Most of us know the story of Zacchaeus - little guy, can't see Jesus, climbs a tree for a better look, Jesus invites Himself to dinner with him. We remember it perhaps from school days with affection. It has an almost cartoon like quality to it. But there is more to this story than meets the eye - which is not surprising as it is all about seeing and being seen. And it presents us with a personal question - what are the sycamore trees that we climb, and is it time to come down?...
At risk of telling you things you already know well, just remember that Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which means he was not exactly popular among his Jewish family and friends. He was a collaborator with the hated Roman authorities and the implication is that he had grown rich in the process. Zacchaeus was 'trying to see who Jesus was' - hold on to that thought and notice that it is different from knowing who Jesus was and trying to see him. We are not told why, so we will just assume a general curiosity. 'On account of the crowd he could not see because he was short in stature.' Again just notice that the Greek is quite unclear as to which of the two, Jesus or Zacchaeus was short, but of course generations have always assumed it was Zacchaeus because Jesus the Son of God must surely be tall, dark and handsome , or so our prejudices tell us! So today let's assume it was Zacchaeus who was a little bit vertically challenged, and who promptly becomes the patron saint of all those who would welcome and extra centimetre or so. So he runs ahead and climbs up a sycamore tree.
You know that really is very odd. Zacchaeus was not popular in his town, but he would have had a certain standing. It would be like the mayor or your bank manager suddenly taking it into their head to start running about and shinning up trees. So the tree has symbolic as well as literal purpose and the question is what purpose does the tree have in this story that might apply to us as well?
One excellent purpose that the tree had for Zacchaeus was as a hiding place. This was a spot where he could see without being seen. Given that folk did not like him very much this was definitely preferable to rubbing shoulders with those in the crowd who might be inclined to step on his toes. He could look without committing himself. He could hide the things of which he was ashamed. I suspect we all have sycamore trees for hiding in at times. Some of us hide in our work, some in our family life. Some of us hide in pleasures and past times. All of us at times can see the advantage of a place to see without being seen.
Another great advantage of the sycamore tree for Zacchaeus was that it gave him a vantage point, a height above the crowd. At a more symbolic level, he was choosing a spot of superiority, seeing himself perhaps as a bit above others, maybe on account of his wealth, maybe on account of his superior cleverness which was allowing him to gain status and riches at the expense of others. We might like to ask ourselves, where in our lives do we do that? - maybe not consciously, but just when our ego gets the better of us and we start perhaps to think of ourselves as a bit better than the next person. That's the moment when we have shinned up our inner sycamore tree and are sitting there feeling a bit pleased with ourselves.
Until of course Christ comes along and suddenly we are not seeing, but being seen. Seen for who we are, the bad and the good - and being loved just as we are. For notice there is not the least shade of judgment in Jesus's exchange with Zacchaeus. 'Hurry and come down', he says 'for I must stay at your house today'. To Jesus it does not matter that Zacchaeus has been hiding stuff, or defrauding people, or thinking himself above the crowd. All that matters is that He loves him and wants to spend time with him. And as a result of that love given without condemnation Zacchaeus changes his whole way of operating.
So what about us? Are we ready to be seen by Jesus, to get down out of our sycamore trees of shame or false importance and welcome Him into our lives and our homes? For to be seen by Jesus is to see ourselves as we truly are, free children of God who need no tree to hide in. Amen
by Penny Jones, for Pentecost 24, Year C
You know that really is very odd. Zacchaeus was not popular in his town, but he would have had a certain standing. It would be like the mayor or your bank manager suddenly taking it into their head to start running about and shinning up trees. So the tree has symbolic as well as literal purpose and the question is what purpose does the tree have in this story that might apply to us as well?
One excellent purpose that the tree had for Zacchaeus was as a hiding place. This was a spot where he could see without being seen. Given that folk did not like him very much this was definitely preferable to rubbing shoulders with those in the crowd who might be inclined to step on his toes. He could look without committing himself. He could hide the things of which he was ashamed. I suspect we all have sycamore trees for hiding in at times. Some of us hide in our work, some in our family life. Some of us hide in pleasures and past times. All of us at times can see the advantage of a place to see without being seen.
Another great advantage of the sycamore tree for Zacchaeus was that it gave him a vantage point, a height above the crowd. At a more symbolic level, he was choosing a spot of superiority, seeing himself perhaps as a bit above others, maybe on account of his wealth, maybe on account of his superior cleverness which was allowing him to gain status and riches at the expense of others. We might like to ask ourselves, where in our lives do we do that? - maybe not consciously, but just when our ego gets the better of us and we start perhaps to think of ourselves as a bit better than the next person. That's the moment when we have shinned up our inner sycamore tree and are sitting there feeling a bit pleased with ourselves.
Until of course Christ comes along and suddenly we are not seeing, but being seen. Seen for who we are, the bad and the good - and being loved just as we are. For notice there is not the least shade of judgment in Jesus's exchange with Zacchaeus. 'Hurry and come down', he says 'for I must stay at your house today'. To Jesus it does not matter that Zacchaeus has been hiding stuff, or defrauding people, or thinking himself above the crowd. All that matters is that He loves him and wants to spend time with him. And as a result of that love given without condemnation Zacchaeus changes his whole way of operating.
So what about us? Are we ready to be seen by Jesus, to get down out of our sycamore trees of shame or false importance and welcome Him into our lives and our homes? For to be seen by Jesus is to see ourselves as we truly are, free children of God who need no tree to hide in. Amen
by Penny Jones, for Pentecost 24, Year C
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