The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-12-14


of March, A. d., and the place Jericho.
LESSON ANALYSIS.
Zaccheus the Man .....-.............rvs. d.
Bound TO See Jesus ..................Vs. 3-i
Jesus Calls TO Zacoheus ................N-
Zaccheus' Response .............-........V.
aontemptuous Attitude OF Pharlsees".E.
Zaccheus Repentance tand) ...--......N-
Salvation ..............,.............
The Mission OF Jesus on Earth. 10
Zaccheus the Man.-One of the nota-
bic things about this lesson is the
fact that in SO brief space is so com
plete description given of one of
the story's principal characteristics
More things are told about the man
Zaccheus than we would at first think
possible to be crowded into the limits
of ten short verses. I) He was Jew,
for Jesus mentions ". % that he was
ga son of Abraham" (2) lie was
citizen of the city of Jericho, for it
was there that Jesus stayed in his
house. CD He was a publican. or we
would say a taxgatherer. (4) He was.
before meeting with Jesus. no excep-
tion to the general run OF tax iinsi-
ers-that is. in the way of rapacity
and extortion. We know this from
the fact that when he repented he
promised to restore fourfold to those
from whom he had taken anything
"by false accusation" Some of his
wealth was honestly acquired, or he
could not have restored fourfold. F5)
He was rich both from what he had
rightfully earned and wrongfully ex-
torted. Co He was leader by ma
ture and disposition. for we are told
that he was a chief publican. (7) He
was short of stature. (s) He
was persistent and determined. We
could infer this from the material
success which he had achieved. but it
is shown in the manner by which he
accomplished his purpose of seeing
Jesus. (o) He was enthusiastic. for
we are told he received Jesus 10y
fully" (1O) Lastly. his must have
been a more than ordinarily generous
disposition; in fact. "a good fellow"
He did not have to restore fourfold TO
those whom he had overcharged.
Many good people would have stopped
with paving merely the amount
wrongfully taken. adding only the
accumulated interest.
Bound 10 See Jesus.-He had heard
of Jesus probably during more or less
of the Masters three years OF public
ministry. He must have heard OF
some at least of the wonderful mir
acles performed. lie must have heard
OF His forcihle. authoritative preach.
ing. He could hardly not have heard
of some OF the disputes with the
pharisees. in which every time the
latter had retired baf'led. defeated
He wanted TO see Jesus. but. being
shorter than the crowd, he had TO sac
rifice his dignity and climb into Z
tree. "Where there's will there's
a way
Contemptuous Attitude of the Phar
isees.-Contrast Jesus opcn-heartet
way in which Jesus had entered int,
the home Of this man. and the small
mean manner of the pharisees. wht
stood aloof and murmured at jesus
that is a sinner" This was only an
other proof Of their self-righteous
ness and bigotry.
Zacchens' Repentance. - Zaccheu
faced the Christ life and the phari
saical smalness of mind. In th
hour he found himself compelled I,
choose between sin and righteousness
Zaccheus Salvation. - Jesus com
mended Zaccheus for the stand he ha,
taken and implicitly rebukcd the phar
isees. for Jesus SAYS 'he also is n sol
of Abraham" Though publican
Zaccheus had repented Of the evil h
had done. He was a jew. but NOR
than this he had now become so
Of Abraham" in way the pharisee
had not.
The Mission OF Jesus-But Jesu
had further reason for associatin
with such men as Zaccheus. II we
His supreme mission on earth TO brin
back the sinners to the way of etei
nal life. ITO seek and to save tina
~ L..