Luke 19

Luke 19:1-10 . ZACCHEUS THE PUBLICAN.

The name is Jewish.

2-4. chief among the publicans--farming a considerable district, with others under him.
rich--Ill-gotten riches some of it certainly was.

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.

4. sycamore--the Egyptian fig, with leaves like the mulberry.

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" ( John 10:3 ).
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 purpose of royalty to partake of the subject's hospitalities. Manifestly our Lord speaks as knowing how the privilege would be appreciated.
to-day . . . abide--(Compare John 1:39 ), probably over night.

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" ( Isaiah 35:6 ).

7. to be guest--or lodge: something more than "eating with" such ( Luke 15:2 ).
a sinner--that was one but a minute ago, but now is not. This mighty change, however, was all unknown to them. But they shall know it presently. "Sinner" would refer both to his office, vile in the eyes of a Jew, and to his character, which it is evident was not good.

8-10. stood--before all.
said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord--Mark how frequently Luke uses this title, and always where lordly authority, dignity, or power is intended.
if I have--that is, "so far as I have," for evidently the "if" is so used (as in Philippians 4:8 ).
taken by false accusation--defrauded, overcharged ( Luke 3:12 Luke 3:13 ).
fourfold--The Roman law required this; the Jewish law, but the principal and a fifth more ( Numbers 5:7 ). There was no demand made for either; but, as if to revenge himself on his hitherto reigning sin experienced, besides surrendering the half of his fair gains to the poor, he voluntarily determines to give up all that was ill-gotten, quadrupled. He gratefully addressed this to the "Lord," to whom he owed the wonderful change.

9. Jesus said unto him--but also before all.
This day, &c.--memorable saying! Salvation already come, but not a day old.
to this house--so expressed probably to meet the taunt, "He is gone to be guest," &c. The house is no longer polluted; it is now fit to receive Me. But salvation to a house is an exceedingly precious idea, expressing the new air that would henceforth breathe in it, and the new impulses from its head which would reach its members ( Psalms 118:15 , Acts 16:15 Acts 16:16 Acts 16:31 ).
son of Abraham--He was that by birth, but here it means a partaker of his faith, being mentioned as the sufficient explanation of salvation having come to him.

10. lost--and such "lost" ones as this Zaccheus. narrative to hope for unexpected conversions?

Luke 19:11-27 . PARABLE OF THE POUNDS.