Who was Zacchaeus in the Bible?

A chief of the tax-collectors, who, in his anxiety to see Jesus, climbed a tree; he was agreeably surprised to hear that Jesus wished to abide at his house. On being called a sinner, Zacchaeus said "The half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore fourfold," showing apparently that he had a tender conscience and a generous heart; but the Lord declared that He had brought salvation to the house; for though a tax-gatherer, he was a son of Abraham. Luke 19:1-10.

Zaccheus was a tax-gatherer, or publican, a chief man among them too, and seemed to have made money by his profession, for he was rich. Publicans were not considered honest persons, and therefore were not much respected; and Zaccheus's allusion to taking things by false accusation seems to imply that he had not been blameless in this respect. He had, however, heard of Jesus, His mighty miracles, and wonderful works and words, and had a great desire to see Him. But the crowd around the Lord was great, which operated as a hindrance to his seeing Jesus, unless he ran before, outstripped the multitude, and got upon some elevated place. Though a rich man, his purpose was so decided, that he would not allow anything to hinder his seeing Jesus; he therefore ran before, and climbed up a sycamore tree, in the direction he knew that the Lord would pass. There might have been more than mere curiosity working in his heart; for he neither allowed the press of the crowd, nor anything else, to hinder his desire being gratified; we see, also, that he was enabled to obey the Lord immediately that he was "called." But, be that as it may, it is clear that Jesus was the great object of attraction to him — "he sought to see Jesus." Nothing less than Christ Himself would satisfy him; so he went where he knew that the Lord would pass. But he little thought, while he was occupied in seeking the Lord, that the Lord was seeking him. Many a seeker says, "I am trying to find the Saviour;" but the truth is, that He who came to seek and save the lost is seeking them. They would not have desires after Christ, longings for an interest in His salvation, and heartfelt cries after Him, if He had not commenced a work of grace in their souls. When the women were seeking the Lord after His resurrection, the bright angel said to them, "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified." Oh! my reader, if Christ Jesus who was crucified for sinners is the One you are really seeking, be encouraged, and fear not!

Then, as He entered Jericho, Zaccheus, the chief of the tax-gatherers, was mightily stirred with the desire to see this wondrous man, the Son of man. Hence he lets nothing stand in the way. Neither personal deficiency, nor the crowd that was there, is allowed to hinder his intense purpose of heart to see the Lord Jesus. He therefore climbs up a sycamore tree by the way; and Jesus knowing well the desire of Zaccheus, and the faith that was at work there however feebly, at once, to his joy and astonishment, invites Himself to his house. "Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." All fell to murmuring. It was the same tale at the end as at the beginning. "And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; 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 had been really a conscientious man. He was a man thus characterised; for it is no promise of what he is going to do, but he mentions that which was no doubt a fact about himself at that very moment. He was what men call a just and good man, yet a chief tax-gatherer and a wealthy one, though they be hard things to put together. Here was a tax-gatherer who, if through in cautiousness or any defect guilty of wrong to another, needed no pressure to restore fourfold. Such was his habit. Our Lord, however, cuts it all short. As a matter of human righteousness it was well; it was the proof that Zaccheus exercised himself as a man to have a conscience void offence in his own way. Nor is this out of keeping with the tenor of Luke's Gospel, as, indeed, it is only here that we have the story at all. Our Lord, however, shows that it was not the time to think or speak of such matters. "This day is salvation come to this house, inasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." How infinite the blessing! Was it a fitting time for speaking of himself? It was not a question of man's walking righteously, or of talking about it. In truth, man was lost; but the Son of man was there to bear his burden. This great and glorious fact superseded all others. Whatever there had been working in him at any time, all was now swallowed up in the presence of the Son of man seeking and saving the lost. What can give us a more vivid, true, and blessed representation of the Lord Jesus Christ in His first coming with the grace of God that brings salvation? (Luke 19:1-10.)

