Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is the obvious protagonist. However, in the Gospel of Luke, there are several other figures who become unexpected heroes: notably those who were previously considered “unclean,” sinners, or otherwise socially unacceptable.

Luke 19 describes one such outcast by the name of Zacchaeus. He is a chief tax collector in Jericho, viewed by many in the Judean community as a traitorous enemy, seizing money from his own people to fill the Roman coffers. Zacchaeus is also a rich tax collector, which suggests to the people of Jericho that he extorts additional funds for personal gain. They therefore deem him a sinner.

Jesus spies Zacchaeus (in red) watching from a sycamore tree as He enters the city of Jericho in this 1908 illustration by English artist William Brassey Hole.

A second chance

Zacchaeus makes up for in riches what he lacks in stature—he is so short that he cannot see Jesus above the crowds when He comes into town. Consequently, Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore-fig tree to get a better view. Of all the people assembled, Jesus notices Zacchaeus. He calls to him by name, beckons him down from the tree, and proclaims “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5).

While the people of Jericho complain that Jesus has chosen to be the guest of a sinner, Zacchaeus eagerly welcomes Jesus into his home. Zacchaeus then says he will give half of his possessions to the poor, and that, if he has ever cheated anyone, he will pay them back fourfold. His newfound generosity toward the poor is evidence of his salvation—as Jesus says, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (19:10).

Unlikely redemption

Zacchaeus’s story is particularly noteworthy because of another tale that precedes it. In Luke 18, a rich ruler queries Jesus about what he must do to gain eternal life. Despite the man’s adherence to Jewish teachings, he does not meet the final criteria that Jesus requires—that he give the proceeds from the sale of his belongings to the poor and follow Him. Jesus tells him that it is extremely difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God: it is harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom.

However, Zacchaeus’s example shows it is not impossible: he gives up more than half of his total wealth because he has been made righteous by Jesus. This turn of events exemplifies the power of Jesus’s ministry: He transforms the sinner, loves the rejected, and saves the lost—showing that no one is ever fully “lost.”

Roman taxation

This 2nd century CE relief from a Roman mausoleum depicts a tax collector making an entry in a ledger.

The Roman Empire, like all empires, levied taxes so it could grow and thrive—its subsumed nations bore the financial weight of Rome’s imperialism. Judeans who lived in Palestine had a particular distaste for new Roman taxes, because they already paid local and religious taxes. While Roman taxes brought roads, aqueducts, and other societal needs to the area, political and religious tensions still rose. Some Jewish factions resisted Roman occupation and taxation, which led to revolts and subsequent military interventions. Eventually, in 70 CE, the Romans invaded Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, resulting in the displacement of many Jews into other parts of the empire. These events would resonate with readers of New Testament stories of Jesus’s interactions with tax collectors (Luke 19) and others who question Him about His opinions on the empire and its compulsory tributes (Luke 20).

See also: The Temple Tax • Workers in the Vineyard • Cleansing the Temple • Faith and Works • Holiness