The Lord steals the strongest vessels from the devil and destroys his cities. For see how He not only made the publicans His disciples, but also the eldest among the publicans, Zacchaeus, into salvation. And that the publican is a low creature, and that the eldest among the publicans, as a ruler in malice, is even more vile, no one doubts. For the publicans acquire the means of subsistence only from the tears of the poor. However, this eldest among the publicans is not despised, but shows hospitality and receives salvation as a reward. For when he desired to see Jesus, and for this purpose he climbed up on a fig tree, the Lord saw him before he himself saw Him. Thus, God everywhere precedes us, as soon as He sees our readiness. When Jesus saw him, he commanded him to get down quickly, since he was to be in his house. Zacchaeus did not hesitate, for one should not shrink away when Christ commands something, but he took tears and received them with joy, although many murmured. Let us see what fruits it bears on the occasion of Christ's visitation. "Half of my possessions, O Lord," he says, "I will give to the poor." Do you see the hotness? He began to sow without mercy and gave away not something small, but everything that was in life. For even that which he withheld, he withheld in order to be able to give to the offended. By this he also teaches us that it is of no use if a man, having unrighteous riches, has mercy on others, and leaves those who are offended unattended. See how he acts in this case as well. If he has offended someone in any way, he returns four times, thereby compensating for the loss caused to the offended. For true mercy not only restores the loss, but also with an addition, according to the Law. For the Law compelled him who stole to pay four times (Exodus 22:1). Even if we examine it exactly, we will see that he has absolutely nothing left of his estate. For he gives half of his possessions to the poor, and he has only half left. Of this remaining half, he again returns four times to those whom he has offended. Therefore, if the life of this elder of tax collectors consisted of iniquities, and he returns four times for everything that he has gained through unrighteousness, then see how he has lost everything. In this respect he turns out to be a wise man above the Law, a disciple of the Gospel, since he loved his neighbor more than himself, and this is not only in the promise, but in reality. For he did not say, "I will give half, I will return fourfold," but, "Behold, I give," "I return." He knows Solomon's admonition: "Do not say, 'Go and come again, and tomorrow I will give' (Prov. 3, 28). - Christ preaches salvation to him. Now," he says, "you give, now you have salvation. For by the words "this house" undoubtedly indicates Zacchaeus, who receives salvation. By the house is meant Zacchaeus, because the Lord would not have called the soulless building the son of Abraham, but obviously called it the animate owner of the house. He called him "the son of Abraham," perhaps because he believed and was justified by faith, or perhaps because he generously despised wealth and loved the poor like this patriarch. Note: The Lord called Zacchaeus the son of Abraham now that He saw in him a similarity in his way of life. He did not say, "For this son of Abraham also was," but now "is." For formerly, being an elder of publicans and a tax collector, and having no resemblance to the righteous man, he was not his son. And since some murmured that the Lord went to the house of a sinful man, in order to stop their mouths, He says: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost." This is the literal meaning. "But it is convenient to explain it in another way, in favor of morality. Everyone who is older than many in wickedness is small in stature, for flesh and spirit are opposite to each other, and therefore cannot see Jesus behind the people; that is, confused by passions and worldly affairs, he cannot see Jesus acting, moving, and walking. For such a person does not feel any action befitting a Christian. And the walk of Jesus means that Christ is at work in us. Such a person, who has never seen Jesus walking and has not experienced any action befitting Christ, often comes to consciousness out of repentance and climbs the fig tree, that is, he despises and tramples on all pleasure and pleasantness, which are signified by the fig tree, and thus, having risen above himself and considering the ascent in the heart, he is seen by Jesus, and sees Him himself. Then the Lord said to him: "Come down quickly," that is, through repentance you have come to a higher life, but go down through humility, so that arrogance will not deceive you. Humble yourself quickly, for if you humble yourself, then I need to be in your house. "It is necessary for me," he says, "to be in the house of the humble. For "on whom will I look: on him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and on him who trembles at My word" (Isaiah 66:2). Such a person gives half of his possessions to the poor, that is, to demons. Our possessions are of two kinds, that is, bodily and mental. The righteous man yields all bodily things to demons, truly poor and devoid of all good, but he does not renounce spiritual possessions. As is known, the Lord also says of Job: "Only save his soul" (Job 2:6). If such a person has offended someone in any way, he pays four times. This hints that everyone who, through repentance, passes over to the path contrary to the former malice, heals all previous sins with the four virtues and thus receives salvation. He is called "the son of Abraham" because, like Abraham, he came out of his land and from the kinship of his former wickedness, dwelt outside his father's house, that is, outside himself, and denied himself (for he was the house of his father the devil (John 8:44), and thus, having become outside himself and alienated, he receives salvation.

     And when they heard this, he added a parable: for he was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was soon to be revealed. Therefore he said, "A certain man of high birth went to a far country, to obtain for himself a kingdom and to return; And he called ten of his servants, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, Use them until I return. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, "We do not want him to reign over us." 

