Luke 19:1

In Chapter 19, we have the record of Jesus' announcement of himself as the Messiah of Israel, the hope of all nations and the King of God's kingdom. Actually, the public declaration of his Messiahship began with the healing of the blind man, a sign which Jesus did as "the Son of David," as twice proclaimed by the beggar (Luke 19:18:37,38): (1) This first "announcement" (it was actually that) was founded on the fact that restoring sight to the blind was one of the prophetic signs of the Messianic age (Luke 19:4:18; Luke 7:21; Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 35:5). (2) Jesus' calling of Zacchaeus, a prominent publican, as a "son of Abraham," stressed the religious rather than any political quality of his kingdom (Luke 19:1-10). (3) He then gave a great parable (the pounds), identifying himself absolutely as the one receiving from God a kingdom, and affirming his intention of ruling that kingdom without regard to the opposition of enemies who would eventually perish at his command, and also including significant teaching for his own servants (Luke 19:11-27). (4) He staged the triumphal entry, the most dramatic proclamation of his Kingship that could be imagined (Luke 19:28-40). (5) His weeping over the Holy City proved his knowing in advance of his rejection and the consequences of that rejection to Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). (6) The second cleansing of the temple was an open assertion of his right to rule in Israel (Luke 19:45-46). The chapter closes with Jesus teaching daily in the temple, the great masses hearing him gladly, but with no full understanding of his mission, and with the chief priests and scribes setting in motion the apparatus for his murder (Luke 19:47-48).

ZACCHAEUS

And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. And he ran on before him, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. (Luke 19:1-4)

Jericho ... This city, dating back to prehistoric times, is some 17 miles east-northeast of Jerusalem on the plain of the Jordan river. The old city (Tell es Sultan) is a mile northwest of er-Riha village (modern Jericho). Either location is properly called "Jericho." In the times of Jesus, Herod the Great (40/37 B.C.) and his successors built a winter palace with ornamental gardens, near the famous palm and balsam groves that yielded lucrative revenues.[1]

In 1952 this city had a population of about 41,000. It is situated 835 feet below sea level; and the 17-mile road to Jerusalem rises to 2,500 feet above sea level, the altitude of Jerusalem, which Isaiah 3,800 feet above the Dead Sea level.[2] Thus, the road that lay before Jesus was a steep one, literally as well as spiritually.

Zacchaeus ... The meaning of this name is "pure";[3] and there is nothing known of this man which would entitle men to deny his right to wear it.

Chief publican, and ... rich ... Zacchaeus was not a tax collector, but a superintendent of tax collectors, nor is there any hint here of how Zacchaeus had become wealthy. Herod might have appointed a man independently wealthy to administer the tax system. The idea that "Zacchaeus had amassed his wealth by fraud"[4] is foreign to this passage. As Ryle noted, "Here we see the camel passing through the eye of the needle, and the rich man entering the kingdom of God!"[5]

Could not for the crowd ... Zacchaeus' small stature and the press of the crowd effectively shut off Zacchaeus' view, so that he could not see Jesus; but there was something else that blocked his way. "According to the Judaism of that time, his calling excluded him from membership in the people of God who would benefit from Messiah's coming."[6] The Pharisees had categorically excluded all publicans. It could be that Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus' calling the publican Matthew to the apostleship, or perhaps of Jesus' compliment paid to the penitent publican in that parable of the Pharisee and the publican. These might well have been stimulants prompting his curiosity to see the Saviour.

Climbed up a sycamore ... Spence identified this tree as the "Ficus Sycomorus," the fig-mulberry, having fig-like fruit and leaves like the mulberry.[7] Such trees are strong, with great lateral branches, and are easily climbed. That a man of this chief publican's dignity would have resorted to such a maneuver suggests his foresight, energy, determination, and ingenuity. It would be well if all men exhibited such qualities in their pursuit of knowledge of the Lord.

[1] The New Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), p. 613.

[2] The Encyclopedia Britannica (Chicago: William Benton Publisher, 1961) Vol. 13, pp. 1,6.

[3] F. N. Peloubet, Peloubet's Bible Dictionary (Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1925), p. 746.

[4] Ray Summers, Commentary on Luke (Waco, Texas: Word Books, Publisher, 1974), p. 223.

[5] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 290.

[6] Donald G. Miller, The Layman's Bible Commentary (Richmond, Virginia: John Knox Press, 1959), p. 132.

[7] H. D. M. Spence, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), Vol. 16, Luke, p. 135.