9 Jesus said to him, "Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Today is salvation come to this house. Christ, bearing testimony to Zaccheus, declares that his professions were not hypocritical. And yet he does not ascribe to the good works of Zaccheus the cause of salvation; but, as that conversion was an undoubted pledge of the divine adoption, he justly concludes from it that this house is a possessor of salvation Such, to is the import of the words for, since Zaccheus is one of the children of Abraham, he argues that his house is saved. In order that any man may be reckoned among the children of Abraham, it is necessary for him to imitate Abraham's faith; nay, Scripture expressly bestows on faith this commendation, that it distinguishes the genuine children of Abraham from strangers. Let us therefore know that in Zaccheus faith is chiefly commended, on account of which his good works were acceptable to God. Nor is there reason to doubt that the doctrine of Christ went before the conversion of Zaccheus; and, consequently, the commencement of his salvation was, to hear Christ discoursing on the undeserved mercy of God, and on the reconciliation of men to Him, and on the redemption of the Church, and to embrace this doctrine by faith. In consequence of the Greek word oikos; (house) being of the masculine gender, this passage is explained in two ways. The old translator [1] has made the reference to be to Zaccheus, which I also prefer. [2] Erastians has chosen to render it, inasmuch as The House, itself is a Daughter of Abraham; [3] and although I do not disapprove of this, I think it more natural to explain it as referring to Zaccheus For, since God, when he adopts the head of a family, promises that He will be a God even to his whole house, salvation is, with propriety, extended from the head to the whole body. Now the particle kai (also) is emphatic; for Christ means, that Zaccheus, not less than the other Jews who haughtily detested him, is a son of Abraham And that his former life may not seem to have shut against him the gate of salvation, Christ argues from his own office, that there is nothing in this change at which any man ought to take offense, since he was sent by the Father to save those who were lost.
1 - "Le translateur Latin ancien;" -- "the old Latin translator."
2 - The question is, whether the antecedent to autos be Zakchaios or ho oikos. On the former supposition, our English version will be approved HE also (namely, Zaccheus) is a son of Abraham On the latter supposition, the translation will run thus: IT also (namely, the house) is a child of Abraham; or -- carrying out the metaphor as Erasmus has done -- IT also is a DAUGHTER of Abraham. -- Ed
3 - "Eo quod ipsu domus sit filia Abrahae."
Salvation is come to this house - This family. They have this day received the blessings of the gospel, and become interested in the Messiah's kingdom. Salvation "commences" when people truly receive Christ and their sins are pardoned; it is "completed" when the soul is sanctified and received up into heaven.
Forasmuch - Because. For he has given "evidence" that he is a new man, and is disposed to forsake his sins and receive the gospel.
The son of Abraham - Hitherto, although a Jew, yet he has been a sinner, and a great sinner. He was not worthy to be called a son of Abraham. Now, by repentance, and by receiving the Christ whose day Abraham saw and was glad John 8:56, he has shown himself to be worthy to be called his son. Abraham was an example of distinguished piety; the father of the faithful Romans 4:11, as well as the ancestor of the Jews. They were called his sons who were descended from him, and particularly they who "resembled" him. In this place the phrase is used in both senses.
Jesus said unto him - Bishop Pearce observes: "Probably Luke wrote αυτους, not αυτον, said unto them, i.e. to those who had before called Zaccheus a sinner; (Luke 19:7); for Jesus here speaks of Zaccheus in the third person, he also is a son of Abraham, and therefore he was not then speaking to him." This conjecture of this respectable prelate is supported by the margin of the later Syriac, and by every copy of the Itala but two.
To this house - Τῳ οικῳ τουτῳ, To this very house or family. As if he had said: "If he be a sinner, he stands in the greater need of salvation, and the Son of man is come to seek and save what was lost, Luke 19:10; and therefore to save this lost soul is a part of my errand into the world." See the sentiment contained in this verse explained on Matthew 18:11 (note).
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a (c) son of Abraham.
(c) Beloved of God, one that walks in the steps of Abraham's faith: and we gather that salvation came to that house because they received the blessing as Abraham had. (Ed.)
