On Zacchaeus
In Zacchaeum
Zacchaeus and the Comparison with Rahab§1
1A word concerning Zacchaeus by Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. Nothing directs the soul toward joy as much as the fear of God, the avoidance of evils, the path of repentance, and the manner of confession.
Therefore even today David blessed those obtaining the forgiveness of sins (Psalm 32:1), while at once presenting the philanthropy of Christ and at once preparing the sinners to run toward repentance. Blessed, he says, are those from whom lawlessness was forgiven and from whom sins were covered (Psalm 32:1). Therefore, let a former tax collector run toward the chaste springs of the salvation of Christ.
There is no receiving a solution from evils nor obtaining blessedness without it, even if you should say prophet, apostle, or evangelist. For all drew from the same spring. In the prophets, David himself, even now being a prophet after adultery, is so because of the grace of the one who forgave. In the apostles, Peter and Paul; for the one, after the denial, holds the keys of the kingdom, and the other, after the persecution of the Gentiles, became an apostle, having changed the Jewish zeal into an evangelical manner.
For in the gospels I know not only Matthew being saved from tax collectors, but also two others with him: of whom one, praying so as to strike the chest, the treasure of evils, from not daring to lift up hands to holy things, from wetting from below, was not only justified but also crowned according to a Pharisee; but Zacchaeus, having climbed upon the tree on which he had stood many times, watching lest any of the merchants might pass by unknowingly so that he might not remain without wealth, watched lest the merchant of heaven and earth, bringing the treasure of the asylum of the kingdom, might pass him by. In order that we may not entirely mix the histories of the tax collectors, if it seems good, taking Zacchaeus alone today, I expand the word for the purpose of a treatise. Having gone out, he says, Jesus was passing through Jericho and behold, a man named (Luke 19:1)...
Zacchaeus also was a tax collector. The evangelist does not mention Jericho simply, but says that God, having thought well of a tax collector in the house. But the matter was unbelievable. He sets before us the pattern, so that, having remembered Rahab the prostitute, we may not be estranged from the reversal of Zacchaeus the stranger. For this reason, therefore, he remembered Jericho, so that having taken Rahab the prostitute into mind, we might compare the manner of both salvations.
For just as Rahab the prostitute received Joshua the son of Nun as a spy and hid him, so also Zacchaeus the tax collector received the true Jesus, who scouts our mind, and nourished him in the house. That woman received Joshua the son of Nun, who brought the people into the land of promise; this man receives the true Jesus, who is into the kingdom of heaven, etc. That woman received Joshua the son of Nun lacuna this man receives the true Jesus, who laid the foundation of the Jews' temple; for not, he says, shall a stone remain upon a stone here that shall not be destroyed (Matt 21:42). That woman received Joshua the son of Nun, who brought the people through the Jordan into a land flowing with milk and honey (Exod 3:8); this man receives the true Jesus, who brings the believers through baptism to where eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which has not ascended upon the heart of man (1 Cor 2:9). That woman received Joshua the son of Nun, who brought the treasure out of the earth upon a wood; this man receives the true Jesus, who received the thief into paradise (Luke 23:43). lacuna
The spring of Jericho was formerly a mother of strife, a nourisher of barrenness, having water that is incomplete. For indeed the stream had an unmeasured flow, like oil flowing without sound, but the sight of the waters sent away the thirsty ones who were looking; for the drink was not without danger to those in need; for the pool had destruction. For the beauty of the spring moved those passing by toward a run, but the fear of harm cut back the readiness.
