By Pastor David Holland
“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.”
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.”
“All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’”
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’”
“Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’” Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)
There is an old Sunday School song that says, “Zaccheus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he.” Like most men, the last thing I want to be called is “wee.” It suggests powerlessness, pettiness, or impotence. Zaccheus may have been a wicked person, but he shows us Christ’s power to transform the most vile of people.
Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem and passing through Jericho. Josephus, a noted Jewish historian from the first century, describes this affluent city as the “fattest region in Palestine.” Taxes gathered there would make a chief tax collector like Zacchaeus wealthy.
He probably lived in a big home. But, Zacchaeus was the “little big man” that people would freeze out of the Master’s presence.
The passage insinuates that Zacchaeus fleeced the people while serving the Roman occupation. Despised as a cheat, he was lonely and needed what Jesus offered—love, acceptance and forgiveness.
Determined to see Jesus, Zacchaeus was also curious. He must have thought, I’ll run ahead and climb a tree so I can discreetly see the Rabbi passing by.
Jesus is walking along, mobbed by townspeople, and suddenly He looks up to see Zacchaeus in the tree and the Lord stops. Christ calls Zacchaeus by name. Does he know Zacchaeus’ name ahead of time? Does he pick it up from the angry whispers in the crowd?
What is it about this man that stops Jesus in His tracks?
The Lord calls out to the little man in Luke 19:5, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” The word translated “immediately” carries the meaning “hurry, hasten.” Jesus is not content to make an appointment for later. Now is the time.
Jesus says he “must” come to dinner. Now. Immediately. Christ inviting Himself to dinner might even sound presumptuous. But Zacchaeus responds positively and the outcast obeys.
Christ eats with the sinner as the people mutter their disapproval in verse 7. Their complaints inject poisonous grumbling into the situation.
In contrast to the peevish people, Zacchaeus exults in his new relationship with Jesus, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Luke 19:8. Christ’s acceptance of this man transforms him from a cheating tax collector to a generous giver.
Zacchaeus offers restitution that far exceeds the law showing that the kingdom of God has truly arrived. His faith is authentic and bore the fruit of justice. Jesus affirms him as a member of the family.
This passage embodies Christ’s mission as a Savior who rescues the lost. People in our neighborhoods, jobs, and schools—hurting people who need grace—also need love, acceptance, and forgiveness. We need to be willing to love them rather than judge. The lost are people who need to find their way back home to God’s family.
When I disobey the Lord, it makes me smaller. Sin does that. It shrinks our soul. Then we spend our lives compensating for the diminished view we have of ourselves. When Jesus passes by, He breaks that awful cycle.
God invites people to His house, even wee little powerless people. He invites Himself to people’s homes. Even your home. Aren’t you glad that Jesus loves you, whether others approve or not? God loves us all. None of us are too small or insignificant to warrant His attention.
He sees you. He knows you. He loves you.
Dave Holland ministered and pastored for over forty years. He graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he earned his master’s degree. Regarded as an authority on the Gospel of Luke, he studied the Word of God for fifty years in his search to know the Son of God. Dave and his wife Jonie live in Northwest Florida.
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