“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” -Ephesians 3:13
I wonder how many trees Zacchaeus had climbed in his day. Though the Bible, of course, doesn’t tell us, I’m sure he had some practice. After all, Luke describes him as “small in stature” (Luke 19:3). As someone on the shorter side of life, I can attest that I’ve climbed many tables, chairs (and shelves at the grocery store) to reach whatever it was I needed. I’m also sure I’ve ridden piggy-back a time or two for a better view of what was going on around me! So if this wasn’t Zacchaeus’ first go with a Sycamore tree, I wouldn’t be surprised. But nevertheless, there we find him, up a tree, waiting for Jesus to pass by.
At this point in the account, we know three things about Zacchaeus: 1) He was a chief tax collector 2) He was rich, and 3) He wanted to see Jesus.
As a Jewish tax collector working for Rome, he was not a popular man among his people. In fact, he was despised. An outcast. A sinner. He was a man who profited by cheating the Jews. And perhaps even worse, he was a man who had linked arms with the Romans. As a rich chief tax collector, we can assume he did his job well. And yet…
He was seeking to see who Jesus was.
Why was this short, wealthy, Jewish traitor seeking Christ? Again, the Bible doesn’t offer us the details about the inner workings of Zacchaeus’ heart and mind. We can only infer that something within Zacchaeus wasn’t quite settled. Perhaps he thought a glimpse of Jesus would offer him a bit of what he needed.
So, he climbed and waited, way up in that now famous Sycamore tree.
As Jesus drew closer, I wonder if his heart raced. Did he stand on the branch or remain seated? And what went through his mind as he looked upon Jesus for the first time? For all of these questions, one thing is almost certain: Zacchaeus could not have predicted what happened next.
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5)
Of all the possible outcomes, being called by name and invited to dinner by Jesus had to be the most unexpected! I’m sure Zacchaeus had only imagined the tree as a means to an end- not as a place to find the love of a Savior.
Luke tells us that Zacchaeus hurried down the tree and received him joyfully. But even more, the love of Jesus so transformed his heart that he proclaimed, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:8). This was a true demonstration of faith and a changed heart. Notice how Jesus responds:
“Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10).
Though Zacchaeus was a Jew, he became a child of Abraham- a true child of God- when he placed his faith in Christ alone. Who would have imagined such a scene? This rejected and despised man was sought by Jesus and loved by him. Mercy of all mercies, Zacchaeus became rich in the only way that matters.
We can only praise God that he sent his Son to seek and save lost sinners. Sinners like us, wherever we are. He knows us and sees us. And he chooses to bring us near.
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