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LUKE 19:8 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Luke 19:7Luke 19:9
“And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
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 — stood up (statheis, taking a stand) and said: the public declaration before the community. Half of my possessions to the poor and fourfold restitution for any cheating: the voluntary generosity and the generous legal restitution (the Torah required 20% over and above what was taken; Zacchaeus volunteers 300%). The present-tense verbs (I give, I will pay back) communicate immediate, current action.

Church Fathers on Luke 19:8

upon the one our Lord waits to show mercy, upon the other He confers the great glory of abiding in his house. The chief among the Publicans is here fitly introduced. For who will hereafter despair of himself, now that he attains to grace who gained his living by fraud. And he too moreover a rich man, that we may know that not all rich men are covetous.

Ambrose · 4th century · Zacchaeus in the sycamore, the blind man by the way side

But Zacchaeus made no delay in what he did, and so was accounted worthy of the favor of God, which gives sight to the blind, and calls them who are afar off.

Cyril of Alexandria · 5th century

The seed of salvation had begun to spring up in him, for he desired to see Jesus, having never seen Him. For if he had seen Him, he would long since have given up the Publican’s wicked life. No one that sees Jesus can remain any longer in wickedness. But there were two obstacles to his seeing Him. The multitude not so much of men as of his sins prevented him, for he was little of stature.

TITUS BOST ·
Read all 21 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Luke 19:8 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy