Thirsty For God Church: Who became Zacchaeus in the Bible?

Zacchaeus turned into a wee little man; a wee little man became he! You might also have grown up in Sunday college singing that tune. i do know I did! despite the fact, for a lot of of us, this is all we learn about Zacchaeus.

You can also be aware of that he turned into a short man who climbed up into a sycamore tree, and Jesus referred to as him down and went to his house. despite the fact, why is this important? What else is known about Zacchaeus that merits him having his personal track?

this text will discover all that we find out about Zacchaeus and why it's crucial for Christians to know about him.

The text

The story that we comprehend of Zacchaeus is present in Luke 19, and he's under no circumstances mentioned once more within the Bible. here is the short passage in Luke that suggests us all that we learn about Zacchaeus:

He entered Jericho and become passing through. And behold, there become a man named Zacchaeus. He was a primary tax collector and changed into wealthy. And he was in search of to see who Jesus became, but on account of the group he couldn't, because he became small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up right into a sycamore tree to see him, for he become about to flow that method.

And when Jesus came to the region, he regarded up and spoke of to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and are available down, for I must live at your apartment these days." So he hurried and got here down and bought him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

And Zacchaeus stood and observed to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my items I provide to the terrible. And if I even have defrauded anyone of the rest, I repair it fourfold."

And Jesus said to him, "these days salvation has come to this condo, due to the fact he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man got here to are seeking and to store the lost" (Luke 19:1-10).

Who Zacchaeus became

probably the most important element about Zacchaeus given by way of Luke is that he became a tax collector and he changed into wealthy. Why is that this vital?

Tax collectors were among the many most hated of all americans in ancient Israel. Tax collectors had been Jewish guys who labored for the Roman Empire and accrued taxes from their fellow Israelites.

They had been viewed as traitors for working for the Romans to steal money from Israel. They were additionally hated because they were notorious for taking vastly more funds than the Romans required.

not handiest became Zacchaeus considered by means of his fellow Israelites as a traitor, however additionally as an unapologetic thief, at all times stealing colossal quantities of cash from his neighbors.

note that Zacchaeus is described as being wealthy. each tax collector become wealthy, but Zacchaeus was a first-rate tax collector.

Zacchaeus is the most effective adult within the New testomony to cling this title. It likely capacity that he oversaw a big enviornment in Jericho, an immense buying and selling metropolis, and a lot of different tax collectors.

He possible took a reduce from the tax collectors working for him, giving him even more money from his neighbors than he would have bought in the first place.

He was a leader among the many most hated group of americans in Israel, and, at this factor, he had amassed incredible wealth through stealing from his fellow men.

What individuals idea about Him

Given his occupation, it is not any surprise that the americans in Jericho hated him. take into account of how Luke describes Zacchaeus' interactions with the crowds within the city. When Zacchaeus tried to get nearer to Jesus to peer him, he could not get through.

while this is in part as a result of Zacchaeus' small stature, it's cost-effective to suppose that the crowds of individuals who also desired to get closer to Jesus would go out of their method to maintain Zacchaeus from seeing him.

With all the people there who hated him, it's convenient to imagine the crowds pushing him returned when he tried to get through to Jesus. If he had been now not so largely despised, he can also have been capable of work his way during the crowd and get close to Jesus.

although, people knew him, and they likely went out of their way to stay away from him from getting past. With Zacchaeus' handiest option being the sycamore tree, he made his way up, and Jesus saw him! no longer most effective did he see him, but he called him out with the aid of name, inviting Himself over to Zacchaeus' domestic.

note the response of the crowds. Luke says, "And after they noticed it, they all grumbled, 'He has long gone in to be the visitor of a person who's a sinner'" (Luke 2:7). The complete crowd became complaining as a result of they all knew who Zacchaeus turned into and figured that He changed into now not beneficial of Jesus' time and a focus.

it is viable that Luke even sugarcoated the response of the crowds. it is certain that there would have been Pharisees and other religious elite among the crowds. of their pride, they could not bear in mind why Jesus would choose to be with a man who was so evidently broken and sinful. They had been doubtless livid!

The crowds have been no longer incorrect that Zacchaeus was a sinner. however, it appears that that they had a double-common as a result of everybody within the crowd changed into also a sinner. Yet they considered Zacchaeus as one of these horrible sinner as to now not be valuable to be with Jesus. They thoroughly missed that Jesus may additionally have had an intentional aim for picking Zacchaeus out of the gang.

The Gospel and Zacchaeus

Jesus certainly not did the rest by chance. His selecting to spend time with Zacchaeus is a main instance of Jesus not doing what individuals wanted Him to do however doing what ought to be accomplished.

nobody would have concept that Jesus would want to spend time with a chief tax collector in an important metropolis. although, Jesus' message for the crowds changed into now not what they anticipated.

Jesus chose Zacchaeus to reveal His focal point, no longer on people that are thriving spiritually and are entirely following God already, but on folks that are in desperate need of grace.

Jesus famously referred to, "those that are neatly have no need of a physician, however people that are in poor health. I got here not to name the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17).

Jesus chose to be with Zacchaeus not as a result of He deserved Jesus' time and a focus, however because he desperately obligatory an experience with the love and charm of God.

As Jesus says to the puzzled and annoyed crowds, "for the Son of Man came to are searching for and to shop the misplaced" (Luke 19:10).

Zacchaeus is a stunning instance of true repentance. Many confess sins and declare to be followers of Christ, but their lifestyles does not reveal the adjustments that denote someone who's really born-once again. Zacchaeus isn't one of those americans.

while he became typical for his custom of stealing money from his neighbors and getting prosperous by way of exploiting americans, he now confirmed radical repentance through his willingness to give to these from whom he had taken.

Zacchaeus vowed to supply half of his belongings to the bad and to come back what he had stolen fourfold.

here is no longer empty repentance! here is the outcome of a real come upon with grace and is proof of a man who is born again in Christ.

Zacchaeus should be remembered, now not as a corrupt tax collector, however as a broken man who replied to his encounter with Christ with the form of radical repentance that every one followers of Christ may still attempt for.

Zacchaeus is an instance of humility to us all, and he is smartly-deserving of having a catchy tune written about him.

Lucas Hagen is a freelance writer, these days graduated from Taylor school with majors in Biblical Literature and youth Ministries. When he's not writing for Crosswalk, you could discover him studying brilliant books, enjoying guitar, competing in skilled disc golf tournaments, and spending first-rate time with his attractive spouse, Natalie, and their fluffy cat, Woodward. that you could study extra of his writing at habitsofholiness.com.