Greek · §1
In Zacchaeum Ἀμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ἰκονίου λόγος εἰς τὸν Ζακχαῖον. Οὐδὲν οὕτως τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς εὐφροσύνην διανίστησιν ὡς φόβος θεοῦ καὶ κακῶν ἀποχὴ καὶ μετανοίας δρόμος καὶ ἐξομο λογήσεως τρόπος. Ὅθεν καὶ σήμερον ∆αβὶδ τοὺς τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τυχόντας ἐμακάριζεν ἅμα μὲν τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ παριστῶν, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς προσδραμεῖν τῇ μετανοίᾳ παρασκευάζων ... μακάριοι, φησίν, ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ... τις οὖνη πόρνοςτελώνης εἰς τὰς ἀκενώτους τῆς σωτη ρίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ τρεχέτωπηγάς. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνευ αὐτῆς οὐ κακῶν λύσιν λαβεῖν οὐ τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ τυχεῖν, κἂν προφήτας κἂν ἀποστόλους κἂν εὐαγγελιστὰς εἴπῃς. Πάντες γὰρ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ἤντλησαν πηγῆς. Ἐν προφήταις μὲν αὐτὸς ὁ ∆αβὶδ μετὰ μοιχείαν ἔτι καὶ νῦν προφήτης ὢν διὰ τὴν τοῦ συγχωρήσαντος χάριν. Ἐν ἀποστόλοις δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Παῦλος, ὁ μὲν γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἄρνησιν τὰς κλεῖς τῆς βασιλείας ἔχει, ὁ δὲ μετὰ τὴν δίωξιν τῶν ἐθνῶν κατέστη ἀπόστολος τὸν Ἰουδαϊκὸν ζῆλον εἰς εὐαγγελικὸν μετα θεὶς τρόπον. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις οὐ Ματθαῖον μόνον σῳζόμενον ἐκ τελωνῶν οἶδα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους σὺν αὐτῷ δύο· ὧν εἷς μὲν προσευχόμενος ἐκ τοῦ τὸ στῆθος τύπτειν, τὸν θησαυρὸν τῶν κακῶν, ἐκ τοῦ μὴ τολμᾶν ἐπᾶραι τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὰ ἅγια, ἐκ τοῦ κάτω νεύειν οὐ μόνον ἐδικαιώθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ φαρισαῖον ἐστεφανώθη· Ζακχαῖος δὲ ἀνελθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ δένδρον ἐν ᾧ πολλά κις ἑστὼς κατεσκόπει μὴ πού τις τῶν ἐμπόρων λαθὼν παρέλθῃ ὅπως μὴ ἀζήμιος μείνῃ, ἐτήρει μὴ λάθῃ αὐτὸν παραδραμὼν ὁ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ἔμπορος, ὁ τὸν ἄσυλον τῆς βασιλείας ἐπιφερό μενος θησαυρόν.Ἵνα δὲ μὴ ὅλως ὁμοῦ τῶν τελωνῶν συγχέωμεν τὰς ἱστορίας, εἰ δοκεῖ, σήμερον τὸν Ζακχαῖον μόνον λαβόντες εἰς ὑπόθεσιν πραγματείας τὸν λόγον εὐρύνωμεν. Ἐξελθών, φησίν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς διήρχετο τὴν Ἰεριχὼ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος καὶ οὗτος ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τῆς Ἰεριχὼ μέμνηται ὁ εὐαγγελιστής, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τελώνην οἴκοι φιλοφρονησάμενον θεὸν λέγει. Ἄπιστον δὲ ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα. Προτίθησιν αὐτοῦ τὴν πατρί δα, ἵνα τῆς πόρνης ὑπομνησθέντες Ῥαὰβ μὴ ξενισθῶμεν πρὸς τὴν ξένην Ζακχαίου παλινοδίαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἐμνήσθη τῆς Ἰεριχώ, ἵνα ἐν νῷ λαβόντες Ῥαὰβ τὴν πόρνην συγκρίνωμεν ἀμφοτέρων τῆς σωτηρίας τὸν τρόπον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυὴ ὡς κατάσκοπον δεξαμένη ἔκρυψεν, οὕτω καὶ Ζακχαῖος ὁ τελώνης τὸν ἀληθινὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν κατασκο πεύοντα ἡμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν οἴκοι δεξάμενος ἔθρεψεν. Ἐκείνη Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυὴ ἐδέξατο τὸν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸν λαὸν εἰσαγαγόντα· οὗτος τὸν ἀληθινὸν Ἰησοῦν δέχεται τὸν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶ κατ . Ἐκείνη Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο τὸν lacuna septem linearum οὗτος τὸν ἀληθινὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐδαφίσαντα ναόν· Οὐ μὴ γάρ, φησί, μείνῃ ὧδε λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον ὃς οὐ μὴ καταλυθήσεται. Ἐκείνη Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο τὸν διὰ τοῦ Ἰορδάνουτὸν λαὸν εἰς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι εἰσαγαγόντα· οὗτος τὸν ἀληθινὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο τὸν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἰσαγαγόντα τοὺς πιστοὺς ὅπου ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη. Ἐκείνη Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο τὸν τὸν βότρυν ἐπὶ ξύλου ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐξαγαγόντα· οὗτος τὸν 1 ἀληθινὸν Ἰησοῦν ὑπεδέξατο τὸν τὸν λῃστὴν εἰς τὸν παράδεισον εἰσαγαγόνταου διὰσλω 16 οι lacuna quinque linearumἩ πηγὴ τῆς Ἰεριχὼ ἦν πρότερον ἀγονίας μήτηρ, ἀκαρπίας τροφός, ἀτελὲς τὸ ὕδωρ ἔχουσα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ῥεῖθρον ἀχανὲς εἶχεν, οἷον ἔλαιον ἀψοφητὶ ῥέουσα, ἡ δὲ τῶν ὑδάτων θέα διψῶν τας τοὺς θεωμένους ἀπέλυεν· οὐ γὰρ ἀκίνδυνος ἦν τοῖς δεομέ νοις ἡ πόσις· ὀλέθριον γὰρ εἶχε τὸ νᾶμα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κάλλος τῆς πηγῆς πρὸς δρόμον ἐκίνει τοὺς παριόντας, ὁ δὲ φόβος τῆς βλάβης τὴν προθυμίαν ἀνέκοπτεν.
