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Zacchaeus

Man living at the time of the New Testament

Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, hosted Jesus in his home and experienced a transformative encounter.

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Also known as Zaccheus

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in the city of Jericho. He was a wealthy man, likely due to his profession, which was often associated with corruption and extortion in ancient Roman-occupied Israel. When Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus sought to see him but was hindered by his short stature and the crowd. He climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Noticing Zacchaeus, Jesus called him down and declared his intention to stay at his house. This encounter led to a profound change in Zacchaeus, who pledged to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay fourfold anyone he had cheated. Jesus affirmed Zacchaeus's transformation, declaring that salvation had come to his house and that the Son of Man had come to seek and save the lost.

Connections

Part of: Bethany and the Women Around Jesus

Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus in Jericho

RoleStated in the text

Luke places the healing of a blind man near Jericho and then Jesus' meeting with the chief tax collector Zacchaeus there, in the same journey toward Jerusalem. Mark names the blind man Bartimaeus.

ZacchaeusTax collector who hosted Jesus in JerichoBartimaeusSon of TimaeusJerichoAn ancient city in Canaan, famously conquered by Israel
Where the text shows it: Luke 18:35-43 — Blind man near JerichoLuke 19:1-10 — ZacchaeusMark 10:46 — Bartimaeus son of Timaeus

Sources: Scripture

More background: search Wikipedia ↗

Bible dictionary

Zacchaeus Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Pure, a superintendant of customs; a chief tax-gather (publicanus) at Jericho (Luke 19:1-10). “The collection of customs at Jericho, which at this time produced and exported a considerable quantity of balsam, was undoubtedly an important post, and would account for Zacchaeus being a rich man.” Being short of stature, he hastened on before the multitude who were thronging about Christ as he passed through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, and climbed up a sycamore tree that he might be able to see him. When our Lord reached the spot he looked up to the publican among the branches, and addressing him by name, told him to make haste and come down, as he intended that day to abide at his house. This led to the remarkable interview recorded by the evangelist, and to the striking parable of the ten pounds (Luke 19:12-27). At Er-riha (Jericho) there is a large, venerable looking square tower, which goes by the traditional name of the House of Zacchaeus.

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Zacchaeus Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(pure), a tax-collector near Jericho, who, being short in stature climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to obtain a sight of Jesus as he passed through that place. (Luke 19:1-10) Zacchaeus was a Jew, as may be inferred from his name and from the fact that the Saviour speaks of him expressly as “a son of Abraham.” The term which designates his office -“the chief among the publicans” -is unusual, but describes him, no doubt, as the superintendent of customs or tribute in the district of Jericho, where he lived. The office must have been a lucrative one in such a region, and it is not strange that Zacchaeus is mentioned by the evangelists as a rich man. The Saviour spent the night probably in the house of Zacchaeus, and the next day pursued his journey. He was in the caravan from Galilee which was going to Jerusalem to keep the Passover.

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Zacchaeus Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

ZACCHAE'US (pure). The story of his conversion is related only by Luke 19:2-10. He was a rich Jew, resident in Jericho, and chief officer of the tax- or tribute-collectors in that place, and hence "a sinner," for the Jews regarded all publicans or tax gatherers in this light. The revenue in Jericho was doubtless considerable, and mainly derived from taxes on the balsam so abundantly produced in the neighborhood, all along the banks of the Jordan. His desire to see Christ was so much excited that he took pains to climb into a tree by the roadside that he might have a fair view of him as the crowd passed. Jesus, knowing his character and motives, proposed to spend the day with him, to which Zacchaeus gladly assented. His mind was probably brought at once under the influence of the Spirit of God, and on that very day he and his family became interested in the salvation of the gospel. He gave the best evidence of the sincerity of his conversion by declaring his intention to give half his goods to the poor and to restore fourfold for every illegal exaction he had made. Our Lord probably passed the night in his house, and on the next morning passed on with the Passover pilgrims to Jerusalem. The name Zacchaeus appears in the O.T. in the form "Zaccai."

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Zacchaeus Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

ZACCHAE'US (pure). The story of his conversion is related only by Luke 19:2-10. He was a rich Jew, resident in Jericho, and chief officer of the tax- or tribute-collectors in that place, and hence "a sinner," for the Jews regarded all publicans or tax gatherers in this light. The revenue in Jericho was doubtless considerable, and mainly derived from taxes on the balsam so abundantly produced in the neighborhood, all along the banks of the Jordan. His desire to see Christ was so much excited that he took pains to climb into a tree by the roadside that he might have a fair view of him as the crowd passed. Jesus, knowing his character and motives, proposed to spend the day with him, to which Zacchaeus gladly assented. His mind was probably brought at once under the influence of the Spirit of God, and on that very day he and his family became interested in the salvation of the gospel. He gave the best evidence of the sincerity of his conversion by declaring his intention to give half his goods to the poor and to restore fourfold for every illegal exaction he had made. Our Lord probably passed the night in his house, and on the next morning passed on with the Passover pilgrims to Jerusalem. The name Zacchaeus appears in the O.T. in the form "Zaccai."

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Zacchaeus appears

3 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G2195

Luke3

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.