Tax collector of Jericho; converted by Jesus
c. AD 30 · New Testament
The chief tax collector of Jericho — short of stature — who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus and ended the day with Christ in his house and the cry 'salvation is come to this house.'
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector of Jericho. As a Jewish tax collector for Rome, he was wealthy and despised by his countrymen. Luke 19:1-10 tells his story. As Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus sought to see him. Being 'little of stature' and unable to see over the crowd, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. Jesus looked up and called him by name: 'Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.' Zacchaeus came down 'and received him joyfully.' The crowd murmured that Jesus had gone to lodge with 'a man that is a sinner.' But Zacchaeus stood and made a remarkable declaration: 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.' Jesus' response is one of the great gospel pronouncements: 'This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' Zacchaeus models genuine repentance — turning from greed, restoring with abundance (fourfold restitution exceeded the OT requirement), and embracing Jesus as Lord. His story closes Luke's section on Jesus' approach to Jerusalem.
Being short of stature
"I must abide at thy house"
Despite crowd murmuring
Genuine repentance
A son of Abraham
Zacchaeus's significance: (1) He models genuine conversion — costly, joyful, action-producing. (2) His fourfold restitution exceeds OT requirements (Exodus 22:1) — showing repentance that goes beyond duty. (3) Jesus' words — 'the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost' — are programmatic for his mission. (4) His story shows Jesus' inclusion of those considered furthest from God. (5) His story closes Luke's travel narrative — a fitting climax before Jerusalem.
“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”— Luke 19:8
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector of Jericho — Jewish, wealthy, and despised. Luke 19:1-10. He climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, and Jesus called him by name and went to his house. Zacchaeus repented, gave half his goods to the poor, and vowed fourfold restitution. Jesus declared salvation had come to his house.
Luke 19:3 — 'he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.' He climbed a sycamore tree to see over the crowd as Jesus passed through Jericho. His desperation to see Jesus is the beginning of his salvation.
Luke 19:8 — 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.' He gave half his wealth to the poor and made fourfold restitution for what he had wrongfully taken. This was genuine, costly repentance.
(1) Jesus seeks the lost — even the wealthy lost (Luke 19:10). (2) Repentance is action, not just feeling — Zacchaeus gave back. (3) No one is too despised for Christ's love. (4) Restitution belongs to biblical repentance. (5) Curiosity about Jesus, followed by humble welcome, leads to salvation.