Commentary on Luke (Greek fragments) 19.2–19.44

“Behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus” (19:2). Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and with him love of money was in great intensity, and greed was his aim; for this is the practice of tax collectors. Paul calls this idolatry, as perhaps fitting only for those who do not know God. For this reason the Lord very fittingly ranked tax collectors, who had put shameless boldness on their faces, with prostitutes, saying thus to the leaders of the Jews: “The prostitutes and the tax collectors are going before you into the kingdom of God.” But Zacchaeus did not remain in these things; he was counted worthy of mercy from Christ; for he is the one who calls near those far off, and enlightens those who were darkened. Come, let us see what the way of Zacchaeus’s conversion was.

He desired to see Jesus; for a seed of salvation had sprouted in him. Christ saw this with the eyes of the Godhead; looking up, then, he saw him with the eyes of his humanity too; and since his aim was that all people should be saved, he holds out his gentleness, and encouraging him says: “Make haste and come down.” For he sought to see him, and the crowd hindered him—not so much the crowd of people as that of his sins. He was also small in stature, not only bodily but also spiritually; and he could not see him otherwise unless he was lifted from the earth and climbed the sycamore, by which Christ was going to pass. The saying contains a riddle. For no one can see Christ and believe in him otherwise unless he is lifted onto the sycamore, making foolish his members that are on the earth—sexual immorality, impurity, and the rest. And Christ, it says, was going to pass by the sycamore; for, having walked the way of life of the law, which is the fig tree, he chose the foolish things of the world, that is, the cross and death. And everyone who takes up his cross and follows Christ’s way of life is saved, working the law with understanding—a fig tree that bears not figs but foolish fruit; for the work hidden for the faithful appears foolishness to the Jews: circumcision of wickedness, and rest from base action, not literally circumcising the foreskin and keeping the Sabbath. He knew him, then, to be ready for obedience, warm in faith, and easily changed from wickedness to virtue; therefore he calls him, and goes to win him. And he “made haste and came down, and received him joyfully”—not only because he saw him as he sought, but because he was also called by him, and because he received him as he would never have expected. “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for today I must stay at your house” (19:5).

This is divine foreknowledge, for he knew well what would be: he saw a man’s soul inclining most readily to choosing a holy life, and he transferred it to piety. For he received Jesus joyfully, it says; for he obtained what he did not expect. But perhaps someone might say to Christ the Saviour of us all: “Do you lodge with Zacchaeus, the chief of the tax collectors, who has not yet washed off his ways of greed?” “Yes,” he says. “I know this, being God by nature, overseeing the ways of each of those on earth, and having besides the knowledge of things to come. I have called to repentance one who is eager for it.”

“Half of my goods, Lord, I give to the poor” (19:8). Do you see how the chief of the tax collectors, the lover of money, at once became merciful and a lover of the poor, promising to distribute his wealth to the needy and making amends to those he had wronged, according to the law that commands four sheep to be repaid for one, according to David’s judgement about the man said to have robbed the poor man of his ewe lamb? “For he shall restore the lamb fourfold,” it says. “Today salvation has come to this house” (19:9).

For wherever Christ enters, there is salvation by all means; and Christ announces salvation to Zacchaeus not with postponements or promises, but today, since he too at once did what he promised. For he did not say, “I will give half, and I will repay fourfold to those I have wronged”; for he had heard Solomon: “Do not say, Come back, and tomorrow I will give”; but, “Behold,” he says, “I give, and I repay.” Therefore Christ too says: today you give, today salvation is yours. The Jews, then, ought to have rejoiced over Zacchaeus’s wonderful salvation, since he too was counted among the sons of Abraham, to whom God promised through the holy prophets the redemption through Christ. “He went on to tell a parable: A certain nobleman,” and so on (19:11–12).