It seems to me that these people, hearing about the Kingdom of God, understood this feeling of God's alleged favor for the liberation of the Jewish people, and therefore they assumed that Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, would accept this kingdom. But the Lord, in order to show them that they reason unreasonably, for His Kingdom is not sensual, and at the same time to express that He knows their thoughts as God, He tells a real parable, depicting Himself in the person of a man of high birth. For although He was made man, He did not depart from the height and nobility of the Godhead. Having performed the Mystery of the Economy in the flesh, he again went to a distant country, that is, in order to sit down with the flesh according to mankind "at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven" (Heb. 8:1). For as God He always sat with the Father, and as a man He sat down when He ascended, waiting until the enemies were laid under His feet (Heb. 10:12-13). And this will be at the end of the world, when all, even those who do not will, will submit to Him, believing that "the Lord Jesus Christ is to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:11). His "citizens" are the Jews, who hate Him. "And they saw," He says, "and hated Me and My Father" (John 15:24). They did not want Him to reign over them. Therefore, denying His kingdom, they said to Pilate: "We have no king," and again, "Do not write, King of the Jews" (John 19:15, 21). Yet Zechariah cries: "Rejoice with joy, O daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh unto thee, the righteous and the saver" (Zech. 9:9); and Isaiah: "Behold, the King shall reign in righteousness" (32:1); and David: "I have anointed My King over Zion" (Psalm 2:6). The Jews hated the Lord, and He gave His servants ten minutes. It is said that there are "ten" of them, because of the perfection of the church primacy. For the order in the Church has a perfect constitution of primates, and there was no need for them, neither more nor less. For example, we see in the Church the following three actions: purification, enlightenment, and accomplishment, the three degrees between which these actions are divided. Deacons purify by catechesis and teaching, presbyters enlighten by baptism, bishops ordain and perform sacred degrees, that is, ordain. Do you see that the degrees are commensurate with the actions, and the degrees of the primates are no more, no less? It is to these servants that the Lord distributes ten "minas," that is, gifts that are given to each for the benefit of each (1 Cor. 12:7). For everyone to whom the primacy has been entrusted, even if he is unworthy, has a gift from the anointing itself, and this is truly the great Mystery of God's love for mankind and the Economy of God.

     And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded to call to him the servants to whom he had given silver, in order to find out who had acquired what. The first came and said, "Lord! And he said to him, "Well done, good servant! because you have been faithful in small things, take over the government of ten cities. The second came and said, "Lord! thy mine brought five pounds, and said also to this one, And thou shalt be over five cities. A third came and said, "Lord! This is your mina, which I kept wrapped in a handkerchief, for I feared you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not put in, and reap what you did not sow. The lord said to him, "With your mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant!" Thou knowest that I am a cruel man, that I take what I did not lay in, and reap what I did not sow; Why did you not give my money into circulation, so that when I came I would receive it with profit? And he said to those who were standing by, "Take a pound from him, and give it to him who has ten pounds." he has ten minas: I tell you that to everyone who has it will be given, but from him who does not have it will be taken away even that which he has. And those of my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. Having said this, He went on, going up to Jerusalem. 

"When Christ, noble both in humanity (for the Lord came from a royal family) and in Divinity, returns at His second coming, when He appears with the Apostles as the King, coming in the glory of the Father, and when every knee bows before Him, then He will certainly demand an account from the servants who have received gifts. It is revealed that one benefited many and multiplied the gift tenfold; the other also benefited, but to a smaller number; and the third was decidedly of no use to anyone, but spent the time of his activity in idleness. Therefore he who has multiplied what he has received tenfold is placed over ten cities, that is, he receives power over ten cities, and consequently is rewarded many times over. The one who follows him receives a corresponding reward. And the one who did not bring any profit is condemned. Let us see what he says: "Sir! here is your mine," take it; "I kept it, wrapped in a handkerchief." A cloth was placed on the head of the Lord who had died (John 20:7), and the face of Lazarus in the tomb was bound with a handkerchief (John 11:44). Therefore this negligent man rightly says that he wrapped the gift in a handkerchief. For having made it dead and inactive, he made no use of it, and did not bring profit. "For I was afraid of thee," he says, "therefore what thou takest that thou hast not put in." Many respond with this pretext. Not wishing to be useful to anyone, they say: where God has not sown giftedness and ability, there do not seek the harvest. He did not create such and such a person gifted and capable of learning: what then should I demand of me the benefit of him? That is why the Lord also says: "Teach and give My money to the workers, that is, to all people appointed for profit." For every man has been appointed by God as a merchant in order to make turns in the great working world of this world. And "so that when I come, I would receive it with a profit," that is, I would demand it back with a profit. We must do our work, and God will judge those who do not want to take advantage of what follows. The gift is taken away and given to the good worker. Although he has, it is useful for him to get more for himself. "To him who has it shall be given," that is, he who has made rich means through good turnovers will be given more. For if he has increased a little tenfold, then, obviously, by increasing ten times more, he will bring still greater profit to the master. And from the negligent and lazy, and not trying to multiply what he has received, he will take it so that the master's possessions do not lie in vain, when they can be given to another and increased many times over. We understand this not only about the word and the teaching, but also about the moral virtues. For even in them God has given us gifts, to one fasting, to another almsgiving, to another meekness, to another humility. And if we watch, we will multiply these gifts; but if we are careless and die voluntarily, then later we will lay the blame on God, as we usually say: "What shall I do? if so-and-so is holy, it is because God is pleased with him, and he is holy; but it does not please me, and I am not holy; and that was Peter, another Paul. A mad man! The very mina (given to you) makes you Peter and Paul. Do according to your ability, and offer something to Him who gave it, if not as much as Peter and Paul did: for they have received a pound each, and you have received a pound. And then, not in the least moved to do good, you accuse God! Therefore, when we turn out to be unworthy of gifts, we are deprived of them. "And my enemies," he says, "those who would not have me reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me," that is, the Jews, whom he will give up to destruction, sending them into everlasting fire. Yes, the unfortunate ones here, that is, in this world, they were beaten by the Roman troops, and are still being preserved and will be kept for slaughter there.

