The Bible In Paintings >>> “!Surprising Salvations!” Series ✝️ MATTHEW AND ZACCHAEUS, REVILED TAX-COLLECTORS ✝️

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible
In Paintings

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and Appreciating God's Word ~

•Drawings•Engravings•Facades•Frescoes•Illuminations•Miniatures•Mosaics•Photographs•Reliefs•Statues•Tapestries•Windows•

!SURPRISING SALVATIONS!
MATTHEW and
ZACCHAEUS

HOW THE TAX-COLLECTORS’
SALVATION WAS SURPRISING:

1. THEIR APOSTASY—As tax-collectors they were tools of the oppressive Romans and therefore hated by their fellow Jews; they worshiped only money….

2. THEIR RESPONSIVENESS—Yet when Jesus confronted and summoned them, both responded instantly and wholeheartedly.

3. THEIR PREPARATION—Clearly, the Holy Spirit had been convicting them and preparing them for the Lord’s summons.

4. THEIR REPENTANCE—Zacchaeus repaid enthusiastically, and Matthew renounced apostolically.

LITTLE ZACCHAEUS, MIGHTY IN FAITH

LUKE 19:
Jesus said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ ”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “TODAY SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS HOUSE, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

1
CLIVE UPTTON
"Jesus Christ Forgives a Thief"

2
"The Tax Collector Zacchaeus and Jesus"

3
JACOPO PALMA
"Christ Calling Zacchaeus"

4
Source

5
Source

6
Source

7
Source

8
Source

9
JAMES TISSOT
"Zacchaeus in the Sycamore
Awaiting the Passage of Jesus"

10
WILLIAM BRASSEY HOLE
"Zacchaeus Being Called down from the Tree"

11
Source

12
Source

13
"ZACHAEVS IESVM RECIPIT"
"ZACCHAEUS RECEIVES JESUS"

LEVI, CALLED MATTHEW, AND CALLED BY JESUS

MATTHEW 9:
Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

14
VITTORE CARPACCIO
"The Calling of St. Matthew"

15
CARAVAGGIO
"The Calling of Saint Matthew"

16
Detail
Source

17
JUAN DE PAREJA
"The Calling of St. Matthew"

18
GIOVANNI PAOLO PANINI
"The Calling of Saint Matthew"

19
JAMES TISSOT
"The Calling of Saint Matthew"

20
MARINUS VAN REYMERSWAELE
"The Calling of Matthew"

21
MARINUS VAN REYMERSWAELE
"The Calling of Matthew"

22
MATTIA PRETI
"The Calling of Matthew"

23
MASTER OF THE ABBEY OF DIELEGEM
"The Calling of St Matthew"

24
THEODOOR VAN LOON
"Calling of Saint Matthew"

25
CHARLES WAUTIER
"Calling of Saint Matthew"

26
NICCOLO TORNIOLI
"Conversion of Saint Matthew"

27
Source

28
MAUD FRANCIS EYSTON SUMNER
"The Calling of St Matthew"

29
Source

30
JACOB VAN OOST
"The Calling of Saint Matthew"

31
LUCA GIORDANO
"The Calling of St. Matthew"

32
BATTISTELLO CARACCIOLO
"The Calling of Saint Matthew"

→ a n d   f i n a l l y ←

33
HENDRICK TER BRUGGHEN
"The Calling of St. Matthew"

New International Version ©1984, Abrgd, EMPHASES added
Masthead Painting: “GUEST” by Andrey Mironov

[Hebrews 11:6]

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[Hebrews 11:6]

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A FRIENDLY FORUM

[Red Badger]

And still to this day!..

[Hebrews 11:6]

Even Jesus paid His tax................

[Red Badger]

Gotta render unto Caesar!......................

[etabeta]

Two stories of repentance and forgiveness..
#14 Carpaccio
#15/16 Caravaggio
#19 Tissot
#24 van Loon for his detailed painting.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Don't neglect that line's second half:

Gotta render unto God!..................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Two stories of repentance and forgiveness..

Thank you, Alba.

The Bible doesn't hint at what went on in their lives that led up to their response to their summons. But The Chosen fills in that gap in Matthew's story so plausibly. I've not heard any explanation why that show's creators singled out Matthew as one of their three featured characters, along with the Magdalene and Simon Peter, but I am very glad they did.

[nomorelurker]

” Matthew renounced apostolically.”

I had to do some research on what that meant. Have never seen that exact (renounced apostolically) terminology before.

[etabeta]

They were ready to be saved

[No name given]

Come soon, Lord Jesus!

[Hebrews 11:6]

Have never seen that

That's because I invented it for this occasion.

My meaning was simply that Matthew's repentance was so thorough and effective that Jesus was able to equip him for the office of Apostle (in which he excelled, as one of the Four Evangelists).

[Hebrews 11:6]

They were ready to be saved

A marvelous mystery, how they can be brought to readiness for salvation while appearing to others as though it were impossible.

I spent a couple of days this week discussing the gospel with an ardent unbeliever, who argued vehemently against it. And the very force of his arguments betrayed how frantically he was fighting against the strong pull of the truth. Unlike our two taxmen, he is not yet ready--but he is getting closer. On average, people need to hear the Gospel six or eight times before they will finally believe, and he heard it again this week.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Amen and amen! Maranatha!