Jericho To Jerusalem

Today we will be looking at Luke chapter 19, to see what Jesus was focused on in the last weeks of His life on earth. We know Jesus was in Jericho enroute to Jerusalem. Back in Luke 9:51, we read, “When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, He set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

On the last leg of His journey, Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jericho which was considered a major hub for those who were traveling up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. The name Jericho means "fragrant" or "scent" as the city was abounding in palms, rose-gardens, and balsam. Jericho was a major commerce hub for Jews and Gentiles alike. OT scholar Alfred Edersheim called first-century Jericho “the Eden of Palestine, the very fairyland of the old world.” It could be compared to the modern-day Monte Carlo on the French Riviera with all its beauty and glamour.

Who does Jesus encounter on His travels to Jericho? Lepers, an unnamed woman bent over for 18 years, children, a tax collector, a blind beggar, a rich man - all of whom had significant obstacles to overcome to come to Jesus. Just like today - there are societal, material, physical, spiritual, emotional obstacles which come between people and the Lord. Some of these barriers are imposed by others while some are self-imposed.

It’s interesting that in the previous chapter of Luke (18:18) a rich young ruler came up to Jesus and asked what was necessary to get to heaven. How did Jesus answer this man? “Sell all that you have, give it to the poor and follow Me.” His love for money was his god, it was an obstacle. How would that sit with us today? God is not against making or having money, it is the love of money and the decietfulness of riches that creates all kinds of evil and keeps people from God.

When Jesus saw this man’s struggle with His answer, He said to His disciples, “Just look at how difficult it is for those who put their trust in their position and possessions to enter the Kingdom of God!” And then He compared the chances of a rich person getting into heaven to a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle (18:24-25). The disciples asked, “then who can be saved?” Jesus told them, “It’s difficult but nothing is impossible for God” which we will see in the next story today.

Luke 19:1-10

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable due to the crowd, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Him, because He was about to pass through that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 When the people saw this, they all began to complain, saying, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!” 8 But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.” 9 And 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 passage is filled with Biblical truths about:

? The Sinner

? The Savior

? The Work of Salvation

1. The Sinner

In the midst of this bustling town of Jericho, Jesus zeroes in on one person - Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus’ name means, “innocent, pure, clean, and righteous.” His parents chose a beautiful name for their son, but that was not his reality. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector of Jericho, boss over the other tax collectors. He not only collected taxes for the Roman government, he collected money from those working for him and from all the citizens of Jericho. He was able to charge an inordinate amount of money on top of the taxes people were paying and in doing so became very rich, powerful, and privileged. You and I thinking we pay a lot of taxes now but historical records show that back then there were:

? real estate taxes

? a poll tax (Matt 22:17)

? export and import taxes collected at seaports and the gates of cities and countries