Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus held a lucrative post in Jericho, overseeing tax collection in a city rich from balsam production. Tax collectors worked for Rome, not their own people, and the job carried both wealth and contempt. When Jesus passed through Jericho en route to Jerusalem, Zacchaeus arrived early but couldn't see through the crowd. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree along the path. Jesus looked up, called him by name, and said he would stay at his house. The crowd was shocked that a religious teacher would enter the home of a sinner. Zacchaeus responded by giving away half of everything he o…