The American Dream and the Tax Collector

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Who is on your successful people list?

If I were to take a poll of the most successful people, who do you think would be on that list? My guess is that athletes would be near the top. Many of them have worked hard to be where they are, and it takes a lot of discipline to train your body the way they do. So, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them there.

I also believe there would be a lot of musicians and actors on the list. Like athletes, being a musician or actor isn’t easy. It also takes a lot of discipline and practice to refine the craft in order to be on top.

Finally, a third group of people that I think would make this list are entrepreneurs. After all, they seem to be some of the richest people in the world. The top four are: 

• Jeff Bezos, founder and former CEO of Amazon, with a net worth of over $170 billion; 
• Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, with a net worth of over $150 billion; 
• Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, with a net worth of over $130 billion; and 
• Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, with a net worth of over $100 billion.

Entrepreneurs embody some of our most cherished American values: acquisition, upward mobility, and competition. These values are the core of what we call the American Dream. Many of our ancestors came to America to live this dream. They believed that if you combine hard work with little education, anyone could be successful.

A First Century Entrepreneur

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear about another entrepreneur, one who has done very well for himself: Zacchaeus. Scripture calls him a “chief tax-collector” and “very rich.” So, he must have been doing very well for himself. Let’s take a look at how tax-collecting was done in first-century Palestine and how it made Zacchaeus a rich man.

Tax collectors in first-century Palestine were usually Jewish men who were hired by the Roman government to collect taxes from the local population. Most people were peasants who worked on small farms and couldn’t save or think about their future, so working for Caesar was an attractive option. 

But tax collectors didn’t only work for Rome, they also worked for the Jerusalem Temple. Jewish authorities required every Jewish citizen to pay a Temple tax for the Temple’s upkeep and staff, and Rome’s tax collectors were hired to collect this tax as well.

Sometimes, tax collectors became wealthy enough to conscript local workers for public building projects such as roads and bridges. Additionally, these hired men also doubled as an extension of the tax collector, helping to collect the required funds from people. But tax collectors were also contributing to the general good and upkeep of society.

At this point, it seems that tax collecting embodies everything we as Americans value. They were able to acquire wealth, live in fancy houses and throw extravagant feasts. They also had upward mobility in a powerful empire. However, there is a dark side to first-century Palestinian tax collectors. They became wealthy off the backs of others.

Rome used a technique called “tax farming” to recruit tax collectors. It was essentially a bid system. Potential tax collectors submitted a bid to Rome for the right to collect taxes in their area. If Rome accepted the bid, they then had to collect it. To make a profit, they often collected more than what was owed. The more they could extort from the people, the wealthier they got. 

So, while the first-century tax collector does embody some of our American values, he also was known as a cheat and traitor to his own people. But, Zacchaeus’s eyes were opened to this dark side when he encountered Jesus.

How the Greek Text Reinforces Zacchaeus’s Dark Values

It’s interesting that there are two Greek words in this passage that drive the point home. The first word is συκομωραία (see-koh-moh-RAY-ah), which means “sycamore tree.” The second word is συκοφαντέω (see-koh-fahn-DAY-oh), which literally means “fig revealer,” though it is translated as “to cheat someone.” 

Both words start with σῦκον (SEE-kohn), the word for “fig.” Since the sycamore tree is a part of the fig species, it’s not surprising. But why would the word for “cheating someone” also start with σῦκον (SEE-kohn)? The ancient writer Plutarch gives us the answer. He says that Athens once had a law forbidding the exportation of figs. Those who broke the law and exported them were known as συκοφάντης (see-koh-FAHN-dees), someone who was a “cheat.” They had “cheated” the law.

This connection between the two words, συκομωραία (see-koh-moh-RAY-ah) and συκοφαντέω (see-koh-fahn-DAY-oh), highlights the deeper significance of Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree. It serves as a symbol that Zacchaeus had built his life on the idea of cheating others. He had gotten ahead by taking advantage of them, and, in so doing, he was able to look over the crowds. He was above them, both in status and in wealth.

But, as we know, he had climbed up the wrong corporate ladder. Jesus caused him to see that, and he had a change of heart. This story challenges us to reevaluate our values, and to question whether the wealthy and powerful people we idolize truly embody the values of God’s Kingdom. It reminds us that salvation is something more valuable than wealth, and that true success lies in living by the values of mercy, charity, and outreach.

Another Look at our Modern Day Heroes

Let’s take a closer look at the entrepreneurs on our list of successful people. The companies of Bezos, Musk, and Zuckerberg have all faced criticism for their labor practices, with reports of low pay, long hours, and difficult working conditions. They have been accused of monopolizing markets and controlling prices to eliminate competition. Additionally, there have been concerns about their impact on the environment, from energy consumption to the mining of materials. Furthermore, Facebook has faced criticism over privacy concerns and spreading false information.

Is it possible that we’ve chosen the wrong heroes and the wrong values? Could it be that our American way of life is damaging to our souls? With the knowledge that Christ is looking at us and calling out to us, we begin to see our values in a new light. Perhaps our value of acquisition is really about greed, and what we call upward mobility and competition is really just repackaged pride and ego.

It’s time for us to rethink our values, and Zacchaeus shows us the way. He demonstrates that the values that Jesus honors are mercy, charity, and outreach. These values give life and replace our old ones. This story continues to challenge us today. Our heroes may be the rich, famous, and powerful, but they don’t live the sort of life we’re called to by Christ. The values that Christ gives us, the ones that Zacchaeus adopted, are the ones that truly matter.

When we’re able to live by these values, then we’re children of Abraham and salvation will have come to our house. Amen.