Zacchaeus is mentioned three times in the Bible, all in Luke chapter 19. We know from the Bible that he was short in stature, the chief among the Publicans, and he was rich. For most people, he is best remembered for climbing a sycamore tree and his determination to see Jesus.

Have you ever wondered why he was so anxious to see Jesus? He was the chief tax collector in Jericho, which meant that, like Matthew, he would be despised by the Jews. His position made him a hired employee of Rome, a position he had bid for. He promised Rome to collect a certain amount of taxes and everything above the promised amount he could keep for himself. He had abused and cheated people to the point that he had become a rich man. His life was built on fraud and extortion. In Matthew 18:17, Jesus compares tax collectors to pagans. Zacchaeus was most likely a very lonely man.

Yet, something drew Zacchaeus to Jesus. Did he know Matthew, a fellow tax collector who had become a follower of Jesus? Had he heard about Jesus healing the beggar by the side of the road in Jericho? There seems to have been some prior relationship because Jesus called him by name and even invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s home for a meal. This upset the self-righteous people who overheard this, and they wondered out loud why Jesus would want to go to the home of such a sinful man. Jesus answered their question in verse 10 when He reminded them that He had come to seek and save the lost. That certainly applied to a man like Zacchaeus.

This meeting with Zacchaeus follows closely on the heels of some incredible events in Luke chapter 18. While in Jerusalem, Jesus sees two men go into the Temple. One is a Pharisee, the other a Publican, or a tax collector. The Pharisee stands up to pray and says in part, “God, I’m thankful that I’m not like this tax collector.” But the Publican, with his head bowed to his chest, said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” After spending a little time with some children, a rich young ruler approaches Jesus. He could have become a follower of Jesus, but he would not turn loose of his money. And then, there was blind Bartimaeus.

After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus immediately gave away half his money and promised to restore four-fold to anyone he had taken from under false pretenses. I would say Zacchaeus got a real good dose of salvation.

All we know about Zacchaeus from the Bible is contained in eight verses. Church history provides a little more information. Clement of Alexandria said that Zacchaeus accompanied Peter on his trips and would eventually be appointed as the Bishop of Caesarea by Peter.

While there is much we will never know about Zacchaeus, what we do know continues to impact us today. His desire to see Jesus caused him to make things right with God and his fellow man. He may have been short in physical stature, but he stands spiritually tall as an example of what true repentance looks like, and that speaks volumes to me.