Luke 19:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe the gracious kindness of the Saviour. The innocent associates with the guilty, the fountain of justice with covetousness, which is the source of injustice. Having entered the publican’s house, He suffers no stain from the mists of avarice, but disperses them by the bright beam of His righteousness. But those who deal with biting words and reproaches, try to cast a slur upon the things which were done by Him; for it follows, And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. But He, though accused of being a wine-bibber and a friend of publicans, regarded it not, so long as He could accomplish His end. As a physician sometimes can not save his patients from their diseases without the defilement of blood.

If we examine more closely, we shall see that nothing was left of his own property. For having given half of his goods to the poor, out of the remainder he restored fourfold to those whom he had injured. He not only promised this, but did it. For he says not, “I will give the half, and I will restore fourfold, but, I give, and I restore. To such Christ announces salvation; Jesus saith unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, signifying that Zacchæus had attained to salvation, meaning by the house the inhabitant thereof. And it follows, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For He would not have given the name of a son of Abraham to a lifeless building.

But Zacchæus made no delay in what he did, and so was accounted worthy of the favour of God, which gives sight to the blind, and calls them who are afar off.

He came to find and redeem what was lost, taking it upon himself to restore the beings that had succumbed to the emptiness of that which is not real. In doing so, he seeks to replenish the totality of God's creation, ensuring that when the lost are rescued alongside those who remain, the fullness of existence is achieved once more.

Zacchæus in the sycamore, the blind man by the way side: upon the one our Lord waits to shew mercy, upon the other He confers the great glory of abiding in his house. The chief among the Publicans is here fitly introduced. For who will hereafter despair of himself, now that he attains to grace who gained his living by fraud. And he too moreover a rich man, that we may know that not all rich men are covetous.

The perspective of the evangelists will be demonstrated. The term "general" is understood to refer to what pertains to matters of a collective nature, while that which applies to specific instances conveys a broader notion. Therefore, when it is stated, "He came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), it reflects the universal essence of Israel, as outlined in the book of Genesis, which consistently perceives God.

The lost descendants of Abraham. For He states, "I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house" (Matthew 15:24) of Abraham. Yet I find myself akin to Zacchaeus, limited in spiritual insight. I remain entangled in worldly matters, and even though I attempt to perceive Christ more clearly, I cannot do so unless I free myself from the distractions that hold me down and, like Zacchaeus, rise above the earthly to reach for the heavenly. Then, He will regard me with kindness, draw me to Him, and make His home within me (cf. Jn. 14:23). For such a person becomes a dwelling place for God.

The seed of salvation had begun to spring up in him, for he desired to see Jesus, having never seen Him. For if he had seen Him, he would long since have given up the Publican’s wicked life. No one that sees Jesus can remain any longer in wickedness. But there were two obstacles to his seeing Him. The multitude not so much of men as of his sins prevented him, for he was little of stature.

Or because the sycamore is from its name called the foolish fig, the little Zacchæus gets up into the sycamore and sees the Lord, for they who humbly choose the foolish things of this world are those who contemplate most closely the wisdom of God. For what is more foolish in this world than not to seek for what is lost, to give our possessions to robbers, to return not injury for injury? However, by this wise foolishness, the wisdom of God is seen, not yet really as it is, but by the light of contemplation.

Zacchæus is called the son of Abraham, not because he was born of Abraham’s seed, but because he imitates his faith, that as Abraham left his country and his father’s house, so he abandoned all his goods in giving them to the poor. And He well says, “He also,” to declare that not only those who had lived justly, but those who are raised up from a life of injustice, belong to the sons of promise.

speaking clearly to those who grumbled against Him, ‘I entered the home of the sinner not merely to rest, but to transform and redeem him, revealing him to be a God-follower instead of a lover of wealth, a just person rather than an unjust one, a welcoming individual rather than a recluse, and a compassionate man rather than one devoid of feeling,’ which you can see has already taken place.

In amazement at this humble act, the tax collector quickly descended from the tree to welcome such an extraordinary Visitor into his home. Although he was unaware of the true purpose behind His arrival, he felt assured that the Prophet from Galilee differed greatly from the well-renowned Pharisaic teachers, who would have deemed it beneath them to engage in friendly conversation with someone like him in public. In contrast, Jesus did not appear to regard Zacchaeus’s house as any more defiled than any other nor did He seem to be violating any customs by entering it. However, the crowd that accompanied Him perceived the situation differently. To engage in friendly discourse with a wealthy tax collector—a man they believed lacked patriotism and faith—was seen as strange and unacceptable.

This parallels the truth that the God-Man Himself stated, ‘I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Matt. 9:13). It resonates with the words of the Apostles, ‘as Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ (1 Tim. 1:15). This very principle silenced the critics and quelled their resentment. For if the Son of God entered the world to seek and rescue the lost, and if He already knew Zacchaeus to be lost and penitent, He must, without a doubt, seek to redeem him. He called out to him, saying, ‘Zacchaeus, let us pray for tears,’ and intentionally visited his home. When Zacchaeus demonstrated his repentance, the Saviour assured him of his deliverance, declaring, ‘Today salvation has come to this house!’

In the same city, the Lord demonstrated His humility by reaching out to Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector who was viewed as a sinner by the locals. To the astonishment of many, Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the fig tree where he was observing the passing Savior and invited Himself to his home. Overjoyed by this gracious act, Zacchaeus pledged to give half of his wealth to the needy and to repay anyone he had wronged fourfold. This commitment justified the Lord’s choice to bless the house of this publican. Jesus declared, “Now is salvation to this house.” And why wouldn’t it be? Is not Zacchaeus a descendant of Abraham? And is he not deserving of this title through his compassion for the impoverished? For this reason, the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost—He sought Zacchaeus in the tree and proclaimed salvation within his home.

Zacchaeus held the position of chief tax collector in Jericho, making him a wealthy individual. This role was inherently profitable, leading many in similar positions to exploit the populace by demanding more than what was owed to the Roman authorities. However, a significant transformation was beginning to unfold within Zacchaeus. Upon hearing about the arrival of Jesus of Nazareth in Jericho, a figure of whom he had heard many remarkable accounts and whom he hoped might be the Messiah, Zacchaeus was filled with a desire to see Him. Despite being scorned by others as the leading tax collector and a sinner, he never anticipated that the Lord would extend His grace to him. In an unexpected turn, he learned that the Lord planned to visit his home.

Addressing those who were complaining, he remarked: ‘For he is also a child of Abraham, even if he has strayed; yet the Son of Man has come to seek out and rescue those who are lost.’

The admirable act of self-denial demonstrated by the despised tax collector, who through such integrity dismantled the idol that had dominated his life, affirmed the honor bestowed upon him by Christ. The Savior joyfully declared, “now is salvation come unto this house, because he also is the son of Abraham,” understanding this in the most profound manner as a descendant of the father of the faithful. He further stated, “For the Son of man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

The All-Knowing One was aware of Zacchaeus's situation, understood the condition of his heart, and did not scorn the fervent determination with which the tax collector sought Him. When Jesus Christ came near the sycamore tree, He regarded Zacchaeus with compassion and love, saying, ‘Zacchaeus, let us pray for tears, for today it is fitting for Me to be in your house.’ With this gracious invitation, where the Good Shepherd came to embrace the lost sheep, the heart of the penitent sinner overflowed with joy.