Through the parable in hand he hints at once at his first arrival among human beings, his departure from here, his reception of the kingdom after this, and on top of these his second divine appearing, awaited by us in good hopes; and that at that time he will reign over those worthy of him, making them partners of his good things and indeed of the kingdom; but for those who in the present life refused the proclamation and enrolled themselves in the ranks of enemies and foes, he will be an inexorable judge. He declared these things in the manner of a parable, teaching clearly that the time of his kingdom had not yet arrived then, while he made these things known as he lived among men. He said and taught these things while staying in Jericho and setting out at last for Jerusalem; and he said them necessarily, since there was much talk about him among all, as though he were about to receive at once, then, in Jerusalem, the kingdom proclaimed through the prophets. Countless things caused this supposition among the many: the miracles he did and the marvellous mighty works by which he firmly persuaded the onlookers to consider him the Christ announced to them from their fathers and expected. Since, then, they supposed that the time of his kingdom was already present, he necessarily corrected those who thought so of their false opinion. As we said, then, the aim of the parable sketches, as in brief, the whole force of the economy that has come about for us, and the mystery of Christ from beginning to end. For the Word, being God, became man, and for this reason was called a servant; but he was and is nobly born, as to his ineffable birth from the Father. Having completed the mystery of the economy in the flesh, he went back up to the glory that belongs to him by nature, and as it were went away to a far country; for heaven is a country other than the earth; and he went up to receive a kingdom for himself. But how does he who reigns over all with the Father go up to him to receive a kingdom? Clearly, the Father gives this too to the Son who has become man; for having gone back up to heaven, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, waiting from that time until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.

“Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas” (19:13). For the Saviour gives to those who have believed in him the diversity of the divine gifts; for this is what we say the ten minas are. But there is a great difference between these and those who denied his kingdom altogether: for the latter rise up against him, while the former bear the boast of serving him. So as his true servants they were entrusted with the Master’s wealth, so that by gaining something more they might win the praises that befit faithfulness. “But his citizens,” it says, “hated him.” Christ reproached the Jews with this: “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.” They did not want him to reign over them, though the prophet Zechariah cried out: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; for behold, your king comes to you, righteous and saving.” And Isaiah likewise: “Behold,” he says, “a righteous king will reign, and rulers will rule with judgement.” Yes, and Christ himself said somewhere through the lyre of the Psalmist: “But I have been established as king by him on Zion, his holy mountain.” They denied his kingdom, then, saying to Pilate: “We have no king but Caesar.” “When he returned, having received the kingdom” (19:15).

When the nobleman, then—clearly Christ—has returned after receiving the kingdom, the ministers of the word will obtain praises and revel in the highest honours. For having multiplied the talent tenfold or fivefold by winning many, they will be over ten cities or five; that is, they will rule again, not only over those they ruled before, but also over many others besides.

Even now the Saviour distributes talents to his own servants, according to the parable in the Gospels. So open wide your hearts and receive them joyfully; become approved bankers; trade skilfully with what was given; multiply it by your good deeds. Great and fitting for saints is the boast, and it wins the praises of faithfulness. And why do I say this, leaving aside what is still greater? It makes one a citizen of heaven, raises one to a kingdom, and makes one glorified together with Christ the Saviour of us all. Let us see this from the gospel writings themselves. The one who received the five talents from the master of the house and gained five more besides—what does he come saying? “Lord, you gave me five talents; see, I have made five more.” Do you see how great the boast of diligence is? And what did Christ say to him? “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your Lord.” What is greater than this in power? What more desirable for well-being? Praises from Christ, and the Master’s sentence crowning the diligent, calls faithful the one who has borne fruit spiritually. For did he bring the profit to the Master? Does he need anything for himself? He is the fullness of all things, and as the all-wise John says, “From his fullness we have all received.” But when we gain ourselves and benefit others too, then Christ rejoices; he counts our good repute as wealth. And I will say what is greater still: he makes the matter as it were his food. That what I say is true you will learn again from the gospel writings. He admonished the woman from Samaria; then, when she said, “When the Messiah comes, he will tell us all things,” he made himself manifest, saying: “I who speak to you am he.” And the woman hurries off at a run and initiated the city of the Samaritans. But Christ, knowing that many would believe in him, said to the holy disciples: “I have food to eat that you do not know.” For the salvation of the lost nourishes, as it were, his most gentle nature. The true servant, then—for I will go back again to the aim of the discourse—bound on the crown of goodness; for he was brought into the joy of his own master. But the one who received the one talent, and then became lazy, gained nothing at all, but rather hid it in the earth, fell under the extreme penalties. Let us flee imitating him; let us send away from our understanding the unprofitable and accursed sloth—sloth, clearly, in good pursuits; let us not bury in idleness the grace given us by Christ. The God of all says somewhere through the voice of Isaiah: “Priest, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” But what if the teacher weaves for his hearers words that are accustomed to benefit, while they do not store the initiation in mind and heart, but merely applaud, repay the initiator with bare praises, and remain without a taste of the sacred teachings? Is it then fitting for the initiator to grow slack? Then what words will he find at the divine judgement seat to help him, when he blames the hearers’ indolence and says that his sloth was well grounded because of it? For he will rather be condemned, as one can see from the gospel parable. For the one who received the talent from the master of the house buried it in the earth, and having it unmultiplied, brought it saying: “Lord, see, you have what is yours.” Was he then praised and counted worthy of rewards, or rather condemned as lazy? “For you ought,” he says, “to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what is mine with interest.” So I pay out the Master’s money to you as to skilled bankers; and you, receiving it, store what is given in your mind and hide it in the depth of your own heart, knowing well that seeds sent into the earth bear fruit when covered with clods, but those left uncovered are snatched away. The one who lent the talents will say to you too: “If I am a severe man,” he says, “reaping where I did not sow, why did you not give the grace given you”—for this is the mina—“to the bankers, that is, set it before those who know well how to test what comes from you, for their enjoyment? For at my coming I would have exacted, that is, demanded, what is mine with interest.” For it belongs to teachers to sow the beneficial and saving word among the hearers; but it is a work of the power from God to call the hearers to obedience and render their mind fruitful.

