1 And he entered and was passing through Jericho. 2 And behold, a
man called by name Zacchæus; and he was a chief publican, and he
was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not
for the crowd, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran on
before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was
to pass that way. 5 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. 6 And he made haste and came
down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all
murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a
sinner. 8 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. 9 And
Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house,
forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man
came to seek and to save that which was lost.
“And he entered and was passing through Jericho,” a city famous alike for
faith and unbelief. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down,” and in
blind unbelief they were rebuilt and the curse which had been pronounced
came upon the defiant builder. As Jesus passed through the city he was to
witness faith and unbelief, the latter to be shown by multitudes, the
former by a single man named Zacchæus. This name signifies “holiness” but
it was a poor designation of the man. Those who knew him best called him a
“sinner,” and they were probably right. “He was a chief publican, and he
was rich.” A man might be a publican and be honest, but he would probably
be poor. Zacchæus’ task was that of a taxgatherer, and when it is
remembered that these officials made their wealth by extortion and
dishonesty, to say the least, it was suspicious when a taxgatherer was
rich.
“He sought to see Jesus who he was.” It may have been curiosity, but there
was a certain eagerness in his desire. He possibly had heard of the great
Prophet who was so kind in his treatment of publicans and sinners.
However, he could not see Jesus “for the crowd, because he was little of
stature.” Obstacles often arise in the way of those whose attention is
first turned toward Christ. If, however, they are earnest in their desire,
they are certain to learn more of him.
The earnestness of Zacchæus was shown as “he ran on before, and climbed up
into a sycomore tree to see him.” There was something undignified in the
action of this little man of wealth, but his eagerness received an
unexpected reward, for “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.” This is the only time so far as we know that Jesus
invited himself to be a guest, but we are certain that he is ever ready to
abide with those whose hearts are open to receive him. It has been said
that Zacchæus was converted before he had reached the ground. There can be
no doubt that a great change came into his heart as he realized how fully
Jesus knew him and anticipated what the Saviour could do for him; and his
faith and hope were manifest at once. “He made haste, and came down, and
received him joyfully.”
What did the crowd say? Exactly what the world always says when a man is
turning to Christ and seeking to begin a new life. Men always call to mind
the dark past from which the rescued man is turning. “They all murmured,
saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner.”
What did Zacchæus say? What every man says who has found the grace which
Christ bestows and who realizes that a new life can begin only with
repentance and resolution. “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to
the poor.” Thus he determined, as a Christian, to do far more than was
required by the Jewish Law; that Law required a tenth; Zacchæus promised
that half of all his income would be used in the service of the Lord. “And
if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.” There
can be little doubt that any publican would find large opportunities for
such restoration; and nothing more definitely indicates true repentance
than the desire to make amends for the past.
What did Jesus say? This is most important of all, “To-day is salvation
come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” By his
faith the publican of Jericho showed himself to be a true son of Abraham,
the “father of the faithful.” His trust in Christ secured for him that
salvation which is offered to all, even to the lowest and most hopeless
and despised. “For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was
lost.”