The First Scrooge
A Biblical Christmas Carol
We are barely entering the Christmas season, and I’ve already seen commercials with one of the Christmas’ most iconic characters, Ebenezer Scrooge. Charles Dickens’ grouchy miser has been a Christmas classic since A Christmas Carol was first published in December of 1843. I have always loved this story, and every year it causes me to reflect upon my own past, present, and future. There’s something heartwarming about Scrooge’s transformation from penny pincher to philanthropist that reminds us of the spirit of Christmas. But this Christmas season it reminded me of another Scrooge that lived in the first century. Upon meeting Jesus he experiences an even more miraculous transformation. It doesn’t take Jesus five staves to transform the life of this 1st century Scrooge, but merely a simple invitation.
First Century Miser
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, 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. (Luke 19:1-4)
In the Gospel of Luke we meet Zacchaeus. We are told two primary things about him: 1) that he is a chief tax collector and is rich, and 2) that he is small in stature. To paint a picture of the dynamics here it’s important to understand that Zacchaeus collects taxes from the people of Israel on behalf of Rome. Tax collectors were looked down upon because they were agents of Rome’s heavy handed oppression of the Israelite people, their own people. Helping persecute their own provided a significant financial benefit. Of course, many of them also skimmed the taxes they collected to line their own pockets even further. So Zacchaeus is a tax collector, but notice that he is the chief tax collector. He was like a mob boss that oversaw an army of tax collectors. So it’s likely that he was very rich indeed.
The gospel writer also tells us that he is a man small in stature. This small statement helps paint a picture of Zacchaeus’ life. It makes me think that because of his small size that Zacchaeus was bullied as a child and often laughed at. I imagine that he was seen as a weakling in a primarily agrarian society. He couldn’t move wood or heavy stones. He couldn’t swing the hammer of a blacksmith. But he was likely intelligent and good with numbers. And so when an opportunity to provide for himself came along that depended on his brains and not his brawn he jumped on it.
Like dear ol’ Ebenezer he didn’t take this job with ill intentions, but because of a simple desire to work. And yet by taking this particular job things turned from bad to worse. If being a man small in stature wasn’t enough, he became a traitor and an outcast. Rather than being bullied he was outright shunned by his people. The resulting lack of relationships and loss of community likely caused him to spend more time with his work. With only ledgers to keep him company the temptation of vengeance began to creep in. At first he only took a little from the people that had abandoned him. Over time as his life became more hollow the amounts he took grew. He became lightyears away from his people as he attempted to fill the gaping hole in his heart with wealth and success. His brokenness and the bitterness of his people propelled him to the height of success as the chief tax collector and so he was very rich.
But one day Zacchaeus hears of a man named Jesus. Rumors spread about the miracles he performed and the countless people he had healed. Claims of the Messiah echoed in the streets. I imagine the hope of the Messiah made his heart flutter as he remembered the awe and wonder he had as a young Hebrew boy. Could this man be him? If he was indeed the Messiah, Zacchaeus could not sit idly by. Not only would he be missing a historic moment, but deep down he was a man in deep need of saving. And so he feverishly worked his way through the crowds, a dangerous task for him.
Betrayed by his fine clothing he was pushed and shoved to the side. So he did the only thing he could. He climbed a tree. Don’t take it lightly that this man climbed a tree. It was irrational, impulsive, and illogical, not becoming of a chief tax collector. It would be the equivalent of the president of a hedge fund climbing up into a tree in his Armani suit. But he was driven by something stronger than logic. A desperate need for love.
A Powerful Invitation
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.” Luke 19: 5-8
Unlike Dickens’ ghosts, Jesus is not concerned with this man's past or his present. He is only interested in his future. Jesus desired this man’s redemption, and a simple invitation to come and share a meal in his home was all it took. At these words Zachaeus clambers down the tree like a child running down the stairs on Christmas morning. Nobody ever came to dwell in the house of Zacchaeus, nobody. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had broken bread with his own people. Jesus’ invitation is like a river in the desert of his heart, and he receives this gift with overflowing joy. The crowds grumble that Jesus would visit a tax collector, a sinner, and yet Zacchaeus only has eyes and ears for Jesus. He is so exuberant that he declares to give away half of his wealth, and to restore any wrong he had done four times over.
This is a radical conversion. If Jesus came to your house for Christmas dinner would you give half of everything you owned to the poor? So what happens at this moment? Jesus doesn’t speak of this man’s sin or talk about forgiveness. He doesn’t talk about eternity in heaven. He certainly doesn’t rack him with guilt like the ghosts of Christmas. To understand this radical transformation it’s helpful to consider a story and a parable.
