New Testament · character
Zacchaeus
The chief tax collector up a tree — small in stature, great in change.
Zacchaeus was a despised chief tax collector who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, was called by him, and had his life completely transformed.
Timeline at a glance
- The SycamoreClimbing a tree to see Jesus (Luke 19)
- The Call"Today I must stay at your house" (Luke 19)
- RestorationSharing his wealth and repaying fourfold (Luke 19)
A Rich Man up a Tree
Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector of Jericho, was wealthy but hated by his own people. Too short to see Jesus over the crowd, he set aside his dignity and climbed a sycamore tree (Luke 19).
"Today I Must Stay at Your House"
Jesus looked up at Zacchaeus in the tree, called him by name, and went into the home of a man branded a sinner. The crowd muttered, but that welcome changed Zacchaeus.
A Life Turned Around
Zacchaeus gave half his possessions to the poor and pledged to repay fourfold whatever he had taken by fraud. Jesus declared, "Today salvation has come to this house," revealing that he came "to seek and to save the lost."
Related verses
- Luke 19:9"Today salvation has come to this house."
- Luke 19:10"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Frequently asked questions
What is the heart of the Zacchaeus story?
That Jesus sought out and welcomed a socially rejected man first. That acceptance, ahead of any demand of the law, changed Zacchaeus's heart and led him to repent of his own accord.