Luke 19:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Hurry to descend; I do not wish to leave you in the fig tree, I desire not your ruin; you are My sheep, and to Me you have drawn near. Hurry to come down, and welcome Me into your dwelling; I seek sanctuary there. Where faith resides, there I find rest; where love exists, there I make my presence known. I understand your intentions; I know you contemplate giving away your wealth to the needy, especially to repay fourfold those you have wronged. With those intentions, I gladly abide.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who, as St. Paul states, is able to “do exceedingly more than all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20), not only fulfilled his request but exceeded his expectations. Zacchaeus wished solely to see Jesus, and the Lord granted him the honor of His presence. The one who discerns the heart called out to Zacchaeus (undoubtedly, before he ascended the fig tree, the Lord was aware of his heart's desire): “Zacchaeus, come down quickly!” The Savior, like a skilled hunter, stood below the tree, seeking the soul! “Zacchaeus! Come down quickly.” He extended an invitation, enveloped him in the allure of His love, lifted him by the wings of his aspirations, and guided him to His church.

Though the sycamore yields edible fruit, its significance here, akin to the parable of the barren fig tree, suggests it represents unfruitfulness and emptiness; it is noted in the Synodal translation that he climbed a fig tree, which also signifies futility. Yet he alters the errors of the past generation and makes room for Jesus in his heart. His choice to ascend the tree is deliberate: a good tree produces good fruit (cf. Matthew 7:17), and by being severed from his wild olive heritage and grafted into the good olive tree (cf.: Rom. 11:24), he can bear the law’s fruit. Despite the branches being unsuitable and their fruitless pride, the faith of the Gentiles surpasses their vanity, as if they have ascended in body.

And behold, a man named Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2). Zacchaeus is akin to the blind man by the roadside. The Lord patiently awaits one for mercy while honoring the other with the glory of His visitation. He seeks one of them for healing, while to the other, He arrives as an uninvited guest, aware that a generous reward awaits Him from His host. Yet, although He did not hear the invitation, He discerned the intentions of his heart.

It is significant that the account of the chief tax collector is narrated. Who would despair of himself, seeing that one who attained salvation did so through deceit? And indeed, he was wealthy (Lk. 19:2)—indicating that not all affluent individuals are greedy.

Why does Scripture focus on the singular Zacchaeus, noted for his short stature (Lk. 19:3)? Might this imply that malice is scarce within him, or perhaps a threadbare faith? When he climbed the tree, he had yet to make promises or enter into the encounter with Christ, thus he remained in a state of modest stature. Conversely, John is esteemed because he both witnessed Christ and saw the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove, as he declared: I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and abiding on Him (John 1:32).

What is a crowd, if not a chaotic assembly of uninformed individuals, unable to grasp the profound depths of Wisdom? While Zacchaeus remained among the throngs, he could not see Christ; however, his elevation above the crowd allowed him to behold the one he sought. By transcending the ignorance around him, he could finally witness the Lord he longed for.

It is aptly noted, Because there the Lord was to pass through (Luke 19:4), indicating the presence of the sycamore, or the place where the believer would emerge. Thus, the Lord maintained the hidden mystery and distributed grace; He came to traverse the Jewish landscape in order to reach the Gentiles.

He saw Zacchaeus perched high—elevated on the faith born from new deeds, as if he were situated atop a fruitful tree. We have shifted from the original example to moral reflection; it is delightful for us, surrounded by so many faithful companions, to rejoice and celebrate on Sunday. Zacchaeus on the sycamore denotes the new fruit of a fresh season, fulfilling the saying, The fig tree brought forth its early fruit (Song 2:13), for Christ came that trees should bear not only fruit but also men. In another passage, it states: When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee (John 1:48). Nathanael was positioned under the tree, representative of being over the root—since the root is holy (cf. Rom. 11:16); yet, Nathanael remained beneath the law, while Zacchaeus ascended the tree, symbolizing his rise above the law. The first served as the secret supporter of the Lord while the latter became an overt herald. The former awaited Christ within the confines of the law, whereas the latter, already transcendent of the law, was eager to relinquish his wealth and follow the Lord.

Likewise, He said to Zacchaeus, ‘Today it is right for Me to be in your house,’ and by welcoming him, He stepped through the threshold of Paradise, transforming his dwelling into a heavenly abode. Swiftly, the son of Abraham descended and hurried over. A reflection on Zacchaeus.

As the Evangelist recounts, “when Jesus came to the place” – undoubtedly the spot where the fig tree, symbolizing divine nourishment, held Zacchaeus in its branches due to his heartfelt yearning – “He looked up and said to him: Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” It appears that Jesus, walking humbly and blending with the crowd surrounding Him, was not easily identifiable to those who had never laid eyes on Him before; even from an elevated position, spotting Him clearly was a challenge due to the throngs drawn to Him. Thus, He who perceives the hearts of all, recognizing Zacchaeus’ sincere longing, gazes upward, calls him by name, revealing Himself to him for the first time and lovingly affirming that he is cherished. He instructs him to descend quickly, so Zacchaeus may receive the fruits of his devotion from the One who grants abundantly more than we can ask or envision.

Seeing Zacchaeus’ good intentions and love for the truth, the Lord, as if traversing the pathway of life outlined in the Law, manifests Himself to Zacchaeus, urging him to come down from the fig tree, symbolizing the relinquishing of the Law that yields no greater reward, and to embody the grace and way of life articulated in the Gospel, through which he can participate in God and attain salvation. Hence, he who responds to the Word’s teaching and invitation becomes akin to Zacchaeus, shedding the burdensome dictates of the Law that previously defined him, sharing instead with the needy in Judah—abandoning notions like circumcision, the Sabbath, ritual washes, and sacrificial offerings, and everything tied to the constraints of the letter.

His determined desire to behold the Lord, his diligent effort to climb the tree, and the authentic joy that welled up within him upon seeing Jesus gaze at him and declare, “Zacchaeus! Today I must abide at your house,” illustrated Zacchaeus' readiness to embrace the truth of godliness and repent from his transgressions. Jesus, perceiving the innermost thoughts of his heart, lifted His eyes, looked at Zacchaeus, and called him by name, signaling His intention to visit his home. What did the bystanders witness and remark about this extraordinary encounter?