The lazy servant, having made the gift dead and not worked with it, will be stripped even of the gift given him; but those who walked the better way will be in the increase of the good things from above.

It should be noted that the other evangelist knows also of differences in quantity in the distribution of the talents: “To one,” he says, “he gave five talents, to another two, to another one,” making the distribution in proportion to the measures of each. Come, let us say who those may be who are entrusted. Those mature in habit, for whom solid food is fitting, who know how to initiate rightly, directing themselves and others to every practice, such as the inspired disciples were and those who after them succeeded to the same ministry: to these the Saviour gives the diversity of the divine gifts, so that they may be lights in the world, holding fast the word of life. These, admonishing the peoples under their hand, add to the talent and will gain the lot fitting for the saints.

Those who did not wish the nobleman to reign over them were slaughtered before him. Those of the blood of Israel suffered this; for having denied the kingdom of Christ, they fell into the extreme calamities, and the wicked perished wickedly.

“And they brought it to Jesus” (19:35). The colt is brought, two disciples having been sent by Christ; for two orders serve him in this, prophets and apostles, through whom the nations, of whom the colt is a type, are drawn into the net of faith. It is brought from a village, so that by this too he might show the unrighteous mind of the nations, who lived not lawfully but wildly and carelessly. But it was changed to gentleness; for it came under Christ, who teaches all things. Another evangelist said also that children, holding up palm branches, ran before him and glorified him together with the disciples, so that through them too we might see, as if painted on a tablet, the new people from the nations; for it is written: “And a people being created will praise the Lord.”

… that of punishment, clearly: the outer darkness prepared for the devil and his angels; this is the lot of the pitiless. “As he went along,” and so on (19:36).

Christ went up to Jerusalem to endure the cross for the salvation and life of all, and he sat on the colt; and the crowds of the Jews came to meet him, and young children with them, and they hastened to crown him with many acclamations and applause. For some spread their garments on the road, and others, still very young in age, holding up branches of palm trees on high, made Christ their song, saying: “Peace in heaven”—for God is no longer at war with us, but walks in our country, the country of his enemies, and for this is glorified by the angels; for the King above came down below and made one obedience.

“And some of the Pharisees from the crowd said,” and so on (19:39). But those who had been allotted to lead did not seem to agree with the zeal of the multitude; for the envious Pharisees gnashed their teeth and were indignant at this cry of the children, since one seen as a man accepted the hymnody fitting for God; and the bold men came to him, all but protesting and saying: “Do you not hear what these are saying?”—as if to say, “Though you are a man, do you allow yourself to be glorified and hymned as God, and accept from the children the acclamations fitting for God?” And what does Christ say to this? Was he then indignant with the children? Did he shake off the glorification? Did he rebuke those who acclaimed him as God? Not at all; rather he said to the fault-finders, muzzling them: “If these are silent, the stones will cry out.” Do you see how he who rode on the colt, the Son of David according to the flesh, bore witness to himself of the glory of the Godhead? But he was not a sharer in another’s glory, as the opponents of Christ say, nor was he a Son by himself, inferior beside the Word from God the Father; therefore he is named God and Lord and Most High. “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying,” and so on (19:41).

