37 · Words and actions of Jesus

Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1–10

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Jesus looks up at Zacchaeus sitting in a sycamore tree while a crowd stands along the road in Jericho.

Zacchaeus is wealthy and a chief tax collector.

Must he change before Jesus accepts him?

Choose a perspective

There is no score – choose the perspective you find closest and discuss why.

Discuss: What comes first: Jesus' acceptance or Zacchaeus' change?

After your discussion: compare with our assessment

Our assessment

A follows the narrative order. Jesus initiates fellowship before Luke reports Zacchaeus' economic response. Jesus does not say, “Change first, and then I will come.” C is equally important because the encounter does not leave Zacchaeus' economic life untouched. His response concerns both the poor and people who may have been financially harmed by him.

37 · Luke 19:1–10

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Text & context

Full translation

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he could not because of the crowd, since he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 He hurried down and welcomed him with joy. 7 When everyone saw it, they began to grumble: “He has gone in to be the guest of a sinful man.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Half of what I own I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I repay four times as much.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Translated from the Greek text – SBLGNT

What is happening here?
Jesus passes through Jericho. Zacchaeus, a wealthy chief tax collector, wants to see who Jesus is but cannot see over the crowd. He runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree. When Jesus reaches the place, Jesus is the one who sees Zacchaeus. He calls him by name and says that he “must” stay at his house that day. Zacchaeus welcomes Jesus with joy, while everyone who sees it grumbles that Jesus has gone to be the guest of a man regarded as a sinner. Zacchaeus then describes radical economic action: half of his possessions go to the poor, and if he has defrauded anyone, he repays fourfold. Jesus declares that salvation has come to the house and calls Zacchaeus “a son of Abraham.” The story ends with the statement that the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.
Notice this

Zacchaeus climbs the tree to see Jesus. But when Jesus arrives: Jesus sees Zacchaeus. And before Zacchaeus has promised anything, Jesus says: “Today I must stay at your house.” At the same time, Jesus' fellowship with Zacchaeus is followed by something very concrete: The poor share in his wealth. People he may have wronged receive restitution. Also notice the connection with the previous card: In Luke 13 Jesus calls the suffering woman “a daughter of Abraham.” Here he calls the despised Zacchaeus “a son of Abraham.”

Language & translation

From the Greek

ἀρχιτελώνης – architelōnēs

chief tax collector An unusual term describing Zacchaeus as a leading figure in tax collection, not merely an ordinary tax collector.

ζητῶν ἰδεῖν – zētōn idein

seeking/trying to see Zacchaeus seeks an opportunity to see who Jesus is. The story later ends with the Son of Man coming to seek the lost.

δεῖ με μεῖναι – dei me meinai

I must stay Dei expresses necessity. Luke often uses it in connection with things belonging to Jesus' mission.

ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων – hypedexato auton chairōn

welcomed him with joy Zacchaeus' response to Jesus' initiative is characterized by joy.

πάντες διεγόγγυζον – pantes diegongyzon

everyone grumbled Luke explicitly says “everyone,” strengthening the contrast between Zacchaeus' joy and the crowd's displeasure.

ἐσυκοφάντησα – esykophantēsa

I have defrauded / extorted Sykophanteō can describe extortion, false accusation, or obtaining something through abuse.

ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν – apodidōmi tetraploun

I repay fourfold Zacchaeus describes restitution far beyond simply returning the same amount.

υἱὸς Ἀβραάμ – huios Abraam

son of Abraham Jesus restores Zacchaeus to an identity larger than the label “sinful tax collector.”

ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός – zētēsai kai sōsai to apolōlos

to seek and save what was lost The final saying summarizes Jesus' mission with zēteō and sōzō.

Translation note

Independent English translation from the Greek text, using SBLGNT as the primary Greek edition.

Compare for yourself

Read Luke 19:1–10 together with Luke 18:18–30 about the rich man. Both stories concern wealthy men encountering Jesus, but their responses are very different. Pay particular attention to:

  • architelōnēs
  • zēteō
  • dei
  • hypodechomai
  • gongyzō
  • sykophanteō
  • apodidōmi
  • sōtēria / sōzō
  • “son of Abraham”

Also compare Luke 13:10–17 and the phrase “daughter of Abraham.”

Continue the conversation

Discuss further
  1. What does it mean that Jesus takes the initiative before Zacchaeus' economic response is reported?
  2. Why do you think the entire crowd reacts negatively to Jesus entering his house?
  3. What does Zacchaeus' economic response show about the difference between an inner feeling and concrete change?
  4. How does the story change if verse 8 is read as a new decision versus a defense of an existing practice?
Parallel passages
  • Luke 18:18–30
  • Luke 13:10–17
  • Luke 15:1–32
Sources
  • The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT), Michael W. Holmes, ed.
  • Luke 19:1–10
  • Standard Greek lexical resources for architelōnēs, zēteō, dei, hypodechomai, gongyzō, sykophanteō, apodidōmi, sōtēria, and sōzō