January 12, 2025 Sunday School Lesson

Jesus Seeks Out Zacchaeus

Lesson Text: Luke 19:1-10

Related Scriptures: Ezekiel 18:19-32; Luke 15:1-10; Acts 11:1-18

TIME: A.D. 30

PLACE: Jericho

Golden Text “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)

Introduction

Biographical studies are among the most profitable parts of scripture because we learn practical ways in which God works with His people. This does not minimize the importance of doctrinal teaching, word studies, and other approaches to bible study, for any time we spend in God’s word is valuable. But often we can learn by reading about the activities of people and observing God’s responses, whether they are blessings, corrections, warnings, encouragements, further direction, or even discipline.

Examples of faith are especially encouraging. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Mary, Peter, and Paul are just a few examples of many we find in scripture. God included their life experiences, both their triumphs and failures, so that we might profit, not merely be intrigued by them.

Almost every example we find in the bible includes sin and failure. This helps us to realize that the Lord can call anyone – even notorious sinners!

LESSON OUTLINE

I. A MAN EAGER TO SEE JESUS – Luke 19:1-6

II. A MAN REJOICING OVER MEETING JESUS – Luke 19:7-10

QUESTIONS

1. Who were the publicans, and why did they cause resentment among the Jewish people?

2. How did this lesson’s event differ from Jesus’ encounter with the blind man earlier in the same city?

3. What did Zacchaeus want, why could he not achieve it, and how did he solve the problem?

4. What did Jesus say to him?

5. What was the response in Zacchaeus’s heart to Jesus’ words?

6. What was the general reaction of the people in the crowd?

7. What two things did Zacchaeus unexpectedly say he would do?

8. How did the second thing exceed the demands of the Mosaic Law?

9. What did Jesus say had occurred based on the evidence of Zacchaeus doing these things?

10. How did Jesus’ encounter with this man fulfill His purpose?

ANSWERS

1. The publicans were tax collectors for the Roman government. Because they had chosen to associate so closely with the government that domineered the Jews, they were despised by the general populace of Israel. They resided in each of the provinces and were responsible for their areas. They were especially hated because their typical practice was to overcharge in order to both satisfy Rome and gain personal wealth.

2. He had just healed a blind man who in desperation had cried out to Him for help (18:35-43), but He was about to take the initiative and reach out to someone who did not expect it.

3. There was only one problem, Zacchaeus was such a short man that he could not see over the crowds of people already lining the road. Who has not stood in a crowd, dodging back and forth trying to see above the shoulder and heads of those in front of them in order to get glimpses of what is passing by? In such situations, we often think that perhaps if we moved further down the road, we could find a spot not so heavily populated where we could see clearly and enjoy the parade. Zacchaeus came up with a quite creative idea. He ran to a place ahead of the crowd where he had spotted a sycamore tree, and then he climbed into it. This tree probably had large and sturdy branches near the bottom, making for a fairly easy climb, and they would have stretched out over thread Jesus was walking on. For a man with an important government position, the act of running and positioning himself out on a tree limb was at the least undignified and perhaps disgraceful in the eyes of some.

4. Jesus also knew his name, even though He had never met him. “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down” (v.5). As if that address were not shocking enough, Jesus invited Himself to his house to be his guest. He told Zacchaeus he should hurry and get down from the tree.

5. The publican’s response was what we would expect: he hurried to get down, and his heart leaped with joy.

6. The crowd’s response to Jesus when He addressed Zacchaeus was harsh. They were surprised that Jesus would stoop to associating with someone like Zacchaeus

7. First, he said he would give half of everything he owned to the poor. Second, he would make restitution to those he had wronged, returning fourfold to them.

8. Zacchaeus’s willingness to restore to others what he had taken unjustly was based on the Mosaic Law, which stated the need to do this. “Speak unto the children of Israel. When a man or woman shall commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed”. The required restitution was 20 percent. Zacchaeus, however, applied the ruling of Exodus 22:1 in the amount he was going to give: “if a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” Zacchaeus applied the harshest penalty of the law to himself.

9. Jesus’ response was affirmation of a changed heart and life. Salvation had come to that house, and Zacchaeus was now a true son of Abraham.

10. Jesus always preferred working with those who recognized their need of Him rather than those who thought they were good enough without Him. His purpose in coming to earth is state in Luke 19:10: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” On that day, His purpose was realized in the life of a despised tax collector.