Zacchaeus
The man in the tree
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He is walking toward Jerusalem.
- Zacchaeus: The chief tax collector in the city of Jericho. He is very rich.
- The crowd: People from Jericho who came out to see Jesus.
Setting
- A main road through Jericho, a rich city near the Jordan River. There is a sycamore tree beside the road.
When
- Near the end of Jesus's work, about 2,000 years ago. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for the last time.
Before the Story
Tax collectors were hated. They collected money for the Roman government, which ruled the land. Many also took extra for themselves.
Zacchaeus was the boss of the tax collectors. That made him one of the most disliked people in town.
Jesus is known for eating with people like him. Religious leaders had already complained about it (Luke 15:1-2).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: Jesus came looking for Zacchaeus. He tells us so at the end (19:10).
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The richest man in Jericho | 19:1-2 | Jesus comes to Jericho. We meet Zacchaeus |
| 2. Up a tree | 19:3-4 | Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus |
| 3. Jesus stops | 19:5-6 | Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name |
| 4. The crowd grumbles | 19:7 | People complain about where Jesus is going |
| 5. Zacchaeus responds | 19:8 | Zacchaeus talks about giving and paying back |
| 6. Found | 19:9-10 | Jesus says why he came |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6The Richest Man in Jericho
Jesus came into the city of Jericho. He was passing through on his way to Jerusalem.
A man named Zacchaeus lived in Jericho. He was the chief tax collector, and he was very rich.
Tax collectors worked for the Romans, the foreign rulers of the land. People saw them as traitors. Many tax collectors also cheated, taking more than they should.
The Bible doesn't say how Zacchaeus got rich. But he was the boss of the tax collectors.
Scene 2 of 6Up a Tree
Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But the crowd was in the way, and Zacchaeus was short.
So he ran ahead of the crowd. He climbed a sycamore tree beside the road. Jesus was about to walk that way.
A rich, important man ran down the road and climbed a tree like a child.
Scene 3 of 6Jesus Stops
Jesus came to that spot. He looked up into the tree.
Jesus said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today" (19:5).
Jesus called him by name. The Bible doesn't say how Jesus knew it.
Zacchaeus hurried down. He welcomed Jesus into his home, full of joy.
Scene 4 of 6The Crowd Grumbles
The crowd saw what happened. They began to grumble. To grumble is to complain in a low, unhappy voice.
They said, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man!" (19:7).
Back then, eating in someone's home meant you accepted them. The crowd did not want Jesus to accept Zacchaeus.
Scene 5 of 6Zacchaeus Responds
Zacchaeus stood up and spoke to Jesus. "Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold" (19:8).
Fourfold means four times as much. If Zacchaeus had taken $10 unfairly, he would pay back $40.
Zacchaeus says "I give," in the present tense. Some readers hear a brand-new promise. Others hear him describing what he already does. Either way, Jesus did not wait for it. He came to the house first.
Scene 6 of 6Found
Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham" (19:9).
Salvation means being rescued. A son of Abraham is part of God's family. Abraham was the father of the Jewish people.
Then Jesus said why he had come. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (19:10). "Son of Man" is a name Jesus used for himself.
The crowd called Zacchaeus a sinful man. Jesus called him a son of Abraham.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Zacchaeus, hurry down" (19:5) | Jesus knew his name and chose him, in front of everyone. |
| "I must stay at your house today" (19:5) | Jesus did not wait for Zacchaeus to change first. He invited himself over. |
| "The guest of a sinful man" (19:7) | The crowd thought being close to sinners made you like them. |
| "I will repay it fourfold" (19:8) | Zacchaeus offers to pay back as much as the law asked for stolen sheep (Exodus 22:1). |
| "To seek and to save the lost" (19:10) | Jesus came looking for people who were far from God. He tells a story about this, too (Luke 15:4). |
Back Then
Tax collectors worked for Rome. Rome let them collect extra money and keep it. That is why people saw them as cheats and traitors. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
A sycamore tree was easy to climb. It was a kind of fig tree with low, wide branches. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Jericho was a rich city. It sat near the Jordan River, on the road up to Jerusalem.
Literal Reader Alert
Did Jesus approve of cheating? No. Jesus went to be with Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus said he would pay back anyone he cheated, four times over.
Did giving money make Jesus love him? No. Jesus chose Zacchaeus before he gave anything. The giving grew out of being welcomed.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Zacchaeus | Curious | He wanted to see who Jesus was (19:3) |
| Zacchaeus | Joyful | Jesus chose to come to his house (19:6) |
| The crowd | Upset | Jesus was going to the house of a man they called sinful (19:7) |
| Zacchaeus | Generous | Jesus had welcomed him (19:6, 19:8) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Where would you be standing in this story? Tap one.
Up in the tree, curious
Curious is a good place to start. Jesus stopped right under that tree.
In the crowd, grumbling
It's easy to decide who doesn't deserve God. Jesus went to the house the crowd had given up on.
Hoping nobody notices me
Zacchaeus had plenty to hide. Jesus called him by name anyway, and it was good news.
You Might Have Heard
"Zacchaeus changed his ways, so Jesus accepted him."
What's true: Zacchaeus gave to the poor and said he would make things right.
What the story is mainly about: Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus first. The change came after. Jesus went looking for someone that everyone else had given up on.
Where Jesus is: Right there in the story, saying it himself. He came to seek and to save the lost (19:10).
Good News
Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, in front of everyone. In Baptism, God calls you by name too. God first spoke these words to Israel, and Christians hear them too: "I have called you by your name; you are Mine!" (Isaiah 43:1). Jesus comes looking for lost people, and he is not embarrassed to be seen with them.
Big Idea
Jesus looks for lost people, calls them by name, and brings them home.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Martin Luther wrote, "Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works" (The Freedom of a Christian, 1520). Zacchaeus shows this. Jesus welcomed him first. The good works came after.
In Church
Many churches follow a reading plan called the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Luke 19:1-10 in early November of Year C (Lectionary 31). That Sunday is often All Saints Sunday too, so some churches hear different readings that day.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
How did that feel?