What can Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus teach us today?

When Jesus crossed paths with Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus' story is the story of a man whose life was changed by meeting the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel is transformative for the jaded rich as well as for the hopelessly poor.
Making restitution for past wrong-doing has a cleansing effect on our souls, and it will demonstrate our integrity as Christ-followers.

Making restitution

Luke 19:1-10

19 ¹Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

⁹ Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

A short man who climbed a tree to see Jesus

Week 16 (April), Devotional on Luke 19

"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he..."

The story of Zacchaeus, which only the Gospel of Luke records, is more than a catchy song for children. It's also more than a story that provided the letter Z for alphabet rhymes in the New England Primer of the 1700s.

cover
of New England Primer

Luke's record is the very real story of a man who met Jesus. Zacchaeus had heard so much about the Messiah that he desperately wanted to see Jesus. Most importantly, this is the story of a man whose life was changed by meeting the Lord.

Bible study outlines on this story usually suggest that one lesson to be learned from it is that the gospel is for the rich as well as for the poor. That's okay as one lesson, but I think Zacchaeus' story can teach us some other things.

Do you remember that Zacchaeus had a height problem? I can identify with him. I'm barely 5'6". It seems to me that most biblical commentators -- who are probably tall anyway like my tall and lanky seminary professor Dr. Ralph Earle -- pass lightly over what to us short people is one significant truth of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus: The gospel is not only for the tall, dark, and handsome. It's also for the short and scrawny. The gospel is for the jaded rich as well as for the hopelessly poor.

What did Zacchaeus do after meeting Jesus?

Jesus loves us all, just as we are. Zacchaeus' story clearly shows the seeking and saving work of Jesus. In the face of withering criticism, Jesus seeks for the soul of Zacchaeus, the hated tax man. And Jesus wins him over.

The story is told simply by Luke. But what a moment it must have been as Zacchaeus realized the radical changes that were taking place inside him. Genuine repentance was, for Zacchaeus, a costly affair. Following Jesus had for Zacchaeus the high cost that Dietrich Bonhoeffer talked about in his book The Cost of Discipleship. (More on Bonhoeffer and The Cost of Discipleship

In fact, the restitution that Zacchaeus made was not simply to even out things in making wrongs right. He returned four for one in the spirit of the Old Testament restitution requirement.

Is there a moral or lesson for us in Zacchaeus' story?

There are a number of very sound reasons why making restitution like Zacchaeus should be a part of our becoming and living as disciples of Christ:

Restitution will have a cleansing effect on our souls.
Making restitution will strengthen our integrity as Christians.
Making restitution will give us opportunities to witness to those who knew us before we met Christ (even if we didn't have to climb a tree to do that).

Maybe the Holy Spirit is dealing with you about making something right. Is God leading you? Why not write a letter or an email right now, or pick up the phone and text or call? You'll be glad you did.

Three other themes that stand out in the brief story of Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus are acceptance and inclusiveness, the importance of actively seeking a relationship with God,, and the joy of salvation.

Discussion questions

What significance might there be in the detail about Zacchaeus' height in the story of his encounter with Jesus? Could this point lend support to the idea that the gospel is for everyone, regardless of appearance or status?
How does the story of Zacchaeus demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel, both in terms of personal repentance and making restitution for past wrongs?
In what ways can making restitution for past wrongs strengthen a Christian's integrity and witness to others?
What lessons can we learn from Zacchaeus' story about seeking out Jesus and being open to radical transformation in our lives?
How can Christ-followers today apply the example of Zacchaeus in their own lives and relationships, particularly when it comes to issues of repentance and restitution?

-- Howard Culbertson,

I wrote this devotional article while Barbara and I were serving as missionaries in Italy. It was published in Standard, a weekly Faith Connections take-home curriculum piece for adult Sunday school classes produced by The Foundry.

Classic children's song about Zacchaeus

Background to Enrich Understanding

Salient facts about the story of Zacchaeus:

Zacchaeus was a tax collector: Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho. That means he worked for the Roman government and collected taxes from the Jewish people. Taxcollectors were generally despised by the Jewish population because they often engaged in corrupt practices and were seen as collaborators with the oppressive Roman occupiers.
Zacchaeus was wealthy: Zacchaeus was likely a wealthy man due to his position. First Century tax collectors often became wealthy. That is because they usually collected more than the required taxes, keeping the surplus for themselves.
Zacchaeus was short in stature: The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was short. That led him to climb a sycamore-fig tree to get a better view of Jesus as he passed through the city of Jericho.
Jesus noticed Zacchaeus: Despite Zacchaeus' small stature and social status differences, Jesus took notice Zacchaeus. Looking up into the tree, Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, indicating a personal interest in him.
Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus' home: Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down from the tree because he intended to stay at his house. This surprise announcement by Jesus must have startled the crowd.
Zacchaeus' repentance: In response to Jesus' acceptance and warm-heartedness, Zacchaeus publicly declares his intention to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repayanyone he had cheated. The desire to make amends for cheating people (including making restitution by paying back four times the amount wrongly taken) was a sign of genuine repentance on Zacchaeus' part and emphasized the transformative power of repentance.
Salvation comes to Zacchaeus' house: Jesus responded to Zacchaeus' declaration by saying that forgiveness and salvation had come to Zacchaeus' house.
Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost: Luke concludes the story with Jesus' words that the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. That highlightws His mission to bring salvation to those who are contemptible and and considered unworthy. Lesson for us today: Those we might consider despicable, unredeemable sinners are, in Jesus' eyes, worthy of love and redemption.

Memorable Quotes About Zacchaeus

Charles Spurgeon: "Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree, and a great many of you, who cannot see Christ, would do well to climb the tree of prayer and meditation, and study the Word of God, so as to get above the world, and see the Savior."
John MacArthur: "Zacchaeus's story is a powerful example of the transformation that occurs when Jesus calls someone to Himself and they respond in faith."
N.T. Wright: "Zacchaeus's story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that repentance brings restoration."
Billy Graham: "Zacchaeus was willing to do whatever it took to see Jesus, and that kind of desperation and determination is what we need to seek God today."
Henry Drummond: "The story of Zacchaeus is the story of a man who met Jesus and found his whole life transformed by a single encounter."
Max Lucado: "When Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the tree, He was saying, 'I know who you are, I know what you've done, and I still want to come to your house.'"
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "Jesus's acceptance of Zacchaeus, the sinner, shows us that the gospel brings salvation to all, regardless of their past."
Eugene Peterson: "In Zacchaeus we see that when we seek Jesus earnestly, He meets us right where we are, and our lives are never the same."
John Wesley: "The story of Zacchaeus is a clear demonstration of the fact that Christ's mission was to seek and save the lost, no matter their status or sin."

More devotional reflections from Luke's Gospel

More devotional reflections

Year-long series of 52 devotionals published in Standard