A Christmas Miracle
The story is in Matthew 19 where Jesus is talking to another rich man. The rich young man asks Jesus what is required of him to have eternal life, and Jesus replies that he must keep the commandments. And here’s what happens next:
“The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19:20-21)
Rather than the joyful act of generosity we see from Zacchaeus this young man walks away with deep sorrow. When we tell this story we often focus on Jesus encouraging the young man to sell his possessions. We either skim over or forget about the invitation Jesus gives the young man to “come and follow me.” A similar invitation and yet a different response, so what is the difference between these two men?
At this point in his life the young man deeply treasured and loved his riches. He had not yet realized that placing his faith in riches was a path of empty promises and deep sorrow. Blinded by his shining wealth he could not see the gift that Jesus was offering. But as a chief tax collector, Zachaeus was no spring chicken, and he had already traveled the road to riches and knew where it led. He’d lived long enough to realize the wisdom of Solomon; that striving after riches is merely chasing the wind. It's an empty treasure that doesn’t satisfy the deepest part of our souls. And so he sees the gift of a relationship with Jesus as the ultimate treasure. His response is like the man in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:44 who found the kingdom and proceeded to sell everything he had in order to possess it. It was a Christmas miracle.
The True Presence of Christmas
Imagine two brothers, one older and one younger, who are opening presents on Christmas morning. Their father puts down his pipe and rises from his rocking chair. He goes behind the tree to bring out two identical boxes. With love in his eyes he gives a gift to each of his sons. The youngest brother rips at the wrapping paper with joy, but when he opens the box his face shows his disappointment. It was not what he expected nor what he had hoped for from his father, and so he went back to playing with the cool toys he had already opened that morning. The older brother however upon viewing the contents of the box begins to cry tears of joy. In laughter he hugs his father and for the rest of the day a pile of presents is left forgotten under the tree.
This is the joy of Zacchaeus. The invitation of relationship that Jesus offers turns a bitter criminal into a joy filled philanthropist. He had been lost in the darkness of pain, loneliness, and regret. But the light of Christ shone in the darkness and this man experienced the kingdom of love through a simple invitation to come to dinner. Like the Grinch who accepts Cindy Lou’s invitation to dinner, Zacchaeus' heart grew three times the size that day.
As we embark on this Christmas season I pray that we can enjoy the gift of giving presents to our loved ones. But I pray even more so that like Jesus we give our presence to those who might be in the long winter night of loneliness and despair. Maybe it’s time to lay down our grudges and reach out to the friend or family member we’ve lost touch with. Maybe it’s someone else that God will bring into your life, but may we listen to the Spirit and spread the love of Christ. For this is the kingdom of heaven and the work of Christ. In fact, at the end of our Christmas story Jesus reminds us that this is the very reason why he has come.
Rejoice, For A Savior is Born
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.” (Luke 19:9-10)
Jesus explains to Zacchaeus that he has been saved, and reminds him and the crowd that he is a son of Abraham. Both Zachaeus and the crowd had forgotten what it was to be a child of Abraham. It meant that he was a child of the covenant of God and the promises of God. And as Jesus declares that salvation has come to Zacchaeus he is also declaring that God is faithful in fulfilling His promises. God doesn’t forget His promises, and He is faithful to the covenant he made with Abraham. His children would be blessed and they would be a blessing to the world.
We see this in the life of Zacchaeus. He is blessed by the love of Jesus, and from that a blessing pours out from his heart to those around him. Zacchaeus had lost sight of the faithful God who loves us, and was left wandering the wilderness alone. But this is why Jesus has come; to seek and save the lost.
Like Zacchaeus we too may have lost sight of the God who is faithful to fulfill his promises. We forget the immense love that he has for us, and we go looking for it in other places. We slowly find ourselves drifting into the kingdom of darkness as we slip into despair. We too often listen to the whispers and lies of the evil one.
You’re not good enough. All hope is lost. Nobody loves me.
And yet Jesus finds us and meets us exactly where we are. He invites us to feast with him. He invites us into a relationship with him. He invites us into the kingdom of light. With open arms he is waiting to see if you and I will come down from the tree, and into his embrace. For many the Christmas season can be a season of darkness. But our Savior was born and he conquered death so there is hope. As J.R.R. Tolkein said, “The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus means that one day everything sad will come untrue.”
May we all jump with the joy of Zacchaeus as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
