Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10)

Chief Publican of Jericho

A rich chief publican of Jericho, little of stature, who climbed a sycomore tree to see Jesus, received him joyfully at his house, and said, “the half of my goods I give to the poor” (Luke 19:8).

Zacchaeus appears in a single passage, Luke 19:1–10. As Jesus was passing through Jericho, “a man called by name Zacchæus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich” (Luke 19:2). “He sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature” (Luke 19:3), so he ran on ahead and “climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him” (Luke 19:4).

Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus “made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:6), while all who saw it murmured, “He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).

Zacchaeus stood and said, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Jesus said, “To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9–10).

Strengths

• Eagerness to see Jesus
• Joyful welcome
• Generosity
• Restitution

Themes

• Seeking and being sought
• Salvation to a house
• Generosity and restitution
• Welcoming sinners

Zacchaeus seeks to see Jesus (Luke 19:1–4)

As Jesus passes through Jericho, Zacchaeus, a rich chief publican, little of stature, runs on before and climbs a sycomore tree to see him.

Jesus calls him down (Luke 19:5–7)

Jesus calls him by name and says he must abide at his house; Zacchaeus receives him joyfully, and all who see it murmur.

Jesus calls him down

“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5).

“And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:6). “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).

Salvation is come to this house (Luke 19:8–10)

Zacchaeus stands and says that he gives half his goods to the poor and, if he has wrongfully exacted aught of any man, restores fourfold; Jesus says salvation is come to this house.

Salvation is come to this house

“And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8).

The text records his words and does not say what he had or had not exacted. Readers differ on whether he speaks of a new resolve or of what he already does; the verse puts it in the present tense.

“And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9–10).

Jesus (Luke 19:5–10)

Called him down from the tree, abode at his house, and said salvation had come to it.

Major sections

• Luke 19:1–10

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