     And when he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany, to the mountain called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, saying, "Go ye to the opposite village; when you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied up, on which no man has ever sat down; when you have untied him, bring him in; And if anyone asks you, Why do you loose it? say to him thus: the Lord has need of him. And when they were untying the colt, the owners said to them, "Why do you untie the colt?" They answered, "The Lord needs him." And they brought him to Jesus, and threw their garments over the colt of an ass, and put Jesus on it. And as He rode, they spread their garments along the way. And when He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, all the multitude of disciples began in joy to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who cometh in the name of the Lord!" Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! And certain Pharisees from among the people said to Him, "Teacher! rebuke Thy disciples. But he answered and said to them, "I tell you, if they are silent, the stones will cry out." 

The Lord sits on the colt for two purposes at one and the same time: first, to fulfill the prophecy that says: "Behold, thy King is coming, all upon the foal" (Zech. 9:9); and secondly, to let us know figuratively that He will subdue to Himself a new, uncleansed, and unbridled nation of the Gentiles. Judging by the distance of the journey, the Lord, without a doubt, did not need a foal. For, having walked all over Galilee and Judea, how did He have need of a colt on the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, where the distance, as everyone knows, is insignificant? So He does it, as I said, with a mysterious meaning. The colt was tied and had many owners, but the sent, that is, the "apostles", are untied. This has the following meaning: Bethany, according to the interpretation, means "house of obedience", and Bethpage means "house of jaws", a place befitting priests. For the priests were given jaws, as prescribed in the Law (Deuteronomy 18:3). The jaws denote the teacher's word, which is rubbed and refined by the spiritual jaws. Thus, where is the house of the teacher's word and obedience to this word, the disciples of the Lord are sent there and release people who are bound by sinful snares and many worldly cares, and from slaves of many masters and gods they make them worshippers of one Lord Jesus and one God the Father. And where there is no house of obedience, not a teacher's word is accepted, nothing of the kind happens, and the colt is not untied. There are "two" of those sent. This means that two orders, the prophets and the apostles, serve to bring the Gentiles to Christ and obey Him. A colt is brought from a certain "village" (village), so that we may know that the pagan people were in great simplicity and ignorance. For he never obeyed either the teaching of Moses or the prophetic, but he was an untrained colt. If, as another Evangelist said (Matt. 21:15), the children also cried out: "Hosanna to the Son of David," then they can also mean the same new people who, believing in Jesus, Who was manifested in the flesh of the seed of David, sent up glory to God, according to what is written: "The generation to come shall praise the Lord" (Psalm 101:19). The spreading of garments, it seems, means that those who are worthy to sing the praises of Jesus, putting off the old man, lay and subject him to Jesus, so that when he steps on him, He sanctifies him, and so that the flesh does not rebel against the spirit, so that they themselves can say: "Submit to the Lord, and trust in Him" (Psalm 36:7). - Saying that the whole multitude of the disciples praised God, Luke calls "disciples" all the followers of Jesus in general, not only twelve and not seventy, but all the people who, either in need of miracles, or at times carried away by teaching, followed Jesus. Naturally, children were also noticed, as the other Evangelists report (Matt. 21:15). Moved by God, children confess Jesus as King coming "in the name of the Lord," that is, God, and say, "peace in heaven." Otherwise: the former enmity that we had with God has ceased. For there was no King-God on earth. And now, when God is coming on earth, there is truly peace in heaven, and therefore "glory in the highest," since the angels also glorify the unanimity and reconciliation that the King and God who rides on an ass have granted us. For the very fact that the true God appears on earth and walks in our country, the land of His enemies, shows that there is reconciliation between Him and us. - The Pharisees murmured that the people called Jesus King and praised Him as God; for (in their opinion) the solemn assumption of the name of King to Him was a sign of indignation and blasphemy against the Lord. But Jesus said, "If they be silent, the stones will cry out." Or: People do not say this to please Me, but pronounce this doxology because they are persuaded to do so, and impelled by all the signs and powers which they have seen.