Zacchaeus Rises Above the Crowd

1. And [He] entered and passed through Jericho.

2. And behold, [there was] a man called by the name Zacchaeus; and he was the chief publican, and he was rich.

3. And he was seeking to see Jesus, who He is, and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.

4. And he ran before and went up into a mulberry fig tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that [way].

5. And when Jesus came upon the place, looking up He saw him, and said to him, Zacchaeus, make haste, step down, for today I must stay at thy house.

6. And making haste, he stepped down, and received Him rejoicing.

7. And seeing, they all murmured, saying that He had come in to repose with a man [that is] a sinner.

8. And Zacchaeus stood, and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my belongings I give to the poor, and if I have anything from anyone by extortion, I give back [to him] fourfold.

9. And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to pass for this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

10. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Seeing Jesus

In biblical times, tax collectors were seen as despised traitors who turned against their own people by collecting taxes for the oppressive Roman government. Because of this, tax collectors were regarded as persons with whom righteous people should not be associated. In the previous chapter, for example, when the self-righteous Pharisee said his prayers, it was clear that he saw himself as superior to the tax collector, especially when the Pharisee began his prayer by saying, “I thank you that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11). However, when the tax collector prayed, he didn’t compare himself to anyone. Instead, his only words were. “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

The episode about the Pharisee and the tax collector is followed by a story about a rich ruler who went away sorrowful because he refused to part with his riches; then comes a brief episode about a blind beggar whose eyes were opened. As we have seen, these are not random episodes, but rather they are seamlessly connected. This connection becomes even more clear as we turn to the next episode about a “tax collector” who is “rich” and who very much wants to “see” Jesus (Luke 19:2-3).

The tax collector, whose name is Zacchaeus, is standing in a crowd anticipating the arrival of Jesus who is about to pass through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. In addition to being a tax collector and being rich, Zacchaeus is also described as being “of little stature”—not tall enough to see above the crowd. Knowing that Jesus is about to pass through Jericho, Zacchaeus climbs up into a tree where he will be able to get a better view of Jesus. He wants to “see” Jesus.

“Seeing,” as we have pointed out, relates to the understanding, and especially to the part of the mind that desires to know the truth because it wants to do good. Therefore, it could be said that Zacchaeus not only wants to get a better view of Jesus, but he also he wants to know who Jesus is, not out of mere curiosity, but out of a genuinely good affection. In this regard, Zacchaeus’ effort to “see who Jesus is” represents the God-given desire implanted in each of us to know God and understand His will. ¹

Zacchaeus’ climbing up into a tree is significant. People who have stood in a large crowd while a parade goes by know the feeling of having their view blocked by the people standing in front of them. Like Zacchaeus, who climbed up into a tree to get a clearer view of Jesus, there are times when we want to “see God,” but cannot get a clear view. We feel a need to get up into a place of higher understanding. Spiritually speaking, this is a place where we can rise above the multitude of confusing thoughts and emotions that crowd out the truth and prevent us from seeing how God works in our lives. And so, Zacchaeus, who wants to see Jesus, finds that higher place by climbing up into a tree. As it is written, Zacchaeus ran ahead and “climbed up” into a sycamore tree to see Jesus (Luke 19:4). ²

Becoming a “son of Abraham”

Zacchaeus’ climbing up into a tree represents the way each of us can rise above our old ways of thinking and responding so that we might be ready for a new view of spiritual reality. In this regard, it should be noted that Zacchaeus climbs up into the tree because he is anticipating that Jesus is “about to pass that way” (Luke 19:4). It is this hopeful anticipation that a new insight is about to pass our way that allows a new understanding to come into our minds. This kind of openness, or readiness to receive the truth, is essential. ³

It is at this point, as Jesus is entering Jerusalem, that He looks up into the tree and sees Zacchaeus. Sensing that Zacchaeus is eager to learn more about Him, Jesus tells him to come down from the tree. As it is written, “When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zacchaeus, and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and step down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). Jesus’ staying at Zacchaeus’ “house” is sacred symbolism. It represents divine truth coming into the human mind. Upon Jesus’ command, Zacchaeus immediately comes down from the tree and receives Jesus “joyfully” (Luke 19:6). ⁴

The crowd, however, is less than joyful. In their minds, Zacchaeus is nothing more than a despicable person who overtaxes them, takes his cut, and sends the rest to Rome—the dominant world power at that time. Zacchaeus is hated not only because he is a tax collector, but even more so because he is Jericho’s “chief tax collector” (Luke 19:2). Therefore, the people murmured among themselves, saying that Jesus “has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).

