Jesus continues the tail end of his journey on the way to Jerusalem; he has just healed the blind man (named Bartimaeus in Mark) on the roadside outside of Jericho (the one built by Herod), and all are glorifying God in response to the miraculous healing. The incident with Zacchaeus is unique to Luke’s Gospel.
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
Jesus enters the city of Jericho and is “passing through” (dierchomai); this indicates the transient nature of his being there. This is important as it implies that Jesus wasn’t staying in Jericho but merely traveling through it, highlighting that His encounter with Zacchaeus is not coincidental but a purposeful detour.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich.
Our attention is drawn to an individual man named Zacchaeus. The “there was” phrase is “Idou” (ἰδού); it means “behold” or “look.” This is a word used often to signal something significant or noteworthy, calling the listener’s attention, something that is lost with “and there was.” The term for man in Greek is “anēr” (ἀνὴρ), which does mean “man,” but it can also imply a person of some status or character. Zacchaeus is immediately introduced as someone notable, not just any man. Luke uses this word over the more common “anthrōpos” to mark out specific men. The name Zacchaeus comes from the Hebrew name Zakkai, which to all irony means “pure” or “innocent.” This is immediately juxtaposed with his occupation and material wealth. The term “chief tax collector” (Greek: architelōnēs) refers to someone who holds a high-ranking position in the Roman tax system, overseeing other tax collectors. Source .This further indicates the two Jericho’s hypothesis, as Herod’s Jericho was wealthy and modern by their standards, featuring a large palace and governing structure with Roman influence, whereas the old Jericho was historically significant but less sophisticated and was basically a town surrounded by ruins.
Tax collectors were often seen as collaborators with the Roman oppressors, and their profession generally led to negative perceptions within Jewish communities. The Jews were subject to taxation by the Romans, and tax collectors, who were often locals, were viewed as betrayers who worked for the occupying forces. Moreover, tax collectors were notorious for charging more than necessary to line their own pockets, further deepening their disdain within Jewish society.
(Craig Keener, New Testament Commentary)
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.
Zacchaeus “sought” to see who Jesus was. “Ezētēi,” as it does in the English, suggests an active, intentional search; he is not casually looking at what the noise is about. He wants to perceive who he really is, an implication that he might be more than just a man. Jesus is surrounded by a crowd, and Zacchaeus is too short to see over them. This might just seem like a silly detail, but in the context of the New Testament canon, it is actually extremely unique for a few reasons. This story itself is unique to Luke; the physical description is unique to the New Testament, and Luke singles Zacchaeus out by name. Considering all these points and Luke’s statement of interviewing witnesses in Luke 1:2 it is very likely Luke actually encountered Zacchaeus in person and maybe even got this account from him directly.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way.
Little Zacchaeus runs on ahead of the people and climbs a sycamore tree, a desperate and admirable action from our stand point, but in the ancient context, and maybe even to some today, this is an extremely undignified action as it was considered a child’s activity, and Zacchaeus is not only not a child, but he is a man of high status, among Romans at least. This speaks to the humility of Zacchaeus, he is literally willing to become like a little child to see Jesus before He leaves the city.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
Jesus seems to approach the exact tree that Zacchaeus has climbed in order to address him. Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, even though He has never met him. This indicates Jesus’s divine knowledge and intimacy with Zacchaeus, reinforcing the idea that Jesus is not just passing through but seeking him personally. Jesus tells him that he “must” stay at his house. The use of the divine imperative (dei) further indicates the purposefulness of the actions of Jesus in this passage; this is not a random encounter; Jesus planned this from the start.
6 So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.
Zacchaeus “made haste” or “hurried” down the tree; this underscores the urgency and joy he feels at the invitation extended by Jesus. He then “received him joyfully” further expressing the positive nature of the interaction. To receive someone is to take them into your home as a guest, which is what happens here; perhaps Zacchaeus’ home was near the tree, or Luke does not feel the need to describe the walk from the tree to the home as it is not important. To receive someone is also an expression of covenant; to enter the home is to say, “We are family.” It is not something extended to strangers.
