Luke 19:8 Commentary and Bible Study

Immediately there was evidence of change in Zacchaeus’ heart. His conscience had come to life, and he was remembering all his past extortion of the poor. He remembered how he had taken from the needy, from those least able to defend themselves, and pressured them into paying more tax than was due, simply so that he could keep their money for himself. He realised that, without needing to be informed by anyone, the Lord Jesus knew all about this. He was in the presence of one who knew him through and through, from whom there were no secrets. Now Zacchaeus was ashamed of his corrupt life, and he wanted to make restitution to the extent he was able. He promised to do two things. He promised to give half of his personal wealth to the poor. He must now benefit those who he had oppressed in the past. It was the poor in particular that he had exploited so mercilessly. This was a general reimbursement, which he owed to a class of people he had treated so badly before. How could he as a believer continue to live with these unlawfully gained profits, while others were burdened under the hardships of life which he had added to? This was not some communist principle of imagined equality between all, but a fair reimbursement to those who had been exploited by him. His conscience worked out that this was the right thing to do, and he announced his intention in advance. He expected to be held to his word. He was not just saying these things for show, to make an impression of new-found honesty. This was his real intention, and not to have followed through with this, would have been hypocrisy, the thought of which would have frightened him greatly. He must be as good as his word, but his word was announced in advance to bind him to his rightful duty. It also declared to the Lord and all others present that he was a changed man, and he could not go back to his former life. He had not been told to do this by the Lord Jesus; his own conscience had worked this out as the only correct thing to do. Secondly, he vowed that if he had taken from any man by false accusation, he would repay it fourfold. He learned this from the law of God which said, ‘If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep’ (Exodus 22:1). It was also David’s immediate response to Nathan that the man being described to him – which was actually himself – should ‘restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity’ (2 Samuel 12:6). The law required this because the injured party was to be compensated for their loss, and partly because the perpetrator was to be punished and suffer his own loss. This was what Zacchaeus imposed on himself. Evidently it was a common practice among the tax collectors, to falsely accuse in order to extract a higher payment. Zacchaeus was ready to lose his wealth, because he now had treasure in heaven, worth far more than any ill-gotten gains on earth. He was committed to a new life of honesty, and he wanted to start that new life by restoring to others what he had falsely taken from them. That new standard of righteousness comes into effect at the very first hour of the believer’s new life.None of this was done to earn salvation. He is anxious, after seeing Christ, to restore the goods that he is stolen, to make it up to the people he has hurt. That is not because he can buy God's favour, but he is going to repent of his sin. He has been humbled by the presence of Christ. He has been made to realize how far short he comes of the standards of God, what a needy creature he is, and as he repents and he leaves behind the old life, he wants to get rid of these riches. He wants to give them back. He wants to show God that he means it. He means everything he says.