I have a question about Jesus?

Question

Luke: 1-10

(summarized)
Jesus and Zaccheus. This story is about Jesus as he is in Jericho. A man named Zaccheus who was a rich man and a chief tax collector, climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passed by. When Jesus got near the tree he said “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today”. Zaccheus went down to greet him and when everyone saw this they said “he has gone to be a guest of a man who is a sinner”. Zaccheus said to Jesus that he would give half his possessions, he will give to the poor, and give back four times as much to anyone he has defrauded. Jesus said to him “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. (10): "For the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost"

This is a question for my religion hmwrk! I have like 10 of these to do, but there a few I can't figure out. so the question is: How was Jesus' action unusual? I can't figure out what is unusual about this one???

OH and what's the message?

Answer 1

the only thing I can think of is that Jesus was willing to go to the house of a sinner. In those days, that would have been unusual for a teacher to do. But Jesus was willing to go and reach out to those who were most in need of salvation.

Answer 2

I believe that back in this time, tax collectors were despised because they were believed to be crooked. Judging from the story Zaccheus was rich and he confirmed that he defrauded people. Even today we are judged by the "company" we keep. So back then, if someone was a friend or heaven forbid been seen in their home, they would most certainly be thought of to be just like the "sinner". Jesus sees us all as his children. Jesus wants to be our friend. Zaccheus (the sinner) went to seek out Jesus, even climbing into a tree to get a closer look. Jesus in turn did not treat him as the people in his town and say basically...ewww you horrible person, but instead extended friendship to him (I must stay with you). (Those who seek Him will find Him)....in turn Zaccheus, touched by Jesus's offer of love, turns from his defrauding ways, and wants to make amends. So how was Jesus' actions unusual? He loves all, even those that we as human do not love, and I guess it is this love and the acceptance of this love than can change lives. Sorry for the long post...this is just my take on it.

Answer 3

The answer lies in the text itself. The Pharisees ridiculed Jesus for having anything to do with a 'sinner'. Zaccheus was a tax collector as such he worked for the Roman Empire (they weren't exactly popular if you know your history). Zaccheus was a Jew who had turned his back on his people and by doing so was now considered to be an outcast or sinner. In those days the Pharisees were the 'holier than thou' of the day and belived that if you even had anything to do with a sinner that you would go through some ritual to cleanse themselves from sin. Jesus by going to eat with sinners had in fact just shown the Pharisees that could now be the 'guest of a sinner'. In turn Jesus asked the Pharisees 'Who needs a doctor the sick or the well', 'I have come to seek and save the lost'

Answer 4

Zaccheus was a tax collector. These were Jews who did the dirty work of the Roman occupying forces, collecting taxes and adding on a hefty extra bit of extortion to take as their own profit. They were hated and rejected by other Jews as traitors and collaborators. Jesus scandalized the religious authorities by going to this man's house and eating with him. In the culture of the time, sharing a meal meant sharing someone's life, so you weren't supposed to eat with public sinners such as this man. This was an early example in Jesus' ministry of how he turned everyone's expectations upside down and proclaimed forgiveness not just for the righteous, but for sinners.

Answer 5

The Jews hated tax collectors cuz it was money that went to Rome. Also Z was a rich person, and he was lost and most of the rich would not have agreed they were lost. Jesus had told the rich young ruler He must sell all he owned and then follow Jesus. This man was rich but Jesus saw into his heart and knew he was not attached to the money. It is the attachment to worldly things that stops a person from being able to accept what Jesus has to offer not the coincidental fact that they own it. Had this man been attached he would not have acted as he did when after Jesus greeted him. Note he immediately was willing to part with his money, so how did Jesus know this, mental telepathy but depending on your teacher you may want to leave that out.

Answer 6

Because he spent the night at the house of a sinner or gave the appearance of that? I am not sure who is the one that thinks there is something unusual about His actions. Was it the people of the time or is it your teacher. If it is in relations to the time then I would say those people thought it to be unusual for Jesus to stay with a man with a bad reputation. If it is your religion teacher asking what you think is wrong with it, then maybe the answer is : nothing

Answer 7

In the days of Christ... tax collectors worked for Rome. They often took the last money a family had for food for their share of tax. They often took more than the people actually owed for their own pockets.
Tax collectors were despised by the Hebrew people, and when the Messiah went to his house to have a meal with him and to stay at the house, this would have been unheard of at the time. For an equivalent today it would be like seeing Christ go spend the evening in a crack house ... or to decide to stay in a bad neighboorhood.

This is the way they saw his actions and why it seemed so odd.

The message is that Jesus came for all who would accept him and come to him. Not just those that felt they were living as they should and had in some way found righteousness. Jesus ate with sinners daily, he walked with them and talked with them on many occassions. The message in this is... anyone who accepts him.... he will come to :)

God bless you :)

Answer 8

Well the one thing that comes to mind is that the Jews despised the tax collectors. Mostly because they robbed the people by forcing them to pay more than they had to....to line the tax collectors' own pockets. Therefore, when Jesus called Matthew down, and said He would eat at his house, this was astonishing, since most Jews would have nothing to do with someone who did what Matthew did.

Answer 9

It would have been unusual for a nice Jewish man to have associated with a tax collector. They were regarded as turncoats and generally shunned by good Jews. Jesus said right in front of everybody that he was going to the guy's house for a meal....a no no to the Pharisees.

Answer 10

Jewish rabbis wouldn't have stayed with tax collectors in that time. Tax collectors were considered traitors and sinners. Jesus came to save sinners, not shun them. Jesus was, of course, a rabbi (teacher).

I may be missing something else, but that's what sticks out the most.