Who Was Zacchaeus in the Bible — In Biblical Context
Zacchaeus was a wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus and was dramatically converted.
Zacchaeus was a wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus and was dramatically converted.
"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house." — Luke 19:5 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Zacchaeus was a chief publican — a Jewish tax collector who served the hated Roman government and had grown rich, likely by extortion. When Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus, being short of stature, climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Him. To everyone's astonishment, Jesus stopped, looked up, and said, 'Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house' (Luke 19:5). The crowd murmured, but the meeting transformed Zacchaeus's life. He pledged to give half his goods to the poor and to restore fourfold what he had taken wrongfully. Jesus declared, 'This day is salvation come to this house... For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' Zacchaeus's story is a beautiful picture of true conversion: repentance, restitution, and joyful generosity.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Luke 19:5, sits inside Luke 19. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house."
Supporting Passages
"And Zacchaeus 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."
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
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