And when all saw it, they murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.
και ιδοντες παντες διεγογγυζον λεγοντες οτι παρα αμαρτωλω ανδρι εισηλθεν καταλυσαι
13 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Zacchaeus acted promptly, as he understood the importance of responding positively to Christ's call. Despite the objections from others, he descended joyfully and welcomed the Savior. Let us observe the results of his encounter during Christ’s visitation.
It may be that someone questions our shared Savior Christ, asking Him, “Lord, what is Your purpose? Are You really going to stay with Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector? Has he not yet cleansed himself of his greedy desires? Is he not still afflicted with the greed that is the origin of all sin? Is he not burdened with the guilt of theft and oppression?” Indeed, He replies, I am aware of this for I am inherently God and perceive the paths of each individual. Moreover, I understand what is to follow. I have summoned him to turn away from his sins because he is prepared for such a change; and although people may grumble and criticize My compassion, the truth will ultimately prove them misguided.
that He entered... Tax collectors were universally seen as sinners due to their greed and unfairness. As a result, Christ faced criticism, similar to what occurred with Matthew the tax collector, as well as in numerous other similar situations. However, they failed to understand the reasons behind His willingness to associate with them, so He disregarded those who were swayed by these circumstances. One must overlook the minor temptations that may arise in the presence of immense salvation, and one should not forfeit the significant blessing for the sake of a trivial one.
O creators of judgment and practitioners of negligence! Who are you, the just or the wicked? Are you not the very ones who fall the furthest from virtue? How did Jesus choose to dwell among you? How was He born, nourished, reared, and sustained? Why, in light of your multitude of wounds, do you scrutinize the failings of others? So tell me, why do you sometimes label Christ a sinner and at other times a man of righteousness? When He restored sight to the man who had been blind from birth, you condemned Him as a sinner, declaring, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner” (John 9:24), because He supposedly violated the Sabbath.
Yet now that He has sought refuge with the tax collector, you vehemently condemn Him as a righteous man and insist that He should not associate with sinners. We have played the flute for you, yet you have not danced; we have lamented, but you have not mourned (Matthew 11:17). For if He restores sight to the blind, you call Him a sinner. If He dines with the outcasts, you rebuke Him as one unworthy of such company. What, then, is your stance? Does He forgo healing the blind on the Sabbath to avoid being labeled a sinner? Does He associate with tax collectors merely to maintain the appearance of righteousness? Yet for this, you accuse Him of consorting with sinners. Where else should light be found if not in darkness? And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:5). Where ought the physician to go? Should he not hasten to those who are ill? The fitness of the physician is of no concern; it is the sick who need care (Matthew 9:12). Where should the Lamb of God show Himself if not among tax collectors and sinners, to bear their burdens...? You scold in futility, for it has been fulfilled that it is said, “The tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31). Pharisees...
However, those who observed Him, lacking true comprehension of the transformation that had occurred within Him, grumbled about Jesus, declaring, “It is to a sinner that He has come in a tumult.”
Astonished by this act of humility, the tax collector quickly descended from the sycamore tree to welcome such a remarkable Visitor into his home. Though he was unaware of the intent behind the visit, he recognized that the Prophet from Galilee differed significantly from the esteemed Pharisaic teachers, who would have deemed it beneath them to share a kind word with someone like him. In contrast to this perception, Jesus did not consider Zacchaeus' house any more defiled than others, nor did He feel that entering it violated any standards of purity. However, the onlookers had a different opinion. Engaging in friendly discourse with a wealthy tax collector—someone they regarded as lacking patriotism and faith—was perplexing and inappropriate to them.
