the helpful things that you can do when you’re trying to understand a story, especially a well-known one, is look at how much information is devoted to each major section or event or character in the story. The purpose of doing this is to see what the author actually focuses on, what he wants us to pay attention to. Because if it’s a very well-known story our attention naturally gravitates toward the parts that are popular. So let’s look at the information distribution in our story.
The story of Zacchaeus is short, it takes less than a minute to read, so let’s read the whole thing:
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And look, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 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.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 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.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The story consists of 10 verses. Seven of the verses happen outside with the crowd with Zacchaeus running up in a tree and coming down and the crowd grumbling. Only three verses are the conversation between Jesus and Zacchaeus, you could say the moral of the story. So we have a strange amount of attention on Zacchaeus’ action and the tree. I mean, why have all the stuff about the tree anyways couldn’t we just have the conversation in the house, Zacchaeus telling Jesus that he’ll give away a bunch of his stuff and Jesus saying that salvation has come here?
One of the fundamental features of great art, whether it’s architecture, music, or literature, is that all the parts work together to make the whole, all the parts, the sentences, the words, the images contribute to the main thesis of the work. So there’s never a shape or a note or an image that’s not serving the goal of the work. So let’s look at the craft of Luke and how these images and actions contribute to his message.
Luke opens the story like this:
“He entered Jericho and was passing through.” (Luke 19:1)
Jesus has just about finished his journey to Jerusalem that started 10 chapters earlier and just like the journey of Israel in the wilderness ended with them passing through Jericho, so Jesus passes through Jericho. But this is not a little detail to fill out the scene, Luke is showing us that this Jericho scene is parallel to the Jericho scene in the book of Joshua.
In both Jerichos you have a hostile group of people, the crowd here and the inhabitants of Jericho in Joshua. And in each story there is one exception, one convert, one faithful and unexpected one-a prostitute in Joshua and a tax collector here-whose home will be the place of their transformation. Notice, the Canaanites are parallel to the Israelite crowds here. Israel has been Canaanized and needs to be reconquered, but this time the warfare and the weapons will be different.
Let me know what ya'll think.
Fantastic video as always.
I am also enamored by the fact that Zacchaeus climbed up a sycamore tree- a tree known for its concealing leaves, which Zacchaeus may have exploited so that he could get a glimpse at Jesus, while covering himself from being seen by anyone else. Indeed, the tree is not referred to as simply a "sycamore tree", but a "sycamore fig tree", emphasizing the allusion back to the Garden. It's a psychological action that reveals many things about Zaccheaus's spiritual posture: he does not want to be seen in the eyes of the public due to his shameful occupation and past dealings, as well as covering up his shame and sin from the eyes of the Judge: Adam and Eve, concealing their sins before God. But unlike Adam and Eve who blamed another for their sins, Zacchaeus takes responsibility upon himself, and gives half his possessions to the poor.
Recall how Jesus also saw pre-apostolic Nathaniel while he was "under the fig tree", and what an interesting response from Nathaniel ("Rabbi, you are truly the King of Israel") unless Nathaniel was hiding within the leaves of the tree to pray away from the gaze of other people. Interestingly, as we know, the Lord sees Zacchaeus through his covering- physically and psychologically; but instead of shaming him, He invites Himself to his home.
Jesus saw Zacchaeus through the sycamore leaves not physically, but saw Zacchaeus through the posture of his heart in his search for God.
What a beautiful picture of a man who sought the Lord in his hiding place -his closet- and through his truthful seeking, he not only found, but was invited to be a guest at the table. Amazing.
You conveyed that eloquently. Thanks for posting that. 🙏🏼❤️
@@atarahchomah1463 Thank you so much for reading! May God bless you, my friend!
Wow, thanks for elaborating🙏
Deep! Thank you for your take.
@@jjall663 Thank you so much for reading my rather long ramble! May God bless you.
so much blessing in this video, a short story, about a short man who changed in a short time.... loved how you laid it out
Loyal Ncube thanks!