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector§2
2Therefore, since the water was flowing in vain at the spring, many of the residents stood by, not because of thirst, but drawn into a craving by the sight of the unbeneficial waters.
They could not cure the passion of thirst, as if mocking it, saying: 'Why do you flow in vain, O spring? You would have been better if you were not visible, but flowing in mountains and sands and in deserts, where you would not have had many witnesses to evil.'
And why was the water remote? Because it struck those who were drinking; for if a man drank from it, he did not become a father, nor did a woman become a mother, having lost the grace of mothers.
And not only this, but also the earth, having received the stream, refused the usual load of ears of grain, and the leafy graces of the vines were stripping off their garment, and to say collectively, everything became a desert as if unjustly fallen into the water.
Such was the spring that used to surround Jericho, until the prophet Elisha came and, taking salt and casting it upon the spring, revived the waters. 'These indeed,' he says, 'says the Lord: I have healed these waters.'
These says the one always speaking and bringing the word into deed: 'Let neither barrenness nor sterility be among you anymore' (Hosea 1:9). He said, and the water was changed and bellies became pregnant and the earth gave forth ears of grain and the clusters flourished and the olive showed its domestic grace.
And the residents used to frequent the spring by custom, formerly fighting and being fought, but later desiring and being neighbors.
And what does the riddle of the spring intend to say, it is necessary to speak? This spring, flowing abundantly yet uselessly and pouring out a stream of barrenness, preserves the word of the Church.
For before Christ it was so unrighteous that even a man drinking from the spring of the water itself lost his being as a man, and by the entanglement of idols of the rational soul, denying his nature and woman...
She had not become a mother of virtues, nor had she produced shoots of prudence, nor did the white milk of piety flow from her. But as she was in this state, the Lord came, and having cast the apostles as salt, he cured her and made her drinkable.
And that the apostles were salt, listen to Christ saying to them: 'You are the salt of the earth' (Matt 5:13). But since the barren and unfruitful woman has become very fruitful by receiving the salt of the apostles, the prophet says: 'Rejoice,' he says, 'the barren one who does not give birth; break forth and cry out, the one not in labor, for the children of the desert are many more than those of her who has a husband' (Isa 54:1).'
Jesus went toward Jericho, the spring, near the well-nourished ones of the spring, the all-powerful grace toward the much-wooded and much-rivered city. And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus, and he himself was a chief tax collector. It was a double evil, for he also unjustly practiced a craft and was the leader of those practicing it badly; not only sinning but also receiving evils from others.
For he was cutting a path of injustice for strangers, building up walls against travelers; for he was neither imitating robbers by seizing those passing by, nor was he waiting for travelers with a zeal for hospitality, but having injustice as a law, he inflicted labors upon strangers, imitating the unceasing hunger of the tax-gatherers. For just as the collectors of the bees harvest the honey without sharing in the labors, so also the tax-collectors of the strangers and travelers seize the labors idly, relaxing and sitting at the crossroads.
Someone was sailing the sea, fighting billows, warring with winds, cutting through the long and difficult sea, but Zacchaeus took the profit to the end. A shepherd, living with the sharp edge and the burning, with rain and snow and frost, having a hut in the recesses of the rocks, food of cheese and milk, a garment of unworked sheepskin, but this man...