7 And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
The crowds may be amazed at what Jesus can do, but as is highlighted elsewhere, they do not fully understand who he is. A lot of the common crowds preoccupation with him seems almost like they perceive him as a traveling magician who is there to entertain. These at least witnessed his healing of the blind man and praised God, but one positive interaction with someone they think of as undeserving, and they “murmured” against him. This is reminiscent of the tribes murmuring against Moses in the Exodus. One minute they are glorifying God for the great signs he has done for them, thrashing Pharoah and his chariots; the next they are looking towards other gods. This flippancy is deeply rooted in all people and is especially recorded in the psyche of the Hebrews. They murmer against Jesus, saying he has gone to be the guest of a sinner. Sinners were cut off from covenental relationships, and a tax collector’s dealings with the Romans made him both unclean and a traitor in their eyes, so for Jesus to enter his home, a covenental act, they perceive him to be contaminating the covenant itself.
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 defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
Zacchaeus stands up, implying they were reclining in his home, which is typical of a covenental gathering. Zacchaeus’ act of standing in Luke 19:8 holds significant cultural and social implications. In the Jewish context, standing during a meal or gathering typically signified a formal or public action. It could mark a shift from casual conversation to a serious statement, often used for declarations, vows, or addressing an assembly. Zacchaeus’ standing could symbolize his sincerity and the public nature of his commitment to repentance and restitution.
Joel Green, in his The Gospel of Luke commentary, emphasizes how Luke portrays Zacchaeus as using this moment to make a transformative declaration of generosity and justice, publicly responding to Jesus’ acceptance. The act of standing also reinforces Zacchaeus’ initiative to align with the kingdom values Jesus embodies, highlighting a break from his prior life and practices.
Zacchaeus calls Jesus “Lord” (Kyrios), a title reserved for God, and announces his pledge to give half of his wealth to the poor. Almsgiving was a fundamental aspect of ancient Hebrew ethics rooted in Deut 15:7–11, and his declaration to do it in verse 8 implies he has notbeene doing this, but his encounter with Jesus has transformed him into being a Jew who abides by the Law given by Moses. He also says if he has “defrauded” anyone (which in substance would be stealing), he will restore to those effected “fourfold.” This echoes Exodus 22:1, where a man who steals or kills a sheep must restore it fourfold. Again, Zacchaeus’ interaction with Jesus has caused him to obediently follow the Law of Moses.
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Jesus tells him that salvation (Sōtēria), which can also mean deliverance, has come to this house. Jesus says this in response to Zacchaeus’ act of repentance. To repent is to turn away from what you are doing, and he is turning away from his life to live in accordance with the Law that was prescribed to the Israelites through Moses. Jesus then declares him to also be a son of Abraham. Until this point, Zacchaeus had been failing to live according to the Law and although by heritage he was of Abraham, he was not by his actions; living according to the Law was a part of the covenant, which was emblematic of the promise God made to Abraham. It echoes the parable of the prodigal son, with Zacchaeus being the son that takes the inheritance and leaves for pagan lands and Abraham being the father waiting for his return.
10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The final verse of today’s readings encaspulates Jesus’ mission to his people before he is to die. He must redeem those who are willing first. Zacchaeus is one of the lost sheep Jesus mentions in Matthew 15:24, and to send this point home that this is his work as the messiah, he uses the Son of Man title prophesied by Daniel. He, as the Son of Man, must fulfill the old covenant first before reinstituting the new covenant.
Seekein” (ζητεῖν) and “sōsai” (σῴσαι) both emphasize action: to seek out and to save. Jesus clarifies that His mission is not just to come for the righteous or the expected, but to actively search for and save those who are lost, just as Zacchaeus was.
“Thus Jesus is provided with his reply to the grumblers: Zachaeus, sinner and renegade Jew though he be, has not forfeited his right to the promise made to Abraham; and in receiving Jesus into his house, he has welcomed the one in whom the promise to Abraham is fulfilled.”
R. Ginns, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St Luke,” in A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Bernard Orchard and Edmund F. Sutcliffe (Toronto; New York; Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson, 1953), 962.
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