Zacchaeus was a rich chief tax collector in Jericho. He was a dwarf with an attitude, ensuring everyone paid their taxes on time. If they didn’t, Zacchaeus would get angry. No one really liked him. Though the villagers were scared of him, behind his back they used to make fun of him.
One morning, as Zacchaeus was on his way to collect tax from the townsmen, he noticed people hurrying past him towards the road to Jerusalem.
“What is the rush all about?” Zacchaeus asked a young lad who was pacing fast along with the others.
The lad answered, “The great prophet, Jesus of Nazareth, will come through this road. We are going to see him.” The boy hurried on.
The mention of ‘Jesus’ caught Zacchaeus’ interest, for Zacchaeus had heard a lot about Jesus- his powerful sermons and the many miracles of healing and forgiveness. The next moment, Zacchaeus took a U-turn and joined the crowd. The crowd was huge and Zacchaeus knew he didn’t have a chance to get a glimpse of Jesus. First of all, he was short, and secondly, nobody seemed courteous enough to let him get to the front because they all were straining to see Jesus too and no one really liked Zacchaeus anyway!
However, Zacchaeus wanted to get a glimpse of Jesus and he was not going to quit! Looking around, he noticed a sycamore tree by the wayside.
‘Ah, perfect!’ Zacchaeus smiled with a twinkle in his eye.
With no one noticing, Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree and hid between the thick green leaves from where he 59
could quite clearly see the road and everyone down there, but nobody could see him. He was pleased with his safe hiding spot.
Zacchaeus gazed with yearning at the long road on which Jesus would appear any moment now.
A while later, Zacchaeus noticed faint figures in the distance. Jesus, surrounded by many children, made his way down the road. The crowd below began cheering in excitement. As Jesus walked along, he blessed the people.
Children around him hung onto him like he was their best friend. It showed how gentle and approachable Jesus was to them.
“I’m just about as tall as those kids. If only I was there, maybe I could act like one of them and get a closer view of Jesus,” mused Zacchaeus to himself as he sat hidden up in the tree.
As Jesus came nearer, Zacchaeus was fascinated by the radiance on his face and the power of his presence.
“What they all say about him is true!”Zacchaeus thought.
As Jesus came closer and closer to the sycamore tree Zacchaeus was hiding on, Zacchaeus’ heart beat faster.
Maybe this was as close as he could ever get to Jesus. He wanted to cherish this moment and forever etch it in his memory- every glimpse of this experience!
Jesus slowed his steps and stopped just below the sycamore tree. Then, much to Zacchaeus’ amazement, Jesus looked up the tree, through the leaves, straight into Zacchaeus’ eyes, and gave a faint smile.
Zacchaeus was startled for a second. “Is he looking at me?” he wondered. “Couldn’t be! Maybe he is staring at some bird on this tree?”
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The JC Team
Zacchaeus craned his neck to see if there was any chirping bird or shining fruit on the tree that could have caught Jesus’
attention.
Just then, Jesus called out loud and clear, “Zacchaeus!”
Zacchaeus had the shock of his life!
“He…he ….just said my name! Jesus called out my name??!! How does he know my name? How did he see me hiding in the tree? I’m so well covered by these leaves. How could he have possibly seen me?”
Zacchaeus just couldn’t understand.
Jesus called out again, “Zacchaeus come down! I wish to stay in your house today.”
Zacchaeus would have fallen from the tree in surprise if he hadn’t held on tight to the branch he was sitting on.
The people too were bewildered at the way Jesus was acting because when they looked up the tree, they couldn’t see anyone there.
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Zacchaeus nervously peered through the thick leaves at the crowd that was staring up at the tree with bated breath.
He was too scared to move.
“Zacchaeus, it’s alright, come down,” Jesus called one more time.
Zacchaeus mustered up the courage and slowly slipped down the tree. People began whispering in hushed tones, but what they were saying, Zacchaeus couldn’t figure out. He was too scared to look straight.
Jesus walked towards him and placed his hand on Zacchaeus' shoulder. Zacchaeus gulped.
“Zacchaeus, my disciples and I wish to come to your home today. Could we?” asked Jesus.
Zacchaeus looked up into Jesus’ eyes. Jesus smiled.
Zacchaeus smiled back and nodded.
Jesus turned to his disciples, “We shall go to Zacchaeus’
house today. At daybreak tomorrow, we will resume our journey.”
From the crowd, one old man stated disapprovingly,
“How can you, who claim to be a prophet of God, go to the house of a sinner like this tax collector?”
“Zacchaeus loots us and feasts on our money. You are going to join him?” put in another man.
“You say you stand for the poor, but now you want to share in the riches of a man who strangles the poor!” an old man accused Jesus.
Zacchaeus felt hurt and angry. People were insulting him.
But what hurt him more was they were insulting Jesus because of him.
Zacchaeus turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, it is true that I am not a very honest man. Collecting taxes is my job and often when people don’t pay their taxes on time I have to be 62
hard on them. Sometimes I make them pay more than what they owe. I used to be a greedy man and becoming rich was my dream. I thought riches would make me happy. I was wrong. Today I am rich, but I am not happy. I don’t know why…but I am not happy. I have begun to realize that it isn’t money but relationships that make one happy. I want friends….who understand me, accept me, and help me. I want to change, but it is hard because all these people here have already labeled me as a ‘cruel and dishonest dwarf’, a label they will never remove from me.”
Turning to the crowd, Zacchaeus stated, “Today, I have found a friend and I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want you to malign him because of being my friend. And so, here, now before you all, I promise that I will give half of my belongings to the poor and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much.”
The whole crowd was dumbfounded!
Jesus looked around at the crowd and spoke, “Salvation has come to this house today! Zacchaeus is a Jew, just like any of you, a son of Abraham. The Jews are called to live in a spirit of unity and brotherhood, but you have broken bonds instead of strengthening ties. I have come to seek these and bring them back to the promised salvation of Yahweh.”
Zacchaeus turned to Jesus, bowed in reverence, and asked,
“Shall we go, Lord, to my home?”
Jesus smiled, “Lead the way, Zacchaeus! Today we shall celebrate our friendship.”
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