Greek · §2
Ὅθεν ἐπειδὴ μάτην τὸ ὕδωρ κατὰ τὴν πηγὴν ἔρρει, πολλάκις οἱ πρόσοικοι παρεστῶτες ἔστε νον οὐχ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνυδρίας ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῆς θέας τῶν ἀνωφελῶν ὑδάτων εἰς δίψαν παρελκόμενοι. Οὐκ εἶχον θεραπεῦσαι τῆς δίψης τὸ πάθος ὡς σχετλιάζοντας αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὐτὴν λέγειν·«Τί μάτην ῥεῖς, ὦ πηγή; Βελτίων ἦσθα μὴ φαινομένη, ἀλλ' ἐν ὄρεσι καὶ ψάμμοις καὶ ἐν ἐρημίαις ῥέουσα ἔνθα μὴ πολλοὺς μάρτυρας τοῦ κακοῦ εἶχες «. ∆ιὰ τί δὲ ἄποτον ἦν τὸ ὕδωρ; Ἐπειδὴ ἐνέκρου τῶν πινόντων τὰ σώματα· ἄν τε γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔπιεν, οὐκ ἐγίνετο πατὴρ οὔτε γυνὴ ἐγίνετο μήτηρ τὴν τῶν μητέρων ἀπολέσασα χάριν. Καὶ οὐ μόνον τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ γῆ δεξαμένη τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἠρνεῖτο τὴν συνήθη τῶν σταχύων φορὰν καὶ φοινίκων εὔσκιοι χάριτες τὴν τῶν φύλλων ἀπεδύοντο τὴν στολὴν καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν ἔρημα πάντα ἐγίνετο ὡς ἀδίκως περιπεσόντα τῷ νάματι.Τοιαύτη ἡ πηγὴ τὸ παλαιὸν τὴν Ἰεριχὼ περιήρχετο, ἕως ἐλθὼν Ἐλισσαῖος ὁ προφήτης καὶ λαβὼν ἅλας καὶ ἐπιβαλὼν τῇ πηγῇ ἐζώωσε τὰ νάματα. Τάδε γάρ, φησί, λέγει κύριος· ἴαμαι τὰ ὕδατα ταῦτα. Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀεὶ λέγων καὶ τὸν λόγον εἰς ἔργον ἄγων· Μηκέτι ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄγονος ἔστω καὶ στεῖρα. Εἶπεν καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ μετεβλήθη καὶ γαστέρες ὤδινον καὶ ἡ γῆ στάχυας ἐξεδίδου καὶ οἱ βότρυες ἀνέθαλλον καὶ ἡ ἐλαία τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπεδείκνυε χάριν. Καὶ οἱ πρόσοικοι τῇ συνήθει διηλλάσσοντο πηγῇ, πάλαι μὲν πολε μοῦντες καὶ πολεμούμενοι, ὕστερον δὲ ποθοῦντες καὶ γειτνιά ζοντες. Τί δὲ βούλεται τὸ αἴνιγμα τῆς πηγῆς ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν; Ἡ πηγὴ αὕτη ἡ ἀφθόνως ῥέουσα, ἄχρηστον δὲ καὶ ἄγονον προχέου σα ῥεῖθρον τὸ παλαιὸν τὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀποσῴζει λόγον.Πρὸ γὰρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ οὕτως ἦν ἀσε βὴς ὅτι κἀνὴρ πιὼν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ νάματος πηγῆς αὐτὸ τὸ εἶναι ἄνθρωπος ἀπόλωλεν καὶ τῇ συμπλοκῇ τῶν εἰδώλων τῆς λογικῆς ψυχῆς τὴν φύσιν ἀρνούμενος καὶ γυνὴ μήτηρ ἀρετῶν οὐκ ἐγίνετο οὐδὲ ἔτικτεν σωφροσύνης βλαστήματα ἢ τὸ λευκὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἔβλυζε γάλα. Ἀλλ' οὕτως αὐτῆς διακειμένης ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος τοὺς ἀποστόλους ὡς ἅλας ἐμβαλὼν ἤρτυσεν αὐτὴν καὶ πότιμον ἐποίησεν. Καὶ ὅτι ἅλας ἦσαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἄκουσον τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ὅτι δὲ ἡ στεῖρα καὶ ἄγονος πολύγονος γέγονεν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν μεταλαβοῦσα ἁλῶν, ὁ προφήτης λέγει· Εὐφράνθητι, φησίν, στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα, ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.Πρὸς οὖν τὴν Ἰεριχὼ ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἡ πηγὴ παρὰ τοὺς τῆς πηγῆς πολυτρόφους, ἡ πολυδύναμος χάρις πρὸς τὴν πολύδενδρον καὶ πολύρυτον πόλιν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης. ∆ιπλοῦν τὸ κακόν, ὅτι καὶ ἄδικον μετῄει τέχνην καὶ τῶν κακῶς αὐτὴν μετιόντων ἦρχεν· οὐ μόνον ἁμαρτάνων ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων ὑποδεχόμενος κακά. Ξένην γὰρ ἀνέτεμνεν ἀδικίας ὁδὸν τὰς λεωφόρους τοῖς ὁδοιποροῦσιν ἐπιτειχίζων· οὔτε γὰρ τοὺς λῃστὰς μιμούμενος ἐλόχα τοὺς παριόντας οὔτε ζήλῳ φιλοξενίας τοὺς ὁδοιπόρους ἀνέμενεν, ἀλλ' ὡς νόμον τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἔχων τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους ἐτελώνει πόνους τὴν ἀνελεῆ τῶν κηφήνων ἀδηφαγίαν μιμούμενος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ κηφῆνες τῶν μελισσῶν τρυγῶσι τὸν κάματον μὴ συνεφαπτόμενοι τῶν πόνων, οὕτω καὶ οἱ τελῶναι τῶν ξένων τῶν ὁδοιπόρων 2 τοὺς πόνους ληΐζονται ἀργίᾳ σχολάζοντες καὶ ταῖς τριόδοις παρακαθήμενοι. Ἔπλεέν τις τὴν θάλασσαν, τρικυμίαις ἐμάχετο, πνεύ μασιν ἐπολέμει, μακρὸν καὶ δυσήνιον τὸ πέλαγος ἔτεμνεν, Ζακχαῖος δὲ ἀφῃρεῖτο τῷ τέλει τὸ κέρδος. Ποιμὴν ἀν αὐχμῷ καὶ καύσωνι, ὄμβρῳ καὶ χιόνι καὶ πάχνῃ συζῶν, καλύβην ἔχων τὰς ἐξοχὰς τῶν πετρῶν, τροφὴν τυρὸν καὶ γάλα, ἱμάτιον ἀνέργαστον τῶν προβάτων τὴν δοράν, ἀλλ' οὗτος ὁ
The Teacher of Experience and Zacchaeus§3
3A rustic, the poor man, approaching Zacchaeus with greed, was collecting tithes, legally robbing, without a sword shedding blood. For one struck by iron and receiving a flowing wound flees in insensibility to escape the severity of the pain, but one shot by an inaudible poverty has the pain of death and has died; not being spent once, but dying always little by little.
