Beech Tree News Network

The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is a childhood favorite. How can you not be drawn to a little man who climbs a tree to see Jesus? And then there’s that catchy song. But there are some lessons for grown-ups in the story. Zacchaeus should be remembered as more than just “a wee little man.”    

His Hebrew name means “pure,” but it seems that Zacchaeus had not been living up to it. He worked as an agent for Rome collecting taxes from his countrymen. Tax collectors were social outcasts viewed as traitors. But that is not all there is to know about the man. He was “seeking” (ESV) is every sense of the word, not just to lay eyes on Jesus, but “to investigate to reach a binding (terminal) resolution.” Zacchaeus climbed to the top of a tree to get “to the bottom of a matter.’” Was this itinerant preacher really a prophet? Was this travelling teacher the long-anticipated Messiah? He was seeking “to see who Jesus was.” And Zacchaeus would not be held back.

He was not held back by what he had. Zacchaeus had status. He was a chief tax collector. He sat atop the organization that collected taxes in and around Jericho. He was connected and he was important. Zacchaeus was somebody. And he was rich. Jericho sat near where the King’s Highway crossed the Jordan River. Goods moving between Egypt and the eastern expanses of the Roman Empire moved through the city and Zacchaeus grew wealthy off the revenue. He seemed to “have it all,” yet he was seeking what he didn’t have…  

He was not held back by what others thought. Determined, “he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree.” That’s not very dignified. Prominent citizens want to be perceived as dignified and carry themselves that way. But he climbed a tree in public, likely to ridicule, then humbly obeyed as the son of a carpenter ordered him down and invited Himself to spend the day as Zacchaeus’s guest. As the crowd watched Jesus and His disciples head toward his house, they observed, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” This criticism of Jesus is a reflection on Zacchaeus and a reminder to us. Some people don’t want us to escape our past. We must escape them.

He was not held back by what he had done. After spending some time with Jesus, he wanted to change. “Here and now” (NIV) he pledged to give one-half of his possessions to the poor. And he was willing to make things right. The Law of Moses called for full value plus 1/5th more in restitution if anyone had been defrauded. Zacchaeus offered to restore four times the amount. Why? What could explain such a sudden and drastic change in a person? He truly saw who Jesus was. And Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house…”

Zacchaeus ultimately lived up to his name. He had a pure heart. He would not be held back by what he had, or what others thought, or by what he had done. Because he was seeking “to see who Jesus was…” Those are some big lessons from a little man.

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8)

Bob McPherson lives in Warren County, but spends as much time as possible in Butler County.  He preaches for the Eastside Church of Christ in Bowling Green.  He can be reached at bdmcpherson2@gmail