As we soon discover, there is more to Zacchaeus than simply being a tax collector. Although he is very rich, he gives half of his goods to the poor. Furthermore, if he discovers that he has wronged anyone, he is quick to make amends repaying them fourfold what he owes them. He seems to be a good man, a man who receives Jesus joyfully, and of whom Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he is also a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9).

In referring to Zacchaeus as a “son of Abraham,” Jesus is saying that Zacchaeus is very much a member of the community. As a “son of Abraham,” he shares in their rich lineage, regardless of the fact that he is a tax collector. In the Word, a “son of Abraham” is also referred to as the “seed of Abraham.” In the spiritual sense, a “son of Abraham” is anyone who willingly receives the seeds of goodness and truth that flow in from the Lord. This means that all people can receive the kingdom of God. Ancestry does not matter; social class does not matter. It does not matter whether a person descends from peasants or princes, cobblers or kings. Salvation is for everyone who is open and willing to receive it. And whenever people do so, as does Zacchaeus when he joyfully receives Jesus, they are called “sons of Abraham.” ⁵

The story of Zacchaeus, then, is a symbolic way of expressing the deeper truth that salvation comes to us whenever we are willing to joyfully receive the divine truth, taking it into our minds, just as we would welcome a noble guest into our homes. Zacchaeus’ joyful reception of Jesus is another parable containing the deeper message that God comes to each of us as the divine truth, seeking to save us when we have been lost in a crowd of anxious thoughts and false ideas. All of this is contained in the closing words of this episode where, once again, Jesus speaks about the divine truth as the “Son of Man.” As it is written, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

The Parable of the Minas

11. But as they heard these things, He added [and] told a parable, for He was nigh to Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

12. He said therefore, A certain noble man went into a distant country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

13. And he called his own ten servants, and gave them ten minas, and said to them, Do business till I come.

14. But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We are not willing [that] this [man] should reign over us.

15. And it came to pass that when he had come back, having received the kingdom, he also said [that] these servants should be called to him, to whom he had given the silver, that he might know what every one had gained by doing business.

16. And the first came, saying, Lord, thy mina has earned ten minas.

17. And he said to him, Well [done], thou good servant; because thou hast been faithful in the least, have thou authority over ten cities.

18. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy mina has made five minas.

19. And he said to him also, Be thou also over five cities.

20. And another came saying, Lord, behold, thy mina, which I have held laid up in a napkin.

21. For I feared thee, for thou art an austere man; thou takest what thou placest not, and reapest what thou didst not sow.

22. And he says to him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, wicked servant. Thou didst know that I am an austere man, taking what I placed not, and reaping what I did not sow.

23. Why then gavest not thou my silver to the bank, so that I at my coming might have exacted it with interest?

24. And he said to those that stood by, Take from him the mina, and give [it] to him that has ten minas.

25. And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas.

26. For I say to you that to everyone that has shall be given; but from him that has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him.

27. Nevertheless, those enemies of mine that were not willing that I should reign over them, bring [them] hither and slay [them] in front of me.

The previous episode focused on Zacchaeus’ joyful reception of Jesus. In this next episode, Jesus shifts the focus, describing the attitude of those who refuse to welcome His coming. More deeply, it is about those who refuse to welcome the arrival of divine truth when it comes into their lives. As is His usual practice, Jesus does this through the use of a parable.

The parable begins with these words: “Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately” (Luke 19:11). This refers to the fact that most people were expecting that Jesus was about to declare Himself to be the new king of Israel upon entering Jerusalem. Indeed, it was expected that Jesus would be proclaimed the royal successor of David. According to this line of thinking, Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the “anointed one” who would receive the kingdom, sit on a throne, and be declared their king. They would no longer be under the rule of the Roman government.

Because Jesus knew that they were thinking in this way, and because He wanted to correct their misunderstanding, He told them a parable beginning with these words: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return” (Luke 19:12). Jesus then adds that the nobleman’s trip would not be entirely successful. As it is written, “The citizens hated him and sent a delegation saying, ‘We will not have this man reign over us’” (Luke 19:13).

