Luke 19:5. Zaccheus, make haste,— Jesus had never seen him before; yet he called him by his name, and by what he said insinuated, that he knew his house to be further on the road. What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have felt, upon hearing one speak, as knowing both his heart and life! read more
2-4. chief among the publicans—farming a considerable district, with others under him. rich—Ill-gotten riches some of it certainly was. (See on :-.) read more
3. who he was—what sort of person. Curiosity then was his only motive, though his determination not to be baulked was overruled for more than he sought. read more
4. sycamore—the Egyptian fig, with leaves like the mulberry. read more
5, 6. looked up,—in the full knowledge of who was in the tree, and preparatory to addressing him. Zaccheus—whom he had never seen in the flesh, nor probably heard of. "He calleth His own sheep by name and leadeth them out" ( :-). make haste, and come down—to which he literally responded—"he made haste and came down." for to-day, &c.—Our Lord invites Himself, and in "royal" style, which waits not for invitations, but as the honor is done to the subject, not the sovereign, announces the... read more
6. joyfully—Whence this so sudden "joy" in the cold bosom of an avaricious publican? The internal revolution was as perfect as instantaneous. "He spake and it was done." "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing" ( :-). read more
Probably the new Jericho that Herod the Great had built is in view (cf. Luke 18:35). It stood immediately to the south of old Jericho. Jesus was passing through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem and the Cross. read more
6. Zaccheus’ ideal response to Jesus 19:1-10This section in Luke’s long narrative of Jesus’ ministry as He traveled to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51 to Luke 19:27) is climactic. It is a choice example of Jesus offering salvation to a needy person. Zaccheus accepted Jesus’ offer and responded appropriately with joy and the fruits of repentance. He also gave an excellent example of how disciples should use what wealth they have. The section closes with a summary of Jesus’ ministry that is really the key... read more
Luke underlined Zaccheus’ occupation and wealth, two things that Jesus had taught His disciple about earlier. Tax collectors represented social outcasts, but they typically responded positively to Jesus’ ministry. Zaccheus ("the just" or "pure") was a chief tax collector (Gr. architelones), which probably made him the object of special hatred in Jericho. The wealth that he had accumulated through his occupation probably made his neighbors hate him even more. They probably ridiculed him for his... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Luke 19:1-4
Luke 19:1-4. And Jesus entered, &c.— After conferring sight on the beggars, (see Matthew 9:27; Matthew 9:38.) Jesus entered Jericho attended by them, by his disciples, and by the multitude: he made no stay however in this town, because he hastened to be at Jerusalem eight or ten days before the passover, intending to preach and work miracles in the most public manner, under the eye of all the people, and of the grandees; whose resentment should influence him no longer, because his ministry... read more