The God of all said somewhere through the voice of Jeremiah about the Jews: “Call them rejected silver, for the Lord has rejected them.” And again: “Hear, O earth: behold, I bring evils upon this people, the fruit of their turning away, for they did not attend to my word and they rejected my law.” The fruits of their turning away, then, were the grim things that befell them. Yet even when they were of such a mind, Christ pitied them, “who wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Indeed, seeing the city, it says, he wept, so that by this we might learn that he was grieved—if one must say anything of this kind at all about God, who is beyond all. But we would not have known that he pitied them, wicked as they were, unless he had made it plain through a human act; for it was not possible to see him suffering it; and a tear shed is a sign of grief. So he wept also over Lazarus, so that we might understand that human nature, fallen into death, grieved him. “For he created all things for incorruption; but through the envy of the devil death entered the world.” Yet the devil’s envy did not prove stronger than the Creator’s will; but it was necessary that a penalty should follow the transgression of the commandment, carrying down into corruption the one who had dishonoured the laws of life. So, then, we say that he wept over Jerusalem too; for he wished, as I said, to see it approved, by accepting faith in him and embracing peace with God. Christ blames it, then, for this very thing, and says: “If you had known, even you, the things that make for your peace”—that is, the things useful and necessary for you to be at peace with God. And these were faith, obedience, abstaining from the types and from worship under the law, and choosing instead worship in spirit and truth, clearly that through Christ.

“But now they are hidden from your eyes” (19:42). For they were not worthy to know, that is, to understand, the divinely inspired Scriptures, which speak the mystery of Christ. “For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the Old Testament; for whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart, not being lifted, because it is abolished in Christ.” For he, being the truth, ends the shadow; but since they did not attend to the types of the law, they did not see the truth. Those of Israel showed themselves unworthy of the salvation in Christ. For this reason by the holy sentence of God they were hidden from them: the things that produce peace with God have been hidden from Jerusalem, of which one, and the first, is faith, which justifies the ungodly and joins those who have it through sanctification and righteousness to the all-holy God.

“Because you did not know the time of your visitation” (19:44). What visitation? That, I mean, through Christ the Saviour of us all; and the outcome is plain. For those who believed escaped the capture, having known the one who came to visit and save them, and having obtained peace from the Romans; so that if the whole city too had known what contributes to its peace, no one would have been captured. “Entering the temple, he began to drive out those who sold and bought in it” (19:45). There was in the temple a multitude, money-changers and those who sold the animals sacrificed according to the law. But it was already time for the shadow to cease and the truth in Christ to shine forth. For this reason Christ, as one honoured together with his own Father in their temple, commanded the things of the law to be curtailed and the temple to be shown a house of prayer. For to rebuke and drive out of the sacred precincts those who sold what was useful for sacrifice means this altogether, and nothing else. The Saviour and Lord of all does this usefully, making his own glory manifest to the Jews so that they might believe that he is the Son of God; for he took care of the temple as one having authority over it, and indeed he called God his own Father; for, as another evangelist says, he said to the merchants: “Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” And again: “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you make it a den of robbers.” By driving out the animals fit for sacrifice he shows that it is time at last for the worship of the law to cease, and the shadow to end at the presence of the truth. And his making a whip of cords and threatening to raise blows against them shows that those who honour the worship of the law after the truth has been revealed, having a spirit of slavery and refusing to be freed, will be under slavish scourges. See their contempt: they were trading in the temple; some sold to those who needed them the things fit for sacrifice—sheep, I mean, and oxen and doves, as John showed, and anything of the kind—and others bought. Money-changers are bankers; for a kollybos is an obol, and kollybizō is used for “exchange,” as usage exchanges names. Christ, then, entered the temple with boldness as Master and drove out those mentioned, laying bare the authority over all things that he had as God, confident in his sinlessness, foreshowing by this the casting out of the bloody sacrifices, and at the same time teaching us to speak boldly on behalf of the church.

They ought, then, rather to have worshipped him as God; but they did not do this; they sought to destroy him, but did not find how; for the people hung on his words, which made the punishment heavier for the scribes and Pharisees and all the leaders of the Jews, since they did not accept the faith themselves but also forbade others.