The Defense of Christ and Zacchaeus' Conversion

it 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

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

About this text

A bishop's reflection on Zacchaeus explores forgiveness, repentance, and the transformative power of Christ's love.

Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.

Catalogue & scope

Khazarzar scan

Witnesses

Copy-text PG 39 (Khazarzar) (Greek)

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.