Spiritually speaking, the “citizens who hated Him” are those parts of ourselves that do not want to be ruled by the Lord’s divine truth. We prefer to be self-sufficient, relying on ourselves and our own perceptions rather than on the Lord’s leading. Jesus knows that He is headed for Jerusalem where some people will gladly receive Him as king while others will not want “this man” to rule over them.

In the next verse of the parable, it is written that the nobleman “called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come’” (Luke 19:13). Each of the ten servants receives one mina, a silver coin equivalent to about three months of wages for manual labor. The parable goes on to describe how the servants “do business” with their silver coins. One returns to the nobleman ten times what he is given, and is promptly rewarded with ten cities to govern. The second returns to the nobleman five times what he is given, and is promptly rewarded with five cities to govern. But the third simply returns to the nobleman the same amount he is given, saying, “Here is your mina which I have kept hidden in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you do not deposit, and reap what you do not sow” (Luke 19:20-21).

This parable is about how God operates within each of us. He gives to each of us knowledge of His will, represented by the silver minas, and He asks us “do business” with that knowledge. That is, He wants us to make good use of that knowledge by putting it into our life. The more we do so, the more that knowledge increases and eventually becomes wisdom. ⁶

As we continue to apply truth to our lives, we gradually acquire the ability to “rule over” greater portions of our life. This means that we gain an increased understanding of spiritual truth which, in turn, allows us to make finer distinctions and have greater happiness in our lives. In the language of sacred scripture, this is represented as having “authority over ten cities,” which refers to gaining a great deal of understanding, while “authority over five cities” represents gaining some understanding. However, if we do nothing with the truth we are given, we will eventually lose it all. As it is written, “Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas … for I say to you that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him” (Luke 19:24-26). ⁷

“Slay those enemies of mine”

At the end of the episode, when the nobleman receives the message saying, “We will not have this man reign over us,” he says, “Bring here those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me” (Luke 19:27). The truth is that the Lord condemns no one and punishes no one. Therefore, the final words of the nobleman, commanding that his enemies be slain, must have a deeper meaning. Looking back at the lesson of the minas, it is clear that God gives us the knowledge and perception of truth, and also inspires us to live according to it. To that extent the nobleman who gives the silver minas (truths) to his servants represents God in our lives. But it is contrary to reason to imagine that a good God would order people to be slain because they refuse to be governed by Him. This is what an evil tyrant does, not a loving God.

The strong imagery, therefore, is not about what God does to us, but rather it is about what we do to ourselves when we willfully reject God’s reign over us. To have the truth, but not live by it, is destructive. We “slay” something that is precious within us—represented by the loss of the minas.

As a result, our lives become empty and void. Although we still go through the motions of our daily activities, we are spiritually dead. This, then, is the spiritual meaning stored up and contained within the words, “Bring those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.” Spiritually seen, this is saying that we should never allow our lower nature to rule over us. Instead, we should “slay” those enemies within us that reject the Lord’s reign so that the parts of ourselves that are receptive to God’s inflowing love and wisdom can grow. ⁸

The Triumphal Entry

28. And when He had said these things, He went before, going up to Jerusalem.

29. And it came to pass, as He was near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called [the Mount] of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

30. Saying, Go ye into the village opposite, in which, on going in, you shall find a colt tied on which no man ever sat; loose him, [and] bring [him].

31. And if anyone ask you, Why do you loose [him]? thus you shall say to him, Because the Lord has need of him.

32. And they that were sent went, and found [it] even as He had said to them.

33. But as they were loosing the colt, his owners said to them, Why do you loosen the colt?

34. And they said, The Lord has need of him.

35. And they brought him to Jesus; and throwing their own garments on the colt, they set Jesus on [him].

36. And as He went, they spread their garments in the way.

37. And when He was already near to the descent of the Mount of Olives, all the multitude of the disciples rejoicing began to praise God with a great voice for all the [works of] power that they had seen,

38. Saying, Blessed [be] the King that comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!

39. And some of the Pharisees from among the crowd said to Him, Teacher, rebuke Thy disciples.

40. And He answering told them, I say to you, If these should be silent, the stones would cry out.

The story of Zacchaeus is about our readiness to receive divine truth; the parable of the minas is about using that truth in our lives, and the devastation that follows when we deny the Lord and reject the truth. In brief, these two stories contain one of the central messages of the gospels: No one is judging us; we judge ourselves by the free choices that we make. In other words, we can freely choose to joyfully embrace the truth as it comes into our life, as Zacchaeus does, or we can stubbornly reject the truth, as is done by those who say, “we will not have this man reign over us.” ⁹

