Luke 19:3

3 Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd.

Luke 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.

Luke 19:3 In-Context

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich.

3 Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. He wanted to see Jesus, who was coming that way.

5 Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today."