tax collecting

[didymus]

Just wondering how Roman and other taxes worked early Palestine. I Luke’s Gospel today Zaccheus declares :

[8] And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have de-
frauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

So he at least ripped some people off some of the time – this was standard for tax collectors?
Also, how many taxes? Just off the top of my head I can think of the temple axes, taxes to Herod, plus the Roman taxes.

Anyone know more about this?

 

[Mark77]

**Apparently, tax collectors were despised by the Jews as “collaborators” with the Romans, & who usually were dishonest, collecting extra & keeping it for themselves.

Fr. Barron has a fantastic sermon on today’s Gospel that touches on this;

Listen here (just 13 minutes!);

wordonfire.org/WOF-Radio/Sermons/Sermon-Archive-for-2010/Sermon-512-Salvation-Has-Come-to-This-House.aspx

Here’s Fr. Barron’s Word on Fire website;

wordonfire.org/Home.aspx**

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Pecatoribus!

mark

 

[sawman]

My understanding about this is, that the local tax collectors were paid as sub-contractors. They were not “officials” of the regime. People like Zacheus collected the taxes for a percentage. Rome says" we need X amount of tax revenue from Judea, and you Zacheus, will collect it. Zacheus will then collect that amount plus a percentage for himself. He probably had helper sub-contractors who would also add their percentage as well. As long as Rome got theirs, they weren’t very worried about the burden involved. As a Roman sub-contractor, Zacheus could also depend upon “official” status and protection. The percentages probably had some expected level and could be played with within reason, so the field was ripe for fraud and abuse.

 

[Fidelis]

We are told Zacchaeus was not only a tax-collector, but a chief tax-collector, meaning he had other tax-collectors working for him. As we heard last week, tax-collectors (sometimes called “publicans” after the Roman treasury, the publicani) were considered quislings and traitors since they worked for the occupying Romans, and thus were hated and regarded as unclean (because of their contact with Gentiles) and sinners. The tax collector received his funds from whatever “excess” tax he collected—over and above what had been levied. Furthermore, they made their profit by extortion and strong-arm methods.

Finally, we are told he was rich, no doubt becoming so from many years in this position and being an effective extortionist of both the people and his own employees. He was doubtless well known and deeply loathed by the citizens of Jericho.

Msgr. Daniel Mueggenborg also gives some great background on this in his audio Scripture study for this Sunday’s Gospel, found here.

 

[NHInsider]

An interesting point made in a text I’m using with my Sunday Scripture class - that Zaccheus’ words to the Lord are in the present active indicative - although some of our translations say “I will give” and “I will repay,” more accurate would be “I give” and “I repay.” The author pointed out that Zaccheus stands in stark contrast to the rich man in the previous chapter, who was a respected man in the community and who claimed unchallenged that he had kept all the commandments since his youth, but who could not accept Jesus’ statement that he should give his wealth to the poor. In contrast, Zaccheus is despised by his community, but he is in fact living the faith, sharing with the poor and repaying the maximum required by the law if he has defrauded anyone. The author said that we misunderstand the story when we think that the point is Zaccheus’ conversion. . .

Which in turn made me wonder if he might have been one of those tax collectors who heard the words of John the Baptist, and had reformed his life and been “preparing the way of the Lord,” and now, having heard that Jesus was passing through, wants to see Him, to learn if He is the one John had said was coming (note that he would still be ritually unclean, because of his profession, but unlike the other rich man, he is open to the Lord’s leading).

Either way, a significant point is that Jesus reaches out to Zaccheus - He calls to him, as He calls to each of us. We can’t initiate grace, we respond to it. Or, like the man in chapter 18, we don’t. . . .

 

[sawman]

NHInsider,
Thank you so much for sharing that very encouraging view of Zaccheus. I have never been exposed to that insight before. What a joy to see him in a new light. Thank-you so much!
Tom

 

[NHInsider]

NHInsider,
Thank you so much for sharing that very encouraging view of Zaccheus. I have never been exposed to that insight before. What a joy to see him in a new light. Thank-you so much!
Tom

I had never heard it either, and I’m still processing it, but found it very striking!

 

[didymus]

Thanks for all the informative answers & commentaries.
I’ve read about “tax farming” in different times/places but didn’t know the Romans used similar.