The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-27


and he was rich and he had made his
money by trickery and by intrigue and
extortion because of the system thai
was then in vogue.
You must remember that the Jews
were under the conNol, at that time
.of Remains ARD they were, severe iI
; ffsrr e.Ssrsss ,slzsr,urH re sx<~s s~xSS
Woodworking. thrifty, industrious
people, and the Romans were lazy
lustful and indolent, and so the Jews
were required to come into the tenn
pie every year and bring their money
and lay 1t before these money-chang'
ers. 1t was only a single taxation
system. the only one have ever
heard of that was in working force.
The Jew used to go to the temple
and give all his money to the money
changers. and the money changers
would scoop 1t all up and give none
Of it back.
The Jews became shrewd. so in
stead of taking II all they used to take
a small portion Of II and hide the resi-
OF 1t, and the Roman government be-
gan to feel the effects OF that system,
and they said, I'VE will have to
change this system or we VIII go into
bankruptcy"
And so here is what they did. and
X was the law that was in force when
Jesus came on earth. The Roman
government figured out how much
money they had to have from Pales-
tine and from the Jews, and they
took no chances. They sad, 1T takes
Il Jew to catch jew" So they fig
ured up and they sold the privilege
of collecting the taxes to gang OF
fellows who paid the Roman govern
uent the full amount that they bg-
ured they had to have from the Jews.
For example. supposing that | should
buy from the legislature OF New York
the right to collect The taxes, and |
paid ten million dollars Cor the priv
iiese, then l would make fifteen 10
twenty million on it.
The Roman government gave a. GER
tain figure, and they didn't give a
rap how much beyond that the Jews
paid. JUST as long as they got their
money SO Zaccheus WAS the leader
Of that gang Of publicans who pur-
chased the privilege Of collecting the
Ia. es frulr the Roman government
So that YVES the way he had made HIS
fortune.
So here is man rich In none,
wanting IN see q man rich in popular
ity. Jesus. Here is man who is
wealthy considered in what he had
stolen from the Jews, Here Is man.
Jesus. wealthy in blessing and eenedic-
man. Jesus Christ was The really.
truly rich man. although he did1't
have two coats on his back. Jesus
admit have enough money to pay his
taxes and Peter had 10 go down To the
sea and catch fish and they found
eola in the nsh's mouth which ne used
20 pay the taxes. and Net Jesus was
ehe richer man.
And there was great crowd IN the
sfreets Zacchaeus was a man Short
Il stature and ne could not see over
The heads OF the crowd bot ke saw
that the route which Jesus was taking
would take him down to the famous
sycamore tree.
e., Ready for the Inevitable.
/ should think when you read the
obituary notices In the newspapers or
see a funeral procession you would re-
member that you have TO pass by that
way and you would be ready for IL
and you would be prepared, for the
time Is coming sooner or later when
sc will all pass that way.
SO he saw the route that Jesus was
taking would take him down 10 the
famous sycamore tree and so ne took
a circuitnus route around the crowd
and made for the sycamore tree.
And Jesus came down the street and
seeing Zacchaeus he said. 'Zacchaeus,
make haste. for today l must abide at
your house for the Son of Man has
-one to save that which was lost"
And / can imagine Zacchaeus saying
o himself. Il wonder who has been
telling him about me-"
The reason for the command was
that he wanted to dine at his home.
Jesus. honoring the most unpopular
nan of his day. the most unpopular
man you could have found in the
kingdom.
.sWhy. how-do-you- Jesus II I
had had the slightest idea that you
were coming up here 10 see me
srrsrsa hgveshaS ssay, limousine haEey shu.
I didn't know you were coming. Too
bad. for | just bought new Pierce
Arrow IL isn't very far over or
would phone the chauffeur to bring
It over. but you don't mind walking.
10 your"
-oh, no."
And can see them going down the
streets Of Jericho. zacchaeus and
Jesus with his disciples going up to
The house / have often tried TO Inn
agine what kind OF a woman Mrs.
Lacchaens was, There isn't WORD
said about her. I imagine the chill
dren were out In the front of the
house playing and they saw their
father coming and they said. Ma,
here comes Pa with a lot Of men"
That was not unusual then, they
had no hotels. People invited them
selves up to Zacchaeus' house, that
was the custom In those days.
And SO Jesus said. This day must
I abide at your house SO 1t was up
TO Zacchaeus to come across with the
grub.
And so / can see the children when
they see their father go back into
The house and say Ma. he Is bring
ing them all into the house"
And she would say, Here. take
your hobby horse, and put that chair
out OF the way" and can see her.
fixing herself up. busting around to
get the house looking presentable and
in comes Zacchaeus and he says:
This Is Jesus of Nazareth and this
In Mr.. Peter. MIR. John, Mr.. Nathaniel.
Mr.. bartholomew" and no doubt
they mad the same custom introduce
ing his wife to all the disciples and
- said, II brought them up to the
1ssstas1 to dinner" ~ a'- -ts
Jesus did not go mp there to eat
what that rich Jew had to eat He
went up there to win him to the fact
that he was the Christ and when ne
bAde them Goodbye he said to Fac
chaeus, This day has salvation come