Zacchaeus. — From that which is common to the three evangelists, we pass on to that which is peculiar to Luke, viz., the story of Zacchaeus and the parable which follows it. For, as Luke dwells in a marked way on grace, it was fitting that he should relate not only the temporal blessing received by Bartimaeus, but the spiritual one — salvation brought to Zacchaeus and the way that came about. The Lord "entered, and was passing through Jericho," so Luke really wrote. Who would receive Him? Who would show Him ordinary hospitality? No house seemed opened to Him. No Pharisee, if there were any there, requested His company. In Galilee He had been more than once invited, and had accepted the proffered hospitality. In fact, we never read that the Lord declined an invitation. At the same time He could be faithful to His host and to the company (Luke 11:37-53 14:1-24). At Jericho, wealthy as the city was, no one asked for His company, though the opportunity was freely given for any to invite Him. He had entered Jericho, and was passing through it and the inhabitants generally must have been aware of it, for He was accompanied by an escort which was not confined to a few faithful disciples (Luke 19:3). His route, too, was known (ver. 4). Where then should He abide? The Lord knew, and made it plain, though as yet His intended host, Zacchaeus, was ignorant of it. Now he, a chief publican and a rich man, desired to see the Lord, for he had evidently never before met Him; but, being little of stature, he could not possibly see Him, for a crowd surrounded Him. So, running forward, he climbed up into a sycamore tree that his desire might be gratified. He was not disappointed. The Lord moved on to the very tree into which he had climbed. Zaccheus saw Him. The Lord also saw Zacchaeus, and spoke to him, addressing him by name: "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house" (ver. 5). This is the solitary instance that we have of the Lord inviting Himself to any one's house. And His company on this occasion was not declined, for Zacchaeus made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. His wish was gratified. He had seen Him. But, more than he expected, he was to entertain Him.

Now from the crowd a general murmuring was heard: "He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner." But with whom but a sinner could the Lord lodge anywhere upon earth?" There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10). The strictest Pharisee, as well as the chief publican, was a sinner in God's sight. To meet the murmurings of the crowd Zacchaeus next spoke, and told the Lord what he did, his practice, and not, as some have thought, what he would henceforth do: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation [or, wrongfully exacted aught of any man], I restore fourfold." In the one case he gave more than the law could demand: a half, not a tenth; in the other he did no less than it enjoined. The Lord heard all, the murmurings on the one hand and the answer on the other. Then He spoke: "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." Did the crowd murmur at His entering that house? Its owner was one of the privileged race, a son of Abraham, in common with all of them. Would Zacchaeus justify himself by setting forth what he did? As one of the lost the Lord came to seek him and to save him. All his doings had not saved him, nor could they. Never till then had salvation entered his door. The Lord brought it that day. Grace in the fullest way that publican received, the grace of free and everlasting salvation. Memorable in Zacchaeus's life must that visit have ever been. Memorable, too, have the Lord's closing words proved to many a sin-burdened conscience. He "came to seek and to save the lost." Zacchaeus had desired to see Him, and evidently never thought of speaking to Him. He came to save that publican. Now this was not done in a corner, for in sight of a murmuring crowd the Lord crossed the threshold of the house. There was from thenceforth one saved person, if only one, resident in Jericho. That one was Zacchaeus.

When He drew near to Jericho the Lord healed the blind beggar. The reader will find hints on the meaning of this miracle in the annotations of the Gospel of Mark. (10:46-52.) The story of Zacchaeus is not found in the other Synoptics. The Lord is now in Jericho. Zacchaeus (meaning: clean) was the chief tax-gatherer and a rich man. "He sought to see Jesus"; his desire and faith overcame all hindrances which were in his way. The rich man climbing into a sycamore tree must have brought him ridicule. Little did he know that He, whom he sought, was seeking him. The Lord knew him and called him by name. And so Zacchaeus received Him joyfully into his house, while others murmured because He was to be a guest of a sinner. But Zacchaeus, though the chief publican, was an honest man. His confession shows that. He did not say what he intended to do, but what he had done already in his past life. It was not the result of having received the Lord in his house, but Zacchaeus answered by it the accusation of those who had murmured. He was a son of Abraham, yet destitute of salvation, which he knew not with all his honesty. But the Lord had brought now Salvation to his house. Zacchaeus was lost but the Son of Man had found him.

The persons who farmed the taxes levied by the Romans, a certain sum being payable for each district. These then farmed out smaller portions to others, or engaged them to collect the money. The whole system was bad, and was capable of abuse by the collectors demanding more than they should. The counsel given by John the Baptist to the Publicans was: "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." Luke 3:12-13. Zacchaeus would appear to have been a just and liberal man; he speaks of restoring money taken 'by false accusation': being 'the chief among the publicans,' he remedied such things as were under his control.

