Do you know the story of Zacchaeus in the Bible? Do you know who this man was, what was his function within the Roman Empire as a publican and what happened when he met Jesus? If you want to know more about this character, keep reading this article.
A publican was usually a Jewish tax collector who worked for the Roman Empire. The Jewish people did not like tax collectors because the vast majority were corrupt and robbed people.
Zacchaeus was a Jew, head tax collector, and worked for the Romans. He was rich and hated by his people, because he collected taxes from them. He is known because upon meeting Jesus, he had genuine repentance.
Related: Who was the Apostle Matthew in the Bible?
What does the name Zacchaeus mean?
Nothing is known about who Zacchaeus was beyond what is said of him in the Gospel of Luke.
Some scholars say that his name seems to be a contracted form of Zacarías, which means something like “he who remembers Yahweh”.
Others, on the contrary, suggest that the name Zacchaeus means “one who is just.”
Story of Zacchaeus the Publican
Zacchaeus lived and worked in the Jericho district. Important trade routes passed through that area, which also had a Herodian palace. In fact, Herod Antipas and his son Herod Agrippa They carried out important works in that region.
According to Flavio Josefo, Jericó was also an important center for the production of palm trees and balsams. The ointment derived from the balsam of Jericho was highly desired at that time.
All this means that this area was a very important source of taxes. Jericho was one of the three main tax collectors in Palestine, and Zacchaeus was one of the main tax collectors.
What does it mean that Zacchaeus was a publican in the Bible?
As we already mentioned, Zacchaeus was a “chief publican.” This denomination translates the Greek architelonianTherefore, Zacchaeus had under his supervision some collectors in charge of collecting indirect taxes for the Roman government.
This means that Zacchaeus was an important man, a prominent person in his region. That is why the Holy Scriptures complete the information by saying that Zacchaeus was a rich man.
What was Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus like?
Zacchaeus appears in the Bible in the Gospel of Luke and is presented as someone who was very interested in meeting the Lord Jesus. When Zacchaeus found out that Jesus was going to pass through the city, he wanted to see him at all costs.
However, Zacchaeus had a problem, and that problem had to do with his short stature, Zacchaeus was a very small man and due to the large crowd, the chances of seeing the savior were very few.
So, regardless of her social position, she climbed a sycamore tree to watch Jesus pass by.
The meeting between Jesus and Zacchaeus was extraordinary, because despite the crowd, when Jesus approached where Zacchaeus was, he saw him and immediately said to him: “Zacchaeus, come down quickly. I have to stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5).
The Bible says that Zacchaeus quickly came down and received Jesus with great joy and happiness.
Jesus visits Zacchaeus, a man hated by society
It is interesting to note that, despite Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus, he seems to have been surprised that the initiative for his contact came from the Lord himself, and not from him. This means that Zacchaeus wanted to see him, but it was Jesus who was looking for him.
Furthermore, Jesus did not ask Zacchaeus for permission to stay in his house. He also did not propose the possibility of meeting. Literally, the Lord simply said, “Today I will stay in your house.”
At Jesu s’ attitude, all the people began to complain. They were outraged because Jesus had said that he would visit the house of Zacchaeus.
The Jews hated the tax collectors. They viewed tax collectors as thieves, extortionists, and traitors. But Jesus had promised to stay in the same house as the chief tax collector. Jesus was looking for one of the most hated men in that city.
Important note: It is important to note that, although it seemed that Zacchaeus was the one who was going to seek the Lord, it was the Lord who really sought out Zacchaeusas it says the apostle john: “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Jesus in the house of Zacchaeus
In his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus really demonstrated the nature of his genuine repentance.
This repentance did not remain only in theory, nor was it limited to empty words. His repentance was notable throughout Jericho, since he gave away half of his possessions to the poor at that very hour.
However, it did not stop there, instead Zacchaeus promised to pay back four times any amount he had stolen from someone.
Usually Mosaic Law required that a restitution add one-fifth of the amount to be returned as interest (Leviticus 6:1-5; Numbers 5:7). However, Zacchaeus decided to do even more than that. He did not offer a fifth increase in his restitution, but four times as much.
Considering the fact that he gave half of his possessions to the poor, and declared in everyone’s presence such generous restitution, it seems clear that Zacchaeus had been dishonest all his life.
Many people go to great lengths to prove that Zacchaeus was not an extortionist, as if Christ could not have looked upon a corrupt person. However, the entire context of the Zacchaeus story points in another direction.
That day, Jesus showed compassion to someone who certainly did not deserve it. Yes, Jesus entered a house that no one else in town wanted to enter.
Zacchaeus and his conversion to the Lord Jesus
Zacchaeus heard sweet words from Jesus: «Today salvation has come to this house, since he is also the son of Abraham.” (Luke 19:9). Zacchaeus and the others in that home were in for the greatest blessing they could receive.
Obviously, Jesus’ purpose was not to say that the publican Zacchaeus was a physical descendant of the great patriarch Abraham. But by saying that he was also a son of Abraham, Jesus was referring to the spiritual sense.
That day Zacchaeus was united by faith in the Son of God to the true descendants of Abraham (Galatians 3:9,29).
The Lord Jesus was the one who first sought Zacchaeus
The story of Zacchaeus ends with Jesus confirming that it was He who had met the chief tax collector, and not the other way around. He said: “Because the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus sought, found, and saved Zacchaeus. The Good Shepherd had found one of his lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7). A few days later, the one whom Zacchaeus received into his house would shed his blood and give his life for him also.
We recommend the following video.