Zacchaeus

Pronunciation: zak-KEE-uhs

Occurrences: 8

First Reference: Yeshua 32:1

There lived in Jericho a tax collector which was chief above all others, whose name was Zacchaeus, the son of Jambri, a minister in Herod’s court.

See: Herod Antipas, Jambri, Jericho

Summary: Zacchaeus, son of Jambri, was a wealthy tax collector who lived in the town of Jericho (Y:32:1). Hearing that Yeshua had come to the city, Zacchaeus sought to get a glimpse of the Nazarene as he passed in the street. Being short in stature and unable to press through the large crowd, Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Yeshua passing by (Y:32:1-4).

When Yeshua saw Zacchaeus in the tree, he called to him saying: “Come down Zacchaeus and make haste, for this day would I abide in your house” (Y:32:5). Zacchaeus climbed down and gladly received Yeshua, but the scribes and Pharisees were offended that Yeshua would commune with a ‘sinner’ like Zacchaeus. This prompted Yeshua to teach on love and compassion, offering to the crowd the parable of the Prodigal Son (Y:32:6-33). Upon completing the parable, Yeshua turned to Zacchaeus saying:

For as much as this man is a son of Abraham, even he shall receive from the Father the blessings which come from above.

For I came to seek and to save that which was lost, and to restore unto life that which has perished away.

Yeshua 32:35-36

While Yeshua was teaching at the home of Zacchaeus, a servant of Herod Antipas rushed to Jerusalem, where Herod was offering sacrifice for the Passover. Hearing that Yeshua was in Jericho, Herod left his offering at the altar and hurried to Jericho hoping to speak privately with Yeshua (Y:32:59-61). When Herod arrived at the house of Zacchaeus demanding to speak with Yeshua, he was told that earlier while Yeshua was teaching there came upon him a deep stillness, after which he gathered his disciples and departed into the wilderness (Y:32:62-65).

Notes/References:

Zacharias