And to speak briefly, just as difficult fortresses are to soldiers, and treacherous rocks to sailors, and suspicious companies to those warring, so Zacchaeus was a stumbling block to merchants and travelers, to shepherds and herdsmen. But this one, having become obsessed with such irrational collection of wealth, was unable to see Jesus; for both the smallness of age and the heaviness of injustice held him back.
Therefore, now healing the poverty of age by running forward with the ingenuity of understanding, he went up before to the sycamore tree and hides himself under the grasping leaves, thinking to see and not to be seen, supposing to remain hidden from Him who knows all; which is indeed what the bleeding woman experienced, supposing to steal Jesus, He who steals such things with pleasure. But she, even though having become near the vessel, touched it, while this one, being at a distance, seized Him by the faith of Christ.
Therefore He goes up to the wood, healing the evils of Adam; for one wanders under the wood fleeing God, but the one is saved from the wood desiring to see God. For hearing how many and paradoxical wonders He works, as healing both bodies and souls, removing the sins of the souls and granting health to the bodies, he desired to see Him who forgives all things to all, reasoning to himself: 'What sort of man is this Jesus, who cleanses the lepers, heals the blind, and forgives sins to those who ask? What kind of appearance, what kind of form? Does He know all things? Does He even know the thoughts of those who are far away?'
Does he test us? Or does he examine only the thoughts of those accompanying him? Does he search out the notions as a God of each heart? How then shall I know these things? Which of these shall I take as teacher? Which? Experience, the teacher of all things.
Having ascended upon the tree, I hide myself under the thick foliage of the leaves. I remain unseen and I learn if I am able to be saved. If he knows the movement of my soul, I know that he wipes away the sin of my soul; I shall know this one thing, that he knows the hidden things of the thoughts.
If, being pressed by the crowd, he sees me who is hiding, and not only sees but also uncovers the desire of my soul, I choose to throw away all things and find one. I wish to imitate Matthew; for he too was a tax collector as I am, but Matthew did not sit down arbitrarily, but having been called, he obeyed.
Perhaps he, seeing him and thinking him one of the travelers, cupped his hands and made his bosom deep by habit, preparing to receive a vehicle and wishing to collect for Christ, was completed by him not even in form, but giving his whole self. For he heard at once: 'Come after me.' He surpassed the call with a sharper readiness, running quickly to the one drawing him.
If, therefore, a tax collector is called and not only called but also justified, the crowd of those who preceded me does not harm me; for if Elisha, having thrown salt upon the nourished spring, worked its barrenness into fruitfulness, so also he, having seasoned my soul with grace as with salt, awakens it to the fruitfulness of virtue.
While he was thinking these things, Jesus came to the place; looking up, he says to him: 'Zacchaeus, hasten and come down' (Luke 19:5). You ascended into the tree as a tax collector; come down from the tree as a lover of God. Come down from the wood onto the earth, so that you may ascend through the cross to heaven. You ascended upon a tree hiding from men; may you ascend through the cross, being granted grace to the angels. Therefore, hasten and come down; for today...
