The author says Zacchaeus was a tax collector and not a loan shark.
I’d really like to know what his understanding of this passage in Luke 19:8 tells us about what Zacchaeus did before he repented:
” And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
The answer to that lies in the way the tax-collection system worked. He wasn't a loan shark. Plain and simple.
If you will read some history on this subject you will discover that the tax collectors of the day would sometimes require more than what was necessary...and would demand a tax that was somewhat higher than was necessary. IOW: Say you owed 15%...they would tell you that you owed 20% and keep the extra 5% for themselves.
That is how they made their money...by OVER taxing. This of course is contrary to the law of Moses....which is why the Jews really hated Jews who did it.
LOANS had nothing to do with the system...it was a system built on fraud...which is why Zacchaeus said what he did. He had basically robbed people.
Kinda what the government does today.
Did you ignore context, beginning with Luke 19:2
“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.”
or, as Luke continues at 19:8
“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
which is NO admission that he had defrauded anyone, in fact, it suggests he is a man who is capable of correcting his errors, if he has made them
and the rest of Luke 19, which opened with Zacchaeus?
it’s no homily against trading well.
the meeting with Zacchaeus is about those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus’ house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him.
Zacchaeus was hated and despised in Palestine because his job was as tax collector - he took from the people on orders of Herod and the Romans to fill their royal coffers, while the people, so many people in Palestine, went hungry FOR LACK OF WORK.
Meanwhile, the taxes deprived everyone of what they could have given in alms for the poor to the temple - charity being traditionally the role of the churches - and those in charge of the temple were themselves living lavishly as well.
Tax collecting, like Zacchaeus job, was part of the corruption of the elite, much like it is today.
Did you ignore context, beginning with Luke 19:2
“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.”
or, as Luke continues at 19:8
“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
which is NO admission that he had defrauded anyone, in fact, it suggests he is a man who is capable of correcting his errors, if he has made them
and the rest of Luke 19, which opened with Zacchaeus?
it’s no homily against trading well.
the meeting with Zacchaeus is about those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus’ house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him.
Zacchaeus was hated and despised in Palestine because his job was as tax collector - he took from the people on orders of Herod and the Romans to fill their royal coffers, while the people, so many people in Palestine, went hungry FOR LACK OF WORK. At tax collecting itself providing ample opportunity for corruption - not from being a lender with interest - by taking more than just the tax that was required [like Socialists, Liberals and Progressives do), padding their own pocket [or in the modern case, their own political and business special interests] with the difference [with non-essential programs just to get more people beholden to them].
Meanwhile, the taxes deprived everyone of what they could have given in alms for the poor to the temple - charity being traditionally the role of the churches - and those in charge of the temple were themselves living lavishly as well.
Tax collecting, like Zacchaeus job, was part of the corruption of the elite, much like it is today.
Point is Zaccheus was a gov’t bureaucrat a la IRS not a market guy. if he defrauded anyone it was in the name of the state.