Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, March 17, 2013 Read – Luke 18:31-19:10 We have noted that Luke is once again following Mark. That is true of the next section of his gospel but we need to also notice that Luke has done some serious editing of Mark. In his typical way of putting the disciples in an unfavorable light, Mark paints a picture of Jesus, out in front of his frightened disciples, beckoning them to follow, likely against their will (Mark 10:32). Luke drops this picture and simply reminds his readers that they are going up to Jerusalem – something that Luke has done often. From Luke 9:51 on Luke has constructed a “travel narrative” however not much about the actual journey is told – Luke has had to remind his readers from time to time that they are indeed on a journey to Jerusalem. Mark had constructed a tightly knit unit in which Jesus makes three predictions of his impending betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection in Jerusalem. Each of those predictions had been followed by a story of misunderstanding on the part of the disciples. Luke has retained these three predictions and added three more (Luke 9:22 = Mark 8:31; Luke 9:43-44 = Mark 9:30-32; Luke 12:50 = No parallel in Mark; Luke 13:31-35 = No parallel in Mark; Luke 17:25 = No parallel in Mark; and Luke 18:31-33 = Mark 10:33-34). In the process – and, because his “travel narrative” is so long – Luke has taken the impact of Mark’s construction and nearly obliterated it. The “Passion Predictions” are far more important to Mark than they are to Luke. In fact, Luke uses them to describe what has already happened by the time he has written his gospel. In his typical fashion Mark follows this third and final “Passion Prediction” with a story of misunderstanding on the part of the disciples – James and John ask for the “best seats in the house!” (Mark 10:35-40). Luke drops this story out – likely because it was so negative of the disciples and Luke has consistently attempted put them in a more favorable light than Mark did. But Luke is aware of the story. Following the obnoxious request of James and John, Mark tells of the other disciples grumbling about them – actually they are disappointed that they didn’t think of it first! Jesus strongly rebukes them and tells them that they are acting like “Gentiles” who lord it over others and that such behavior is not appropriate for followers of Jesus – to be great is to be the servant of all. Luke will take these words from Mark and move them to a later point in his gospel during the controversy in Jerusalem (Mark 10:41-44 = Luke 22:24-27). We will need to talk about Luke’s use of this story then. Following Mark, Luke moves directly to the story of giving sight to a blind man at Jericho. Mark had named this man, Bartimeaus, and tells the story just as Jesus is leaving Jericho – the last of Jesus’ actions before he makes the final journey to Jerusalem and the death that awaits him there (Mark 10:46-52). Luke drops out the name and tells his readers the healing of this blind man happened as Jesus was entering Jericho (Luke 18:35). Jesus has more to do in Jericho. Only Luke tells the story of Zaccheaus – it is another of his masterpieces! As we reflect back over Luke’s gospel we are amazed at the many great stories and parables only Luke tells us! Jesus reading from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, Peter and the great catch of fish, the woman anointing Jesus’ feet with her tears in Simon, the Pharisee’s house, the parable of the Good Samaritan, the parable of the lost sons, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to name some of the more memorable ones. The story of Zaccheaus joins this group of marvelous stories only Luke tells us. No doubt one of Luke’s goals in writing his gospel was to warn his readers of the threat that wealth presents to people. Most of his warnings have been tragic – the story of Zaccheaus is the last story Luke will tell about the perils of wealth and it is a very positive story. It is clear that Zaccheaus is a rich man! He begins the story as a rich man and there is no reason not to believe that the story ends with Zaccheaus as a rich man – certainly Zacchaeus has less wealth at the end of the story than the beginning but he is still a rich man. When we last heard Luke talking about the threat of wealth we were confronted with the awful truth that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God on his own – but that with God all things are possible. Zaccheaus is proof that God is able to save even rich people! We met a man earlier in Luke’s gospel who earnestly wanted to inherit eternal life but was not able to because when Jesus invited him to sell all that he had and give to the poor and come follow him, the man was not able because he loved his wealth too much – he was possessed by his wealth! He went away sorrowful and Jesus watched him go with a heavy heart – the man was not willing to be gathered under the wings of Jesus. What is different about that man and Zacchaeus? Jesus does not tell Zacchaeus to get rid of all he has – Jesus does not need to because, at the presence of Jesus, Zacchaeus freely abandons his wealth at the pure joy of seeing Jesus. Zaccheaus trusts Jesus and not his wealth. In fact, Zaccheaus goes far beyond what the OT would have required of him. The point is not that it is Zaccheaus’ actions the save him – it is the action of Jesus welcoming Zacchaeus under his wings that saves Zacchaeus! Zacchaeus finds his place in the shelter of the Lord! It’s about trusting Jesus. And in his joy Zacchaeus is free from the power of wealth – he will use it and it will not “use” him. One gets the impression that even if all his wealth was to disappear Zacchaeus would still be filled with joy! The lost has been found – reminiscent of the story of the lost sons!