Greek · §3
ἄγροικος, ὁ πένης, ὁ ὄρεσιν προσομιλῶν Ζακχαίῳ περιέπιπτεν δεκατευόμε νος τὰ θρέμματα, ἐννόμως λῃστευόμενος, ἄνευ ξίφους ἀναιρού μενος. Σιδήρῳ γὰρ ὁ πληγεὶς καὶ ῥεῖον τὸ τραῦμα λαβὼν οἴχεται ἀναισθησίᾳ φυγὼν τοῦ πάθους τὴν χαλεπότητα, ὁ δὲ ἀκουσίῳ πενίᾳ τετοξευμένος θάνατον ἔχει τὸν πόνον καὶ τέθνηκεν· οὐχ ἅπαξ δαπανούμενος, θνῄσκει δὲ ἀεὶ κατὰ μικρόν. Καὶ ἵνα συντόμως εἴπω, ὥσπερ στρατιώταις τὰ δυσάλωτα φρούρια καὶ τοῖς κυβερνήταις αἱ ὕφαλοι πέτραι καὶ τοῖς πολεμοῦσιν οἱ ὕποπτοι λόχοι, οὕτως ἐμπόροις καὶ ὁδοιπόροις, βουκόλοις καὶ ποιμέσιν Ζακχαῖος φευκτὸς ἦν.Ἀλλ' οὗτος οὕτω περὶ τὴν ἄλογον τῶν χρημάτων συλλογὴν μεμηνὼς ζητῶν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἠδύνατο· κατεῖχεν γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ ἡλικίας σμικρότης καὶ ἀδικίας βαρύτης. Ὅθεν νῦν ἰώμενος τῆς ἡλικίας τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῇ τῆς συνέσεως ἐπινοίᾳ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομοραίαν καὶ κρύπτεται ὑπὸ τὸ ἀμφιλαφὲς τῶν φύλλων οἰόμενος ὁρᾶν καὶ μὴ ὁρᾶσθαι, νομίζων λανθάνειν τὸν πάντα εἰδότα· ὃ δὴ καὶ ἡ αἱμορροοῦσα ὑπέστη οἰομένη κλέπτειν τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἡδέως τὰ τοιαῦτα κλεπτόμενον. Ἀλλ' ἐκείνη κἂν ἐγγὺς γενομένη τοῦ κρασπέδου ἐφήψατο, οὗτος δὲ πόρρωθεν ὢν πίστει τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπελάβετο. Ὅθεν ἄνεισιν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ θεραπεύων κακά· ὁ μὲνγὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ ξύλου πλανᾶται τὸν θεὸν φεύγων, ὁ δὲ ἀπὸ ξύλου σῴζεται τὸν θεὸν ἰδεῖν ἐπιθυμῶν. Ἀκούων γὰρ ὡς πολλὰ καὶ παράδοξα ἐργάζεται θαύματα, ὡς πρὸς τοῖς σώμασιν καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἰατρεύει, τῶν μὲν ψυχῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφαιρούμενος, τοῖς δὲ σώμασιν ἀπάθειαν χαριζόμενος, ἐπεθύμησεν ἰδεῖν τὸν πάντα πᾶσι συγχωροῦντα λογισάμενος παρ' ἑαυτῷ·«Τίς ποτε ἆρά ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεπροὺς καθαίρων, ὁ τυφλοὺς ἰώμενος, ὁ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τοῖς αἰτοῦσι συγχωρῶν; Ποταπὸς τὸ εἶδος, ὁποῖος τὴν μορφήν; Ἆρα πάντα οἶδεν; ἆρα καὶ τῶν ἀπόντων τὰς γνώμας δοκιμάζει; ἢ τῶν συνόντων μόνον τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἐξετάζει; ἆρα ὡς θεὸς τῆς ἑκάστου καρδίας ἀνιχνεύει τὰ νοήματα; Πόθεν οὖν ταῦτα γνῶ; τίνα τούτων διδάσκαλον λάβω; τίνα; Τὴν πεῖραν, τὴν πάντων διδάσκαλον. Ἀνελθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ δένδρον κρύπτομαι ὑπὸ τὸ ἀμφιλαφὲς τῶν φύλλων. Λανθάνω καὶ μανθάνω εἰ δύναμαι σωθῆναι. Ἐὰν γνῷ μου τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ κίνημα, οἶδα ὅτι ἐξαλείφει μου τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἁμάρτημα· ἓν τοῦτο οὖν γνώσομαι ὅτι οἶδεν τῶν λογισμῶν τὰ κρυπτά. Ἐὰν ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους συνεχόμενος ἴδῃ με τὸν λανθάνοντα καὶ μὴ μόνον ἴδῃ ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς μου ἐκκαλύψῃ τὸν ἔρωτα, αἱροῦμαι πάντα ῥῖψαι καὶ ἕνα εὑρεῖν. Μιμήσασθαι Ματθαῖον θέλω· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τελώνης ἦν ὡς καὶ ἐγώ, ἀλλὰ Ματθαῖος μὲν οὐκ αὐθαιρέτως προσέδραμεν, ἀλλὰ κληθεὶς ὑπήκουσεν. Τάχα δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ ὁρῶν καὶ ἕνα τῶν ὁδοιπόρων νομίζων τὰς χεῖρας ἐκοίλανεν καὶ βαθὺν ἐφήπλωσε κόλπον τῇ συνηθείᾳ πρὸς τὴν λῆψιν ὀχηματιζόμενος καὶ τελωνῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν θέλων ἀντετελωνήθη παρ' αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ κατὰ σχῆμα, ἀλλ' ὅλον ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδούς. Ἅμα γὰρ ἤκουσεν· ∆εῦρο ὀπίσω μου, ὑπερέβη τὴν κλῆσιν τῇ προθυμίᾳ ὀξυτέρῳ τάχει παρατρέχων τῷ ἐφελκομένῳ. Εἰ τελώνας οὖν καλεῖ καὶ οὐ καλεῖ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιοῖ, οὐ βλάπτει με τῶν προλαβόντων κακῶν ὁ ἑσμός· εἰ γὰρ ὁ Ἐλισσαῖος ἅλας ἐπιβαλὼν τῇ θρεψαμένῃ πηγῇ τὸ ἄγονον αὐτῆς γόνιμον εἰργάσατο, πάντως καὶ αὐτὸς τῇ χάριτι ὡς ἅλατι ἀρτύσας μου τὴν ψυχὴν καρπογονίαν ἀρετῆς 3 διεγείρει «.Ταῦτα δὲ ἐνθυμουμένου αὐτοῦ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἀναβλέψας λέγει αὐτῷ· Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι. Ἀνέβης εἰς τὸ δένδρον ὡς τελώνης, κατάβηθι ἐκ τοῦ δένδρου ὡς φιλόθεος. Κατάβα ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἵνα ἀναβῇς διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ πρὸς οὐρανόν. Ἀνῆλθες ἐπὶ δένδρον ἀνθρώπους κρυπτόμενος, ἀνέρχῃ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἀγγέλοις χαριζόμενος. Σπεύσας οὖν κατάβηθι· σήμερον γὰρ
The Defense of Christ and Zacchaeus' Conversion§4
4it is necessary for me to stay in your house
Should he be suspected of sin? And why do you accuse him, that he entered to stay with a sinful man? And where was it necessary for the light to be placed, except in the darkness? For the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5). Where was it necessary for the physician to come? Not to those who are healthy, but to those who are sick (Matt 9:12). Where was it necessary for the Lamb of God (John 1:29) to appear? Not to tax collectors and sinners, so that having taken up their burden, he might establish justice? Therefore do not revile; for what was said to you is fulfilled: that Pharisees lead you into the kingdom of heaven (Matt 23:13).
Having stood, Zacchaeus said to the Lord: 'Behold, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone, I restore fourfold' (Luke 19:8). For I no longer tolerate the poor being wronged, having received the poor man's covering in my house. I no longer stumble regarding the collection of wealth or riches. [Lacuna: I no longer... lacuna]... being rich, having become poor, he lived. Foxes have dens, and the birds of heaven have nesting places (Luke 9:3), but you have nowhere to lay your head. Let there be courts and courtyards, great building works, bright and magnificent houses. But instead of all these, I seek the unexhausted wealth of your poverty.
But since I am unable to recount more of the wealth of Zacchaeus' soul, let us leave the word to the father who enriches in virtues: for following the hospitable one in describing the virtues, we do so for his praise, for your support, for a crown of the church, and for the honor of Christ, to whom belongs the glory and the dominion forever and ever (Rev 22:5). Amen.
