Zaccheus, And Bartimaeus. What Do They Have in Common?

If you are a Bible scholar, you do not do straight preaching. You lay things on the table from an uncommon perspective, and leave your reader with a feeling of—Oh wowww—I never thought of this!!!

I am fascinated by two men men in the Bible amongst many. But why?

Both men had ears. They heard that “Jesus was coming their way.”
Many people heard the same rumor that they heard. At the minimum, 5,000 people followed Jesus wherever he went. So, let’s look at the statistical probability that Jesus would take special notice of one man amongst 5,000.


Harder still, what is the likelihood that one man would attract enough attention to get the attention of Jesus? You will have so many zeroes before the number—ONE—-that Mathematicians would call it a statistical improbability. Yet, that was the kind of feat that these two men pulled off.

The two men were determined, and desperate.

For Zacchaeus, a rich man, one would have thought he should be the happiest man in the city. Did William Shakespeare not famously say that:

“All that glitters is not gold?”

Clearly, short man Zacchaeus, even though he was a rich man, he knew that there was a void in his life that nothing but the love of God alone could fill.

Rebecca Ferguson, the British singer sings:

“Nothing’s real, but love
No car, no money,
no house is like love.
It won’t fill you up.”

Only God’s love, and our love for one another can truly fill up humanity. No mansion, or car, or money can do it.

Zacchaeus was therefore unique in recognizing his state of spiritual emptiness, his wealth notwithstanding.

On the other hand, Bartimaeus was a beggar, a desperately poor man who was so desperately blind that he understood that he needed radical action to come out of his situation.

They both took a position. Whereas Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could see Jesus, Bartimaeus went off to locate himself at a vantage point.
He was a man on a mission.

Jesus responds to both men according to their situations, a situation of faith, strong faith that refuses to take “No” for an answer.

To one, Jesus said “Come on down Zacchaeus—How about dinner in your house tonight?”

To the other, Jesus said “Hey, big guy, what can I do for you?”

He replied, “That I might receive my sight.”

“Go,” Jesus said to Bartimaeus. “Your faith has healed you.”

Bingo!!!!

Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector, who worked for the much derided Romans was just as despised as Bartimaeus, a common beggar. No sane Jew would want to be associated with either kind. To that end, they were both outcasts.

Nevertheless, they had a genealogy that gave them an entitlement ab initio. As the Pharisees complained about Jesus dining in the house of Zacchaeus, he reminded them of something even they could not deny—to the end—-If salvation is of the Jews only, Zacchaeus has his ancestry that could be traced to Abraham, and therefore, entitled to its privileges. Hence the declaration by Jesus—-“Salvation is come to this house—for as much as he, (Zacchaeus), is a son of Abraham.”

Now, listen to poor, blind Bartimaeus making a declaration to Jesus in a bid to ascertain and establish his genealogy, and therefore, an entitlement to help. He declares in his desperation: “Jesus, thou Son of David,” —(just as I too, am), Have mercy on me.”

Now, you and I have a job, and an entitlement as expressly stated by Jesus in Acts 1: 6-8.

6 “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

We are the “uttermost part of the earth,” to whom salvation has been extended, and it does not define who may or may not come.

It is for “whosoever” will come.

The matter is clear. Whether you are a rich man like Zacchaeus, or a poor man like Bartimaeus; whether you are a wide-eyed self acknowledged cheat like Zacchaeus, or a stone-cold blind man like Bartimaeus, you have a Cheque to cash. Go to the Bank. The name of the Bank is Jesus Bank. Boldly written on your Cashier’s Cheque is—-Salvation.
You may cash your Cheque at anytime. It’s up to you.

Michael Ovienmhada.

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One thought on “Zaccheus, And Bartimaeus. What Do They Have in Common?

  1. God be praised. You have your cheque, do wise to cash it before the bank gates are permanently shot. Let’s come to Jesus now that we have the opportunity. The invitation is to everyone, both to the Jews and the Gentiles. There is time for everything under the Heaven, but TODAY is the day of salvation. You are hearing the voice of GOD. Harden not your heart before it is too late.

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