One day Jesus was making his way through the town of Jericho, where a man named Zacchaeus lived who was the region’s chief tax collector.  He had become very rich.

The Roman Empire had subjugated the nation of Israel as a foreign power enabling the Romans to extract taxes from the Jewish people. Local Jewish men the Romans hired to collect the taxes charged extra and skimmed money off the top for themselves. If someone couldn’t pay the tax, the tax collector, accompanied by a Roman soldier, might make them a loan right on the spot at a high interest rate. Zacchaeus was hated by the people of Jericho.[1]

Zacchaeus wanted to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So, he ran ahead and climbed a tree near where Jesus was going to pass.

The Bible tells us when Jesus came by,

 

he looked up at Zacchaeus and . . . said, “Quick, come down.

I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus…climbed

down and took Jesus to his house…. But the people were displeased.

“He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

 

Was Zacchaeus’ life changed by spending time with Jesus that day? Luke writes,

 

Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today” (Luke 19:1-9 excerpted).

 

Zacchaeus’ life was transformed!

I’ll leave you with one more thought. Jessica Miller writes, “Long before Zacchaeus needed to see Jesus, God planted a tree. He’s going before you and making a way too.”[2]

[1] ^{James M. Rochford, Evidence Unseen, “Tax Collectors in Jesus’ Day” https://www.evidenceunseen.com/theology/historical-theology/tax-collectors/, accessed 6-12-24.}

[2] Jessica Miller, #THEWELL, Facebook.com, May 12, 2021, accessed 6-14-24.