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The Rev. Eugene Stockstill

An ancient tradition, did you know, puts Zacchaeus in the bishop’s seat in an area once known as Caesarea? Or that a medieval legend has him as the founder of an old sanctuary in France? Such tales can sound like piety losing control of herself. But they do underline the incompleteness of most of the great gospel stories.

In the case of Zacchaeus, the taxman-turning-philanthropist promised the following after Jesus invited himself over for dinner at his place. “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” And except for Jesus’ followup pronouncement — “Today, salvation has come to this house” — that’s it about Zacchaeus in the scriptures.

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THE REV. EUGENE STOCKSTILL is pastor of Ebenezer United Methodist Church and Myrtle United Methodist Church in Union County.

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