Yes! Excellent summary 👍🏽
Thank you Jesus for showing us your heart towards man, though we seek to hide our shame you alone search the heart. Praise be unto Jesus Christ of Nazareth . Thanks brother for this breakdown of this scripture, God bless.
Thank you for unpacking this passage of scripture. I'm truly blessed.
Zacchaeus is my favorite bible character. I remember my mom used to sing a song about him putting me to sleep.💕
A real gift to curious minds. I had to watch twice because it so packed with wisdom.
First day back at church today after years of failing MISERABLY. (Shepherd Church in Porter Ranch SoCal)
The guest was Brian V. Warth, an ex gang member found guilty of murder and attempted murder. He spent 16 years in prison, but was released. (I missed why he was released) He now runs his own church AMEN. He told this story which really was a great way to get back to where I belong...with God. It was short (no pun intended lol) but struck a chord in me. Thanks for the detailed breakdown. 👍
This is one of the finest video productions I have ever reviewed. The work and content speak for themselves. I will become a supporter. Thank you for sharing your talent and expertise in biblical interpretation.
Thank you for this video. After reading Kenneth Bailey’s chapter on Zacchaeus and Jesus in his book Jesus Through Middle Easter Eyes I wanted to hear other commentaries on it. Yours gave something new and interesting to think about. This is so much more than an amusing children’s story. I wish more believers realized that. Thanks, and God bless
Thank you for very good illustration. Praise God
Praise God
Praised the lord , great comparative study
Thank you for your analysis and insight of this biblical story. Great work.
Amazing video!📽🔥 The way you explained it really helped me understand this powerful story of Jesus and Zacchaeus🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much for this quality of content, I humbly ask if you could add Spanish subtitles this Hispanic community miss the whole context in the allegorical art of the scripture like the meaning of the names of people and places ❤
Also, remember that as a wealthy figure of note, in a highly dignified shame and honor culture, Zach would have had to utterly sacrifice his dignity - in front of a hostile public - in order climb up that tree. It was a childish thing to do, and injurious to his public image and reputation.
Imagine New York mayors Michael Bloomberg or Bill De Blasio climbing onto an iron tree railing on Mahattan’s Fifth Avenue, in view of TV cameras and Central Park, hoping to get a glimpse of Santa Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
They would have been mocked for years.
The prodigal son’s father did the same thing in running down the road to meet his lost son.
Running was not something a man of wealth ever did. Only servants or messengers or someone vulnerable would have run. He’d have had to pick up the skirts of his robes like a woman and look silly in front of his whole household and slaves.
But he did it spontaneously without being self-conscious or ashamed.
And he had been looking for his son out that window and down that road for many weeks, hoping his son would one day come home.
Very enlightening explanation my dear brother...
Thank you very much 🙏🙏
Great analysis and exegesis. Hope you can do more Gospel for Sunday videos
Absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for your work!
Myki Lee thanks again!
This cool because my name is Zachaeus with one c. So yeah that's pretty nice
My God...
Wow I can’t believe 2 years ago, I was here ❤🙏
Thank you for sharing!! ❤
ooh God bless you!!
I am blessed for this enligtenment.
this is amazing! you are gifted by God!
Thank you for the insights in God's Word.
Wow, I always thought that Zaccheaus repented/converted at this moment, but the story doesn't really say that. It sounds like he might have been a good guy the whole time.
Love your breakdown.
Óscar thanks
This is FIRE
Excellent interpretation dear, blessed.
Beautiful... thank you
Love this. Great exegesis!
HalleluYah
HalleluYahshua
Thank You
Well done ! / Kenneth - Artist living in NZ
Zacchaeus climbed that tree not knowing that Jesus one day soon with climb a tree for him
Holy Ghost...
Dah point here strike mi.
Thanks
❤📖Thank you.
God bless you 🙏.
And also to you
Brilliant!!!
I really like this video thank you
You’re welcome
Most enjoyable
The Bible aught to be Gods word and not a mere homan creation for it to be so precise, and enlightening
Wait, so if God writes something it should be imprecise and unenlightening?
Intresting to know that Zachæus wasn't actually short in height.
Of course he was short, but why include that in the story?
Thank you
Thank you