Greek · §4
ἐν τῷ οἴκῳσου δεῖ με μεῖναι. Ὢ χάριτος ἀφράστου! Ὢ φιλανθρωπίας ἀρρήτου!κάθαρτνου ὁ οἶκμεν ἡ τῶlumbh ει. Ὅπου γὰρ ξενίζεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς, πάντα πρὸς ἄμεινον μεταβάλλεται τρόπον. Ζακχαῖε, φησίν, σπεύσας κατάβηθι· σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. Τί εἴπω; Ἡ οἰκία τοῦ τελώνου παράδεισος γέγονε. Ὃ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ λῃστοῦ, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ζακχαίου βλέπω· εἶπεν τῷ λῃστῇ· Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου εἰς τὸν παράδεισον εἰσήγαγεν· εἶπεν Ζακχαίῳ· Σήμερον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸν εἰσῆλθεν πρὸ παραδείσου παράδεισον αὐτοῦ τὸν οἶκον ἐργασάμενος. Ὁ δὲ σπεύσας κατέβη καὶ προέδραμενωξεν ἀπηνω ἐκάλεσεν υἱὸς Ἀβραάμ . Ἀλλ' οἱ λαμοι οἱ ἐπὶ πού μεγογγύζειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς λέγοντες ὅτι Παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθεν καταλῦσαι. Ὦ καταφρονήσεως ἐργάται καὶ γεωργοὶ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας! Ὑμεῖς τί ἐστε, δίκαιοι ἢ ἁμαρτωλοί; Οὐ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐστὲ μοχθηρότεροι; Πῶς οὖν παρ' ὑμῖν ἐσκήνωσεν Ἰησοῦς· πῶς παρ' ὑμῖν ἐτέχθη, ἐτράφη, ἠνδρειώθη, ἔπιεν, ἔφαγεν; Τί τὰ οἰκεῖα οὖν παρορῶντες τραύματα τὰ τοῦ πλησίον ἀνιχνεύετε πταίσματα; Ἄλλως δέ, διὰ τί ποτὲ μὲν ἁμαρτωλόν, ποτὲ δὲ δίκαιον τὸν Χριστὸν λέγετε; Ὅτε γὰρ τὸν ἐκ γεννητῆς ἐθεράπευσεν τυφλόν, ἁμαρτωλὸν αὐτὸν εἴπατε λέγοντες· ∆ὸς δόξαν τῷ θεῷ· ἡμεῖς γὰρ οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν, ὅτι λύει τὸ σάββατον. Νῦν ὅτε τὴν τοῦ τελώνου ὑπῆλθεν στέγην ὡς δίκαιον καὶ ἀναξίως ἁμαρτωλοῖς συνεσθίοντα διασύρετε ἁπλῶς. Ηὐλήσαμεν καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε· ἐθρηνήσαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε. Ἄν τε γὰρ θεραπεύσῃ τυφλόν, ἁμαρτωλὸν αὐτὸν λέγετε· ἄν τε ἁμαρτωλοῖς συμφάγῃ, διασύρετε ὡς ἀναξίως τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς συνεσθίοντα. Τί οὖν; Μὴ θεραπεύσῃ ἐν σαββάτῳ τυφλόν, ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτωλὸς νομισθῇ; μὴ φάγῃ μετὰ τελωνῶν, ἵνα δίκαιος ὑποπτευθῇ; Τί δὲ αἰτιᾶσθε αὐτόν, ὅτι παρὰ ἀνδρὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἰσῆλθεν καταλῦσαι; Καὶ ποῦ ἐχρῆν τεθῆναι τὸ φῶς ἢ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ; Τὸ γὰρ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. Ποῦ τὸνἰατρὸν ἐλθεῖν ἔδει; Οὐ προστρεχέτω κάμνοντας; Οὐ χρείαν γὰρ ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. Ποῦ τὸν ἀμνὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐχρῆν φανῆναι; Οὐ πρὸς τοὺς τελώνας καὶ ἁμαρτωλούς, ἵνα τὸ φορτίον αὐτῶν ἀναλαβὼνκαταστήσειτίας; Μάτην λοιδορεῖτε· πεπλήρωται γὰρ ἐφ' ὑμῖν τὸ εἰρημένον ὅτι Πόρναι καὶ τελῶναι προάγουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶνφαρισαῖοι οἱlacuna sex linearumΣταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν κύριον· ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ πένητας ἀδικεῖν ἀνέχομαί σε τῶν πενήτων σκεπαστὴν οἴκοι δεξάμενος. Οὐκέτι ἐπτόημαι περὶ τὴν τῶν χρημάτων συλλογήν,πλοῦτον . Οὐκέτι πε πύλαις ἐπι ων ὁδοιπόρων ἐν ἀνθρώπου μορφῇ ρονησάμενοςτῶν προλαβόν 5ν ἀμνηστείαν οὐον ὡςτὸν ἴδιον ετονδιερράγηγραφατῶν lacuna sex linearum τηlacuna unius lineae θέλωπλούσιος ὢν πτωχεύσας διέμενε. Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἔχεις ὅπου τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃς. Οἰχέσθωσαν αὐλαὶ καὶ προαύλια, οἰκοδομῶν μεγαλουργίαι, λαμπροὶ καὶ περιφανεῖς οἶκοι. Ἀντὶ πάντων γὰρ τούτων ἀκένωτόν σου τῆς πενίας πλοῦτον ζητῶ. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον οὐ δύναμαι τῆς ψυχῆς Ζακχαίου διηγήσασθαι τὸν πλοῦτον, τῷ ἐν 4 ἀρεταῖς πλουτοῦντι πατρὶ τὸν λόγον καταλείψωμεν· ἀκόλουθον γὰρ τὸν φιλόξενον τοῦ φιλοξένου διηγήσασθαι τὰς ἀρετὰς πρὸς αἴνεσιν μὲν αὐτοῦ, στηριγμὸν δὲ ὑμῶν, στέφανον δὲ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, τιμὴν δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 5