1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
Luke 19 offers three parables that focus on God’s seeking the lost and on joy at finding sinners.
A second person in Jericho came to faith in Jesus. The story of Zacchaeus occurs only in Luke. He was wealthy, a Jew, and the chief tax collector.
19:1
Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
Following the healing of the blind man, Jesus entered the city of the newer Jericho.
19:2
Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
Upon entering Jericho, Jesus encountered Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector. He was the “chief” tax collector, making him the supervisor of other tax collectors. He stood at the top of the tax collection pyramid. He was an outcast and hated from the perspective of most of Israel. This man made his money by extortion.
The Jews hated tax collectors because they were cheats and worked with the Roman government to collect taxes. Zacchaeus was one who became rich by cheating others through over-taxation. There was a tax stand in Jericho that collected goods passing east and west between Judea and Perea.
19:3
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
Zacchaeus was short in stature and could not see Jesus over the crowd. He had “sought” to know Jesus for some time (imperfect tense).
19:4
So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus as He passed by. This man deeply wanted to meet Jesus, indicating positive volition toward the salvation that Jesus offered.
19:5
And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
As Jesus approached the site where Zacchaeus was lodged in the tree, He asked him to come down quickly. Jesus wanted to stay in his house. He initiated contact with Zacchaeus. He invited Himself to stay at Zacchaeus’s house. This instance is the only occurrence of Jesus inviting Himself to stay in someone’s house. His request to Zacchaeus was urgent.
19:6
So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
Zacchaeus came down from the tree quickly and received Jesus joyfully. To meet with Jesus was an occasion of joy for Zacchaeus. Verse 5 demonstrates divine initiative, verse 6 human responsibility.
PRINCIPLE:
No one is too sinful to receive salvation.
APPLICATION:
Nothing is beyond the power of God’s grace to sinners. People deemed Zacchaeus an evil person who stole by unjustly collecting taxes. He did nothing to earn salvation, but Jesus sought the salvation of his soul (Lu 19:10). Although Zacchaeus was an unseemly person, Jesus had a divine appointment for his salvation.