Next, we have the account of Zacchaeus (chap. 19:1-10), for the Spirit of God did not tie Luke to the mere order of time; and morally viewed, it was the fitting sequel to the healing of the blind man. Found only in this Gospel, it is a striking illustration of the grace which receives a man, no matter how low, and in the face of Jewish prejudices. For a publican, a rich chief of the publicans, was justly an object of abhorrence to those who regarded him as the expression of Gentile dominion. All was wrong through sin, and Israel was not humbled. Still it was a sad position for an Israelite, however honest and conscientious Zacchaeus might be in it. But it was the day of grace, and "he sought to see Jesus." There were difficulties, hindrances in him and around; but faith perseveres in spite of opposition. As the blind man was bent on his object, so was the rich publican set on seeing Jesus. This marks the working of God's Spirit - the apprehension of the worth of the object. We want it and more of it; we know enough to want more. It is an appetite produced by the Holy Spirit. It is a terrible thing, if we, as Christians, have not this craving, this hungering and thirsting after a greater enjoyment of God; for where this is not, deadness and apathy of soul have come in.

Jesus came to the place, and saw him and said unto him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." He had not yet the full knowledge of Jesus, but his desire had been met, and he had joy. It was neither law nor glory, but a hidden Messiah come in full grace. There was abundant evidence who He was, but in grace He was come down where they were. No matter what people thought. Finding Jesus is everything. Zacchaeus had the answer to the want which divine grace had created. Grace does not give at first the knowledge of Christ's work; there may be little or no understanding that we are made the righteousness of God in Him. Hence the first joy often wanes; because, when conscience is accused, I want the consciousness of that righteousness. The first joy is constantly that of discovering that we possess the felt need of the soul for Christ; but the full question as to righteousness may still have to be met in the conscience, though of course every believer in possessing Christ does possess divine righteousness. Nevertheless, much as there is to learn, there is joy. New interests are awakened, new desires arise, a new insight is obtained into good and evil. When there is a deep sense of what it is to be lost and saved, the world (man) is a light matter. But when the pressure on the conscience is removed, too often nature resumes a sort of place, and Christ is not all and everything to the saint.

161 Zacchaeus' heart is opened. There is confidence, which tells itself out. There might be ever so much honest effort to satisfy conscience in his false position; but after all what a place it was! Men murmured. The Lord passed all over. Self-defence was needless. The Lord did not accuse, and speaks of nothing but the salvation which was that day come to the house. Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham, and the Son of man was come to seek and to save that which was lost. What, could a Pharisee object? There had been a work with the conscience of Zacchaeus, but the Son of man was come and salvation was the word. He brings it. He gave what Zacchaeus had little thought of. He was come to meet the need He had created. He was come to seek, that is, to produce the desire; and to save, that is, to meet the desire.

There was yet another man to be rescued from Jericho, the city of the curse (Josh.6:26). The Lord, in faithful grace, passed through that city, an available Savior for all, but responded to by only a few, for Jericho is a picture of the attractive world that He was about to leave by way of death. Zacchaeus was a rich man among the tax collectors, but his riches did not satisfy him. Hearing of Jesus, he desired to see Him, drawn by the question in his mind as to the person of the Lord, not with desire to see a miracle done by Him.

The obstacle of his physical shortness did not hinder him, for faith will overcome obstacles. It produced the energy to climb a sycamore tree (v.4). How little he anticipated that the Lord would even notice him in the tree, let alone stop and speak to him by name, telling him to make haste and come down. It was the call of sovereign grace, powerful and real, with the addition that He must come to the little man's house. We may well marvel at the delight of the Lord's heart in coming personally into the home of one in whose heart His grace had worked to awaken faith. Zacchaeus responded without delay, rejoicing in receiving this Guest so infinitely great.

But many witnesses were present with strong criticism of the Lord for partaking of the hospitality of a man they considered a sinner because he was a tax collector for the Roman government. These critics were religious Jews, jealous of the reputation of their own nation. In answer to these accusations Zacchaeus told the Lord that he gave half of his goods to the poor, and if by false accusation he had taken more from any man than was fair, he restored this fourfold. It is possible that by mistake he exacted an unfair amount, and later restored fourfold, but there is no doubt that he was telling the truth, for the Lord would certainly have exposed a falsehood. How many of Zacchaeus' accusers could have honestly said the same?

469 Luke 19:2. — "Zacchaeus." His is a Hebrew name: see "Zacchai" in Ezra 2:9; Neh. 7:14.

(2) The story of Zacchaeus follows and is still connected with Jericho and the Lord's passing through it. The name means "pure" or "clean," as his words to the Lord show him to be. We are to take them surely, not as the profession of what he meant to do, but as the answer to the murmured charge against him, and which implicated Christ also, that He was gone to lodge with a man that was a sinner. "A sinner!" he would say, "behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any one by false accusation," — a thing which might be done without design — "I restore him fourfold." He is speaking of what he does habitually, not of what he has made a new resolve to do.