Deeper Reflection
THE JEWS ESPECIALLY DESPISED CHIEF TAX COLLECTORS because their wealth was built on the extortions made on the general population. This cultural background explains the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was eager to see Jesus, but because Zacchaeus was short, he was blocked by the crowd (v.3). So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus (v.4). Such an act was undignified for a man of power and wealth. Yet it revealed Zacchaeus’ genuine interest towards Jesus.When Jesus told Zacchaeus that He was going to stay at his house (vv.5, 6), “the people were displeased” and “they grumbled” (v.7, NLT). In their minds, “[Jesus] has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner” (v.7, NLT). The people’s perception of Zacchaeus led to a very negative attitude towards him. They had “written off Zacchaeus”¹⁷. Although Zacchaeus was so receptive towards Jesus, he received such a negative response from the crowd. But Jesus did not write off Zacchaeus (v.5).Have we written off any people group because we view them through tinted lenses? Have we missed seeing their yearning to know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? For a long time, I have despised migrant workers. Their presence made me feel unsafe in my neighborhood. Until one day through an incident, God opened my eyes to see how marginalised these migrant workers are. God convicted my heart that I am not to write them off, but to show them compassion. Today, I’ve learnt to embrace them as part of the community and joyfully serve them in the migrant workers ministry.

---

¹⁷ Darrel L. Bock, The NIV Application Commentary: Luke, 479