Zacchaeus, The Wealthy Tax Collector

The well-known story of Zacchaeus waiting up a tree to see Jesus. The local people did not like him because he worked for the Romans.

Jesus said "Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today." Jesus stays with Zacchaeus for a meal. We are not told whether it was lunch or evening dinner.

After the meal, Jesus leaves Jericho. He walks towards Jerusalem and His death in 10 days time.

Zacchaeus in Hebrew means Pure One.

Background Reading:

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

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

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

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

⁸But 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."

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

More Information:

Jesus sets out from Jericho, meaning in Hebrew City of Palms, to Jerusalem about 24km (15miles), approximate 4-8 hours all up hill. Jericho 251 meters or 825 feet below sea level and Jerusalem 796 meters or 2,610 feet above sea level.

A total climb of 1,047 meters or 3,435 feet. The custom was that you started early morning with rest in the middle of day.

The hill or tel of Jericho has been occupied since 800BC and is some 230 meters or 800 feet below sea level.

The Dead Sea or the Salt Sea 400 meters (1,300 feet) below sea level is the lowest area on earth below sea level.

Whereas the Sea of Galilee or the Lake of Tiberius is only 200 meters (700 feet) below sea level.