The idea that someone will “reign over us” is of central significance as we consider the next episode in the series. It is the story of Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem, the fulfillment of ancient prophesy. The idea that the Messiah is coming is creating great excitement among the people. “Could it be Jesus?” they wonder. “Is He the long awaited Messiah who will ‘reign in righteousness’?” (Isaiah 32:1). “Is He the hoped-for king who will ‘reign and prosper and execute judgment in all the earth,’ the one who will ‘save Judah’ and ‘keep Israel safe’?” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). These ancient prophesies are still very much in the minds of the people as they line the streets of Jerusalem, awaiting the beginning of the new kingdom—a new Jerusalem. Many of the people believe that it will occur when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, establishes Himself as their new king, and “executes the judgment” that will lead them to victory over their natural enemies.

This very literal idea—that the kingdom of God will come in a particular place (Jerusalem) at a particular time (when Jesus rides in)—is a misunderstanding of Jesus’ deeper mission. In fact, He has already told His disciples that “the kingdom of God does not come with observation” (17:20). Nevertheless, there is still a great truth contained within the story of the triumphal entry—a truth about how God comes into our lives as the divine truth, and how we can receive that truth, with shouts of triumph, when it comes.

The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry begins with the words, “When He had said this, He went up to Jerusalem” (Luke 19:28). The phrase “up to Jerusalem,” is significant. The temple stood there; it was the place where religion was taught, and rituals were performed. In most people’s minds, therefore, the name “Jerusalem’ was synonymous with religious life, doctrine, faith, and worship. Isaiah calls it “the holy city” (52:1), and Jeremiah calls it “the throne of Jehovah” (3:17). Seen more deeply, the picture of Jesus going “up to Jerusalem” depicts God finding His rightful place at the center of our lives, leading us according to His divine truth. He is, so to speak, “sitting on his throne” within us, ruling our inner lives. This is what happens whenever we choose to “go up” from a literal understanding of scripture and rise to a higher level. ¹⁰

As the people continue to line the streets of Jerusalem, hopes ring high and the questions continue: “Is this the promised return of the Messiah?” “Will Jesus be received as Israel’s true king?” “Will He usher in the long-awaited, much anticipated, kingdom of God?” But before doing anything that might answer these questions, Jesus says to His disciples, “Go into the village and you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat. Loose him and bring him here” (Luke 19:30). The disciples obey Jesus. And when they find the colt, they “throw their own garments on the colt, and set Jesus on him” (Luke 19:35).

These details, like the symbolism of going “up to Jerusalem,” are significant. The prophets had foretold that when the Messiah would come into Jerusalem, He would make His entry in just this way. As it is written through the prophet Zechariah, “Rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). In keeping with Zechariah’s prophecy, Jesus arranges to enter Jerusalem riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus’ actions were not merely to fulfill scripture, but also to teach deeper lessons about spiritual reality. In Matthew it was stated that Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on both a colt and a she-ass (a female donkey). But in Luke we find that only the colt is mentioned. The detail about a colt upon which no one has ever ridden, represents an understanding that is still pure and open, uncorrupted by false teachings and self-interest. And the absence of the she-ass, which represents natural affections, reminds us once again that Luke focuses our attention on things of the understanding rather than things of the will. Jesus will, therefore, ride into Jerusalem not only on a colt, but upon a colt that no one else has ever ridden.

In sacred scripture, beasts of burden, whether they be donkeys, asses, or colts signify various aspects of the understanding. Because these animals are typically used for carrying burdens, they represent the use of the memory, which carries information. But when used for riding, especially when they carry judges and kings, they represent rationality. In this case, when Jesus is seated upon the colt, it represents the subordination of our rationality to God’s leading. ¹¹

Similarly, the garments which the disciples placed on the colt and spread on the road, also signify aspects of the understanding. In sacred scripture, “garments” signify truth. Just as clothing protects our bodies, truth protects our spirit. While the disciples may not have understood the deeper significance of what they were doing, their actions nevertheless embody eternal truths. ¹²

As Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a colt, the drama rises to a crescendo. As it is written, “The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice” (Luke 19:37). Quoting from the Hebrew scriptures, they cry out, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 118:26). And they add, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38). The Pharisees, meanwhile, are outraged at the commotion. The very idea that Jesus is about to be made the new king of Israel, appalls them. So, they call out to Jesus, asking Him to restrain the enthusiasm of His disciples: “Teacher,” they say, “rebuke Your disciples” (Luke 19:39). But Jesus does not. Instead, Jesus says to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

Stones, because of their hardness and durability, symbolize the unbreakable nature of truth. It is truth that gives stability and constancy to our character. It is truth that turns us from being a feather in the wind, swayed by conflicting opinions and vacillating between viewpoints, to a person of steadfast conviction. Stones, then, throughout the Word, signify those central, fundamental truths that help us to become unshakeable people of principle. These are the rock-solid truths we have received from the Lord, truths that we will not allow to remain silent. These are the truths that we joyfully proclaim to the extent that we welcome divine truth into our minds and allow it to reign over us. In sacred scripture this is seen as Jesus coming into Jerusalem where He will become king, the ruler of our inner lives. And this is why the “stones,” signifying the truths that we have learned from Him, cannot keep silent. ¹³

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41. And when He was near, seeing the city, He wept over it,

42. Saying, O that thou hadst known, even thou, and indeed, in this thy day, the things [which belong] to thy peace! But now they are hidden from thine eyes.

43. For the days shall come upon thee, and thine enemies shall cast a rampart around thee, and shall surround thee, and shall beset thee on every side;

44. And they shall lay thee level with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee stone upon stone; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

As Jesus rides into Jerusalem, the people are filled with joy. But Jesus is filled with a very different emotion. The nearer He comes to the city of Jerusalem, the sadder He becomes. As it is written, “As He was near, seeing the city, He wept over it” (Luke 19:41). The cause of His weeping is explained in the next verse where He addresses the people of Jerusalem and says, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Just moments before, the disciples were under the assumption that they were about to experience “peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38); but they are thinking of a different kind of peace (victory over natural enemies) and a different kind of glory (being able to rule over other nations).

Aware of their misunderstanding, Jesus weeps and says, “If you had known … the things that make for your peace.” Once again, we are reminded that they could not see or understand the things that truly make for peace. As Jesus put it, “They are hidden from your eyes.” Here again, these references to sight remind us that we are dealing with the understanding. Jesus weeps when he “sees” the city; He says, “If you had ‘known’ these things. And He adds, “But these things are hidden from your ‘eyes.’”

As we have already seen, in sacred scripture, a “house” signifies our individual understanding. It can be a “house of bondage” when it is faulty,” or a “house of the Lord” when it is filled with truth. Similarly, a “city” signifies a complete system of understanding—a belief system that brings together many thoughts, ideas, and beliefs, as in a city filled with houses. If these beliefs are well-organized and true, it is described as “city set on a hill” and as a “holy city.” But when these beliefs are devoid of truth, it is called a “city of emptiness” (Isaiah 24:10) and a “bloody city” (Ezekiel 22:2; Nahum 3:1). Jesus knows that a false belief system can never lead to true peace. It can only lead to states of unrest, anxiety, and misery. ¹⁴

It is no wonder, then, that when Jesus “sees the city” whose inhabitants collectively believe that their happiness consists solely in material prosperity, He weeps, saying, “The things that make for your peace are hidden from your eyes.” Jesus then goes on to make a dire prediction. It is a warning about what can happen to people when they place their trust in earthly success rather than in heavenly blessings. As Jesus puts it, “The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, and surround you, and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground” (Luke 19:43-44).

This is an accurate historical prophecy; four decades later, Jerusalem was leveled, the temple was destroyed, and many of the inhabitants were killed. Jesus is also speaking about spiritual reality. As long as we believe that happiness consists in the security we find in having material possessions and the glory we experience when conquering others, we are headed for ruin. Our spiritual enemies—anger, revenge, cruelty, resentment, pride, and lust, along with anxiety, fear, discouragement, and despair—will surround us on every side, and will cause us untold suffering. So great will be our distress that we will not know what to believe or be able to understand what is true. As Jesus puts it, “there will not be one stone left upon another” (Luke 19:44).

This is what happens whenever we forget that the kingdom of God is not in space and time; it is within us. It is flowing in at every moment in the form of Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, and is available to us in as great or as small a measure as we are willing to receive. This is the real coming of the Lord. The time is now, and the place is here, but we seldom realize this. That is why this brief episode ends with these words of lament, spoken by Jesus: “You did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:44).

A practical application

This episode concludes with the lament, “You did not know the time of your visitation.” In sacred scripture, “visitation” refers to the coming of divine truth into our life. If we are open to the reception of divine truth because we have a good heart and want to become the best people we can be, this “time of visitation” will be a welcome one. But if we are inclined to go our own way, and do our own thing, without regard for divine truth, the Lord’s “visitation” will be seen as a threat and as a condemnation. What is your state of reception when a new truth comes to you, perhaps even in the form of a criticism? Do you see it as a judgment that condemns you, or as a light that can reveal your blind spots and lead you out of darkness? With this in mind, be on the lookout for new truth as it comes into your life, especially through the inner meaning of the Word. Receive it as Zacchaeus did, as a royal visit from the King of Kings.

Jesus Visits the Temple

45. And He came into the temple, and began to cast out those that sold therein, and those that bought,

46. Saying to them, It is written, My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a cave of robbers.

47. And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the first of the people sought to destroy Him,

48. And could not find what they might do, for all the people hung upon Him to hear [Him].

Visitation is not necessarily a joyous event. When we are “visited” by a new truth, it can be disconcerting. In fact, once we realize our enslavement to our old habits and false ideas, it may cause a major upheaval in our lives. This is pictured in the next episode as Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem: “Then He went into the temple and began to cast out those who bought and sold in it” (Luke 19:45). ¹⁵

On the literal level, this scene occurs at the temple in Jerusalem where rampant commercialism has made a parody of true worship. The problem is nothing new. Jesus quotes from the prophet Jeremiah who lived centuries before, saying, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it ‘a den of thieves’” (Luke 19:46).

On a deeper level, “the temple at Jerusalem” is our own mind. While it should be a “house of prayer,” it can also be a “den of thieves.” These thieves are the false thoughts that invade our minds, robbing us of the truth and filling us with lies. Therefore, when Jesus comes into the temple of our minds as new truth—a new understanding of how to love God and serve others—a combat ensues. The thieves and robbers within us, hating to be discovered and dethroned, fight back, for they are unwilling to surrender their ground. If we realize, however, that this is “the time of our visitation,” we will understand that the Lord is coming into our lives to cast out falsity so that we can receive instruction from Him. As it is written, “He was teaching daily in the temple” (Luke 19:47). ¹⁶

Paying heed to the many ways the Lord is leading and teaching us from moment to moment is vital to spiritual growth, and especially crucial during times of spiritual combat. On the one hand “the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him” (Luke 19:47). That is, there are parts of ourselves that are not ready or willing to receive instruction. But if we stay focused on what Jesus is teaching us, we will be kept safe. In this regard we read that the priests, scribes, and leaders “were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him” (Luke 19:48).

A practical application

When the Lord comes into the temple, He casts out those who are buying and selling in what should have been a “house of prayer.” Once we identify the falsities that arise from the self-interested “buyers and sellers” in our own minds, the Lord can help us cast them out. Only then can we begin to focus on what we need to learn from Him. As long as we do this, “being very attentive” to the Lord’s words, the negative tendencies of our lower nature will have no power over us. We will be free to focus our attention on becoming the kind of person the Lord is teaching us to be. As it written through the prophet Isaiah, “Cease to do evil; learn to do good” (Isaiah 1:16-17). ¹⁷

각주:

5135. 'For I have indeed been taken away by theft' means that evil caused celestial things to become alienated. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph', who says this about himself, as the celestial within the natural, dealt with in 5086, 5087, 5106, and consequently the celestial things there; and from the meaning of 'being taken away by theft' as undergoing alienation caused by evil. For 'to commit theft' means to alienate, while 'theft' itself means the evil which causes alienation, as well as meaning evil which lays claim to the things existing there in the natural. 'Theft' means an alienation caused by evil that happens in the place which such evil takes possession of; for it expels everything good and true and fills up that place with evils and falsities. 'Theft' also means its laying claim to what belongs to others; for it takes to itself everything good and true in that place and makes such its own as well as attaching it to evils and falsities. But to enable anyone to know what is meant by 'theft' in the spiritual sense, a statement must be made about what happens to evils and falsities when they enter in and take possession of a place, and also when they lay claim to everything good and true there.