And Jesus said unto him,.... The Persic version reads, "Jesus said to the multitude, and to his disciples"; to which well enough agree the following words:
this day is salvation come to this house: to the master of it, and it may be to others in it; the Arabic version reads, "to the inhabitants of this house". The Persic version reads, "great salvation"; by which may be meant, the Gospel, as in Hebrews 2:3 so called, because it brings the account of salvation by Christ, which is not discoverable by the light of nature, nor made known by the law of Moses; but the Gospel publishes and proclaims it; the ministers of it show unto men the way of salvation, and direct them, and encourage to go to Christ for it; likewise the Gospel is the means of bringing near this salvation, and of applying it to them; and when it comes with the demonstration of the Spirit, it is the power of God unto salvation: and this might be truly said to come to Zacchaeus's house; inasmuch as Christ the great preacher of it, and by whom it first began to be spoken, and was spoken by him, as it never was by any one besides, was now in his house, preaching it; the sum and substance of which lie in the words delivered by him in the following verse; and the Gospel came to him to purpose, and was effectual: sometimes it comes to a people, city, town, or family, and it is rejected, and becomes of no effect; but here it came to Zacchaeus, and into him; and wrought effectually in him, as his words in the preceding verse declare: moreover, the blessing of salvation itself, which is wrought out by Christ, and published in the Gospel, was brought home to him; he was not only made sensible that he stood in need of salvation, but this was brought near unto him, and set before him, and applied to him; he had not only hopes of it, but faith of interest in it; it was made known unto him, that Christ was his salvation; and it was revealed and applied to the rest of the family, as well as to him: sometimes the Lord takes one of a city, and two of a family; and sometimes whole families, as Lydia's and the jailor's, and here Zacchaeus's, as seems probable; for by his house may be meant, his family: though this may be understood of Christ, the author of salvation; who came into his house in a literal sense, as well as in a spiritual sense; and was made known to Zacchaeus, as his Saviour and Redeemer. The Alexandrian copy reads, "in this house": it follows,
forasmuch as he also is the son of Abraham. These words are to be considered, either as a reason, or evidence, of salvation being come to his house; and therefore cannot be understood of him as a son of Abraham, by natural descent: he was indeed a Jew, as appears by his name, and by his knowledge of the Jewish law, concerning restoration; and which may be confirmed by the silence of the Pharisees, who murmured at Christ's going along with him; who, had he been a Gentile, would not have failed to have mentioned it; but then, though this might be a reason justifying Christ in going to his house, who did not exceed the bounds of his office, as the minister of the circumcision, and as sent, and that only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; yet this could be no reason of spiritual salvation coming to him, which was not confined to Abraham's natural seed, nor was it necessary to them, more than others, and much less general; and indeed, very few of them then in being, partook of it; for though salvation was of them, and Christ the Saviour came unto them, yet they rejected him, and died in their sins: nor is this a reason of salvation coming to his family; for though by virtue of the covenant of circumcision made with Abraham and his natural seed, there were many outward privileges bestowed upon them, yet spiritual salvation was not ensured by it to them; and with regard to that, natural descent from Abraham, and circumcision, were of no avail: but this is to be understood of him, as a son of Abraham in a spiritual sense, he being now a believer in Christ, and so one that walked in the steps of the faith of Abraham; and this was an evidence of his interest in salvation by Christ, the blessing with which he was blessed, with faithful Abraham: and also his being a son of Abraham, which is no other than to be a child of the promise, Romans 9:8 or in other words, one of God's elect, a chosen vessel of salvation, was a reason why Christ, the author of salvation, came to him, why the Gospel of salvation was made known to him, and why the blessing of salvation was applied to him. The Jews use this phrase, not only of one whose natural descent is from Abraham, but whose knowledge in divine things is considerable: so when R. Eliezer ben Arach taught the Mercava, (the mystery of Ezekiel's visions),
"R. Jochanan ben Zaccai stood and kissed his head, and said, blessed art thou, O God of Israel, that has given , "a son to Abraham", who has knowledge to understand, and to search out, and to explain the work of Mercava (d).''
For Abraham is said (e) to be a father in this sort of knowledge, for which reason, this man was genealogized a son of Abraham.
(d) T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 14. 2. (e) Caphtor, fol. 69. 1.
Jesus said unto him--but also before all.
This day, &c.--memorable saying! Salvation already come, but not a day old.
to this house--so expressed probably to meet the taunt, "He is gone to be guest," &c. The house is no longer polluted; it is now fit to receive Me. But salvation to a house is an exceedingly precious idea, expressing the new air that would henceforth breathe in it, and the new impulses from its head which would reach its members (Psalm 118:15; Acts 16:15-16, Acts 16:31).
son of Abraham--He was that by birth, but here it means a partaker of his faith, being mentioned as the sufficient explanation of salvation having come to him.
Salvation is come to this house. Because ZacchÃ&brvbr;us has truly repented.
Forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Therefore entitled to a place in the kingdom, according to the narrow Jewish ideas, but also now shown to be a spiritual son of Abraham, born not of the flesh, but of the spirit (Galatians 3:7).
He also is a son of Abraham - A Jew born, and as such has a right to the first offer of salvation.
*More commentary available at chapter level.