Luca 19:3

3 e cercava di veder Gesù, per saper chi egli era; ma non poteva per la moltitudine, perciocchè egli era piccolo di statura.

Luca 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 19:3

And he sought to see Jesus who he was
What sort of a person he was for complexion, stature, and age: having heard much of him, he was very desirous of indulging his curiosity with a sight of him; having, as yet, nothing else that induced him to desire to see him: his desire to see Jesus was not of the same kind with the kings and prophets, ( Matthew 13:16 ) but rather like that of Herod, ( Luke 23:8 )

and could not for the press;
the multitude of people that were flocking to meet Jesus, or who came before him, or were about him; for one part of the multitude went before him, and the other followed after him; so that he was in the crowd, and therefore could not easily be seen;

because he was little of stature.
The Syriac and Persic versions read, "because Zacchaeus was little of stature", lest it should be thought that this is said of Jesus; for the reason why Zacchaeus could not see him for the crowd, was not because Christ was little of stature, and was hid among them, but because Zacchaeus was little of stature, and could not see over their heads.

Luca 19:3 In-Context

1 E GESÙ, essendo entrato in Gerico, passava per la città.
2 Ed ecco un uomo, detto per nome Zaccheo, il quale era il capo de’ pubblicani, ed era ricco;
3 e cercava di veder Gesù, per saper chi egli era; ma non poteva per la moltitudine, perciocchè egli era piccolo di statura.
4 E corse innanzi, e salì sopra un sicomoro, per vederlo; perciocchè egli avea da passare per quella via.
5 E come Gesù fu giunto a quel luogo, alzò gli occhi, e lo vide, e gli disse: Zaccheo, scendi giù prestamente, perciocchè oggi ho ad albergare in casa tua.
The Giovanni Diodati Bible is in the public domain.