[2] From infancy to childhood, and sometimes on into early youth, a person is absorbing forms of goodness and truth received from parents and teachers, for during those years he learns about those forms of goodness and truth and believes them with simplicity - his state of innocence enabling this to happen. It inserts those forms of goodness and truth into his memory; yet it lodges them only on the edge of it since the innocence of infancy and childhood is not an internal innocence which has an influence on the rational, only an external one which has an influence solely on the exterior natural, 2306, 3183, 3494, 4563, 4797. When however the person grows older, when he starts to think for himself and not, as previously, simply in the way his parents or teachers do, he brings back to mind and so to speak chews over what he has learned and believed before, and then he either endorses it, has doubts about it, or refuses to accept it. If he endorses it, this is an indication that he is governed by good, but if he refuses to accept it, that is an indication that he is governed by evil. If however he has doubts about what he has learned and believed before, it is an indication that he will move subsequently either into an affirmative attitude of mind or else into a negative one.

[3] The truths that a person learns and believes in his earliest years when he is a young child but which later on he either endorses, has doubts about, or refuses to accept, are in particular these: There is God, and He is one; He created everything; He rewards those who do what is good and punishes those who do things that are bad; there is life after death, when the bad go to hell and the good go to heaven, and so there is a hell and a heaven; the life after death lasts for ever; also, people ought to pray every day and to do so in a humble way; they ought to keep the sabbath day holy, honour their parents, and not commit adultery, kill, or steal; and many other truths like these. Such truths are learned and absorbed by a person from earliest childhood; but if, when he starts to think for himself and to lead his own life, he endorses them, adding to them further truths of a more interior kind, and leads a life in conformity with them, all is well with him. But if he starts to disobey them, refusing at length to accept them, then even though outwardly he leads a life in conformity with them, because the law and society expect him to do so, he is governed by evil.

[4] This evil is what is meant by 'theft', to the extent that thief-like it usurps the position held previously by good. With many people it is thief-like to the extent that it takes away the forms of goodness and truth previously there and uses them to lend support to evils and falsities. So far as is possible with these people the Lord removes the forms of goodness and truth absorbed in early childhood from where these are to a more internal position, where - within the interior natural - He stores them away for future use. These forms of goodness and truth that are stored away within the interior natural are meant in the Word by 'the remnant', dealt with in 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284. But if evil steals the forms of goodness and truth there and uses them to lend support to evils and falsities, especially if it does so by the use of deceit, it destroys those remnants; for in this case it mingles evil with good, and falsity with truth, to such an extent that one cannot be separated from the other; and then a person is done for.

[5] The fact that 'theft' means the kinds of things mentioned above may be seen from the mere use of that word to refer to what constitutes a person's spiritual life. For the only riches in that life are cognitions of good and truth, and the only possessions and inheritances are the different forms of happiness in life which are gained from forms of good and from truths deriving from these. The stealing of such things, as stated above, is what 'theft' relates to in the spiritual sense, and therefore by the thefts mentioned in the Word nothing else is meant in the internal sense, as in Zechariah,

I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. Then he said to me, This curse is going out over the face of the whole land, for everyone committing theft from now on, according to it, will be innocent, and everyone swearing falsely, according to it, will be innocent. I have cast it forth, that it may enter the house of the thief, and the house of him swearing falsely by My name, and may pass the night in his house and consume it, both its timbers and its stones. Zechariah 5:1-4.

Evil which takes away remnants of good is meant by 'one committing theft' and by 'the house of the thief', and falsity which takes away remnants of truth by 'one swearing falsely' and by 'the house of him swearing falsely'. 'The face of the whole land' stands for the whole Church, which is why the statement is made that the curse will consume the house, both its timbers and its stones - 'house' meaning the natural mind or a person so far as that mind is concerned, 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023, 'timbers' the forms of good present there, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943, and 'stones' the truths, 643, 1298, 3720.

[6] Profanation and a consequent removal of goodness and truth are meant in the spiritual sense by the action of Achan, who took some of 'the devoted things' - a mantle of Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold - and hid them in the earth in the middle of his tent, on account of which he was stoned and everything was burned, as described in Joshua,

Jehovah said to Joshua, Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them, and have taken some of that which was devoted; they have committed theft, have lied, and have put it among their own vessels. Joshua 7:11, 12, 25.

'The devoted things' meant falsities and evils, which were not on any account to be mixed with anything holy. 'A mantle of Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold' in the spiritual sense are specific types of falsity. 'Hiding them in the earth in the middle of the tent' meant a mingling with things that are holy - for 'a tent' means that which is holy, see 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391, 4599. Such was the meaning of the declaration that they had committed theft, lied, and put [what was devoted] among their own vessels; for 'vessels' means holy truths, 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318.

[7] In Jeremiah,

I will bring the disaster ¹ of Esau upon him, the time I will visit him. If grape-gatherers come to you, will they not leave grape-gleanings? if thieves in the night, will they not destroy a sufficiency? I will strip Esau bare, I will uncover his secret places, and he will not be able to be concealed. His seed has been laid waste, and his brothers, and his neighbours; and he is no more. Jeremiah 49:8-10.

'Esau' stands for the evil of self-love to which falsities have been allied, 3322. The destruction by this evil of the remnants of good and truth is meant by the statements that 'thieves in the night will destroy a sufficiency' and that 'his seed has been laid waste, also his brothers and his neighbours, and he is no more'. 'Seed' stands for truths which are those of faith grounded in charity, 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3038, 3310, 3373; 'brothers' for forms of good which are those of charity, 367, 2360, 2508, 2524, 3160, 3303, 3459, 3815, 4121, 4191; 'neighbours' for the adjoining and related forms of truth and good which belong to it.

[8] A similar reference to Esau occurs in Obadiah,

If thieves come to you, if those who overturn in the night - how you will have been cut off! - will they not steal that which is enough for themselves? If grape-gatherers come to you, will they not leave some clusters? Obad. verse 5.

'Grape-gatherers' stands for falsities which are not a product of evil. These falsities do not destroy the forms of goodness and truth - that is, the remnants - stored away by the Lord in a person's interior natural. But falsities that are the product of evils do destroy them, for they steal forms of truth and good and also use them, through misapplication of them, to lend support to evils and falsities.

[9] In Joel,

A great and mighty people, like heroes they will run, like men of war they will scale the wall; and they will pass on, every one on his way. They will run about the city, they will run on the wall, they will climb into the houses, they will go in through the windows like a thief. Joel 2:7, 9.

'A great and mighty people' stands for falsities fighting against truths, 1259, 1260; and because they fight in a mighty way, by destroying truths, they are spoken of as 'heroes' and 'like men of war'. 'The city' through which they are said to run about stands for matters of doctrine regarding truth, 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216; 'the houses which they will climb into' stands for the forms of good which they destroy, 710, 1708, 2048, 2233, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4982; 'the windows which they will go through' stands for intellectual concepts and for reasonings derived from these, 655, 658, 3391. This being so, those falsities are compared to a thief because they usurp the position held previously by truths and forms of good.

[10] In David,

Since you hate discipline and cast away My words behind you, if you see a thief you run with him, and your part is with adulterers. You open your mouth towards evil, and with your tongue you frame deceit. Psalms 50:17-19.

This refers to someone wicked, 'running with a thief' standing for his use of falsity to alienate truth from himself.

[11] In Revelation,

They did not repent of their murders, or of their enchantments, or of their whoredoms, or of their thefts. Revelation 9:21.

'Murders' stands for evils which destroy forms of good, 'enchantments' for falsities from these which destroy truths, 'whoredoms' for falsified truths, 'thefts' for forms of good that have consequently been alienated.

[12] In John,

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me he will be saved, and will go in, and will go out, and will find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. John 10:1-2, 8-10.

'A thief' in this instance also stands for the evil of merit-seeking, for anyone who takes away from the Lord that which is His and claims it as his own is called 'a thief'. This evil closes the path so as to prevent the flow of good and truth from the Lord, for which reason it is referred to as 'killing and destroying'. Much the same is meant in the Ten Commandments, at Deuteronomy 5:19, by You shall not steal, 4174. From all this one may see what is meant in the spiritual sense by the laws laid down in the Jewish Church regarding thefts, such as those at Exodus 21:16; 22:1-4; Deuteronomy 24:7; for all laws in that Church had their origin in the spiritual world, and they therefore correspond to the laws of order which exist in heaven.

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