They expected a reputable Prophet to adhere to the Pharisees' strict customs, especially upon entering the home of such an individual. Zacchaeus sensed the extent of Jesus' grace toward him and realized that this act might impact Jesus' reputation among those gathered. To demonstrate that he was no longer enslaved by his possessions and that his heart was rekindled with love for righteousness, the enlightened tax collector stood before the Lord and declared that, in honor of Jesus' visit, he would give half of his wealth to the needy and repay anyone he had wronged fourfold. This promise might well convince others that Zacchaeus intended to live up to his name. According to the Mosaic Law, only a convicted wrongdoer was required to make such reparations, yet Zacchaeus, who had lived outside the law, resolved to act not merely according to justice but also with a love surpassing legal requirements, inspired by the divine example he saw in Christ. It was clear that the tax collector comprehended the significance of Jesus' visit and embraced the spirit of the grace extended to him. The evangelist does not imply that he was overly concerned about serving the Lord and His disciples, nor does he suggest that he offered them hospitality. His heartfelt commitment to rectifying past offenses and generously aiding the poor was the most fitting tribute for the One who fulfilled the will of His Heavenly Father. The Lord recognized the purity of Zacchaeus’ fervor and assured him of His approval by declaring that salvation had come to his household, affirming him as a true son of Abraham—contrary to the sentiments of many who equated him with the Gentiles. Jesus exclaimed that He had come to seek and to save the lost, addressing those who questioned His association with the tax collector. This statement revealed the divine purpose behind Jesus’ interactions with sinners, which the Pharisees often criticized. Ensnared by their pursuit of wealth and status, these hypocrites overlooked the profound significance of performing good deeds, particularly the moral good of guiding and reclaiming sinners; thus, they failed to grasp that the central mission of the Messiah was to rescue the lost. Their spiritual myopia was evident in their judgments of others. While they pointed out minor faults in their brethren, they ignored their own failings, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that many of those they deemed sinful were in fact nearer to the Kingdom of Heaven, as they recognized their own unworthiness and repented of their sins. Jesus, however, perceived things differently and, in the midst of Gentiles, often found the genuine faith that eluded Him among the people of Israel. Time and again, He demonstrated that His mercy was even more transformative than His miracles, as many who once lived in spiritual death, reinvigorated by the loving presence of the Son of Man, renounced their sinful ways. Unlike the resurrected from physical death—which would eventually lead them back to mortality—these individuals discovered lasting spiritual life. A prime example is Zacchaeus; according to early traditions, he became a devoted follower of Christ, eventually accompanying the Apostle Peter on his missionary endeavors and was ordained by him as bishop of Caesarea in Palestine.
The Jewish people viewed all tax collectors as transgressors, particularly those like Zacchaeus, because these tax collectors often engaged in various wrongs and injustices while collecting taxes for the ruler. As a result, they sought to evade their reckoning. It is also significant that the God-Man, in His teaching, illustrated the virtue of humility and the pitfalls of pride through the figure of the sinner who humbled himself and received justification from that humility, presenting the tax collector who stood far from the sacred altar. When the crowd observed that Jesus had chosen to stay in Zacchaeus’s home, they grew upset and began to grumble against Christ, unaware of either Zacchaeus's sincere repentance or the redemptive purpose of the God-Man. Yet, take a moment, misguided individuals, and refrain from your complaints until you witness the actions of Zacchaeus upon welcoming Jesus into his home and hear what Jesus proclaimed upon witnessing Zacchaeus's genuine repentance and transformation.
In a remarkable display of His humility, the Lord demonstrated His grace to many in the same city, particularly to Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector condemned by the townsfolk as a sinner. Intentionally, the Lord called out to him from the fig tree where he was perched, gazing at the Messiah as He passed by, inviting him to His home. Delighted by this gesture, Zacchaeus vowed to give half of his wealth to the needy and to repay anyone he had wronged fourfold. This decision was a clear testament to why the Lord chose to honor the home of this tax collector. The Lord proclaimed, “Today salvation has come to this house.” And who could doubt this? Surely Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham, and in his newfound compassion for the poor, he proves worthy of that title. Indeed, that is the very purpose of the Son of Man—to seek out and rescue the lost, just as He sought Zacchaeus from the fig tree and declared salvation to him in his home.
Zacchaeus held the position of chief tax collector in Jericho, making him quite wealthy. This role was inherently profitable, but it also often led individuals to exploit the populace by demanding more than what they owed to the Roman authorities. However, a spiritual transformation was unfolding within Zacchaeus. When he learned that Jesus of Nazareth was on His way to Jericho—a man of whom he had heard remarkable things, and whom he hoped might be the Messiah—Zacchaeus was filled with a desire to see Him. He was despised by many as the foremost of tax collectors, sinners, and oppressors, so he did not expect that the Lord would graciously approach him. To his astonishment, he then received news that Jesus intended to visit his home, which deeply impacted him.
Already a believer in Christ, Zacchaeus pledged to give half of his wealth to the needy and repay anyone he had wronged four times over, pleading for the Lord’s forgiveness for his past sins. In response, Jesus declared to Zacchaeus and to those who criticized His association with this sinner that salvation had indeed arrived at his home, for he too was a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man came specifically to seek out and save those who are lost.
The apostles, alongside other disciples and the gathered crowds, trailed behind, including persistent adversaries of Christ. A whisper arose among those following Jesus; likely stirred by the Pharisees, they began to criticize Him for associating with a notorious sinner. They condemned Him for this action, as Jewish customs dictated that the righteous should refrain from associating with clearly immoral individuals. Both Jesus and Zacchaeus were aware of the discontent among the onlookers.
The crowd erupted in a chorus of dissent, believing it to be inappropriate, unworthy, and shameful for the Messiah to remain in the home of a man whose occupation represented national disgrace. Furthermore, it was openly acknowledged among the onlookers that this individual did not possess a favorable reputation, even in his position.
"Everyone began to complain," etc.: everyone - a heightened expression. Certainly, the Lord's disciples, who had frequently observed the compassion of their Master towards those deemed blatant sinners, did not grumble; and without a doubt, others who had a deeper understanding of the Lord also chose not to voice their discontent but instead celebrated, just as Zacchaeus did. However, the prejudice against tax collectors was so pronounced that within the crowd surrounding the Lord, complaints arose about His choice to visit a sinful man. The term 'complain' carries the same meaning as in Luke 7:39 (refer to the commentary on that verse).
The All-Knowing One was aware of Zacchaeus' condition, perceiving the deep emotions within him, and did not overlook the passionate yearning of the tax collector to find Him. As Jesus Christ approached the sycamore tree, His gaze met Zacchaeus' with empathy and affection, proclaiming, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” In response to this gracious invitation, the Good Shepherd sought after the lost sheep, filling the heart of the repentant sinner with immense joy. Just moments earlier, Zacchaeus had desperately wished to catch a glimpse of the great Miracle Worker, hesitant even to approach Him, yet now he had the privilege to see Jesus, welcome Him into his home, and share a meal while conversing freely with Him.
The tax collector swiftly descended from the tree and joyfully escorted the remarkable visitor to his home. However, the crowd harbored strong prejudices, viewing men like Zacchaeus as unworthy sinners, and began to murmur in disapproval, questioning why the esteemed prophet from Galilee would engage with a tax collector, entering his home without maintaining a semblance of ceremonial purity. This behavior struck the scribes, Pharisees, and the adherents of strict traditions as utterly disgraceful. Zacchaeus himself likely felt this judgment acutely, yet he was profoundly moved by what Christ had done for him. Ignoring the murmurs, he focused on the desire to honor his guest and fill his presence with acts of goodness. In the presence of holiness, his guilty conscience became increasingly poignant, and the tax collector, softened by the unseen breeze of divine love, transformed into a new man, distinct from the identity he had previously held. Standing before Jesus with genuine resolve, Zacchaeus declared, “Lord, I will give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I will restore it fourfold.” According to rabbinic tradition, one was not compelled to give more than one-fifth of one’s possessions as alms, and under Mosaic Law, only the guilty were required to repay stolen goods with either double or quadruple restitution, contingent upon a formal confession. Zacchaeus came to understand that he was not merely a teacher of rigid righteousness, but rather a proclaimer of gospel grace. As such, entering into the spirit of Christ, he pledged to exceed the customary expectations and legal mandates. This fervor, surpassing the obligations of duty, evidenced the sincerity of his conversion and prompted the compassionate Lord to offer words of comfort, not just to him but also to all in his household, who shared in their host's feelings of repentance: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.” Zacchaeus was truly a descendant of the father of all believers, walking in the path of faith, by which the patriarch of old had glimpsed the day of Christ and rejoiced. Simultaneously, the Lord provided guidance for those who criticized His association with the tax collector, reiterating the purpose of His mission: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” This event in Zacchaeus' home served as both an important lesson and a sobering reminder to those who echoed the sentiments of the scribes and Pharisees. Deceived by outward righteousness based solely on the letter of the law and trapped in their own traditions, they bore witness to the reality that humble tax collectors and sinners were entering the Kingdom of God before them. According to tradition, Zacchaeus later became the first bishop of Caesarea Palestina.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS