Zacchaeus’ Last Will

Zacchaeus, as we know, was a chief tax collector and a rich man (Luke 19: 1-10). He, as any tax collectors of his time would do, used to collect much more than due, even by force and violence. Now we might say, in a very self-justifying manner, that I am not a tax collector, thus this gospel does not concern my life and me. The figures of a survey done on taxes; taxpayers and tax collectors could be quite embarrassing. 72% people do not pay taxes fully or partially. They cheat the country and the government. 26% of people pay the full tax, not because they love their country and its development but because of fear of being caught and punished; they are in a search of completely safe ways of evading taxes. The rest 2% are involved in collecting taxes. They cheat the country and people by collecting more and not correctly accounting for it. That leaves us with a 100% of ‘Zacchaeuses’ in our societies. Thus most of us stand in need of salvation for our families and ourselves.

Zacchaeus redeems his family though his last will. People usually make the last will in their lives to settle their obligations and accounts with the world; it fulfils the desires and hopes of his/her descendents and beneficiaries on earth. Zacchaeus made his ‘last will’ in the presence of Jesus; “I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated somebody I will pay him back four times the amount.” And Jesus promptly said, “Salvation has come to this house today.” The redemption of our family should happen through us. We have a role in redeeming our family from injustices, corruption, and abuses. Salvation should come to our household through us.

Zacchaeus began giving happily. We most often relate repentance to sadness. The beauty of Zacchaeus story is that he repented happily. True repentance is being happy enough to quit. Zacchaeus had real repentance therefore he quitted. He changed his life joyfully. Finally all that mattered to him was his and his household’s happiness, which the gospel here calls as salvation.

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