Zacchaeus, the Little Man in the Tree

The De Roos Factory, Jesus Meets Zacchaeus
Dutch (Delft), c. 1690-1710
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

“At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.

Now a man there named Zacchaeus,

who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,

was seeking to see who Jesus was;

but he could not see him because of the crowd,

for he was short in stature.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,

who was about to pass that way.

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,

“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,

for today I must stay at your house.”

And he came down quickly and received him with joy.

When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,

“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,

“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,

and if I have extorted anything from anyone

I shall repay it four times over.”

And Jesus said to him,

“Today salvation has come to this house

because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.

For the Son of Man has come to seek

and to save what was lost.”

Luke 19:1-10

Gospel for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, October 30, 2022

This story, found only in the Gospel of Luke, is as full of important meaning as any other portion of the Gospel accounts of the ministry of Jesus between His baptism and His passion.  On one level it is a human, even a humorous story, on the other hand it is profound. 

Pietro Monaco after Bernardo Strozzi, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
Italian (Venice), 1730-1739
London, British Museum

The action of this story takes place in Luke, as Jesus is traveling up to Jerusalem, where He will be put to death.  It is set as He is about to enter the town of Jericho, one of the oldest continuously lived in sites in the world.  A resident of Jericho named Zacchaeus approaches the crowd awaiting the entry of Jesus out of curiosity.  He is short, so he decides to climb a tree to get a better view.  But, instead of him getting a look at Jesus, it is Jesus who sees him and, it seems, sees into him, for He knows him and calls him by name.  More than that, Jesus tells him that He will stay in his house.  Instead of being upset at this unexpected turn of events Zacchaeus welcomes Him, receiving Him “with joy”.  When unspecified people (? residents of Jericho, the apostles, Pharisees?) grumble about Jesus’ dining with a “sinner” Zacchaeus makes a stunning statement “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” (Luke 19:8) Jesus then tells him that “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.   For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)

Boetius Adamszoon Bolswert, Christ in the House of Zacchaeus
Flemish, 1590-1622
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

It would seem that this small story contains quite a bit of meaning.  For, Zacchaeus is a kind of “everyman” (or perhaps, nowadays, “every person”), a stand in for all of us.  He is curious about this celebrity who is coming to town and struggles to get a better view.  But, what he gets from this particular celebrity is unexpected.  He gets a calling, a personal invitation, to come down and welcome the visitor into his house.  And, instead of shying away, of saying “no thanks, my house isn’t ready” Zacchaeus “receives Him with joy”.  Furthermore, so affected is he by the meeting, he offers to give one half of all he owns to the poor (and we are told he was a wealthy man, so it’s not a small thing).  And, not content with that, he offers to repay anyone he has extorted money from four times over.  Since, the way in which tax collectors went about getting the money they were required to raise was through extortion, this probably represented a substantial amount.  Roman provincial tax collectors were permitted to keep a portion of the money they raised for the Imperial treasury.  This which meant that, in order to make the money they felt they were entitled to, above that required by the Roman government, the sums they extracted from people were pretty large and burdensome, and deeply resented.  By making this offer Zacchaeus is acknowledging his guilt, as well as offering to pay restitution.

The ways in which artists illustrated this story through time is an interesting chronicle, with some divergent branches and shifts of focus. 

Christ Encounters Zacchaeus and Calls Saint Matthew
From Orationes by Gregory Nazianzene
Byzantine (Constantinople), c. 879 - 882
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Grec 510, fol. 87v (detail)

It is interesting to note that this image includes both the encounter with Zacchaeus, which occurred towards the end of Jesus' ministry, and the calling of Saint Matthew, which occurred at its beginning.  The obvious connection between the two 'callings' is that both men were tax collectors.  

To begin with, early illustrations told a fairly simple tale.  Two illuminations in royal books painted in the scriptorium of Reichenau around the beginning of the 11^th century provide two different views of the same story, one of which would lead to a branch development a few centuries later.  One shows Jesus, seated on a donkey, entering Jericho.  In the other book, Jesus is on foot, surrounded by His disciples.  The latter image also includes the feast at the house of Zacchaeus. 

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus as He Enters Jericho
From the Gospel Book of Otto III
German (Reichenau), c.1000
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
MS Clm 4453, fol. 234v

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus and Dines at His House
From the Gospel Book of Heinrich II
German (Reichenau), ca.1007-1012
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
MS Clm 4452, fol. 200r

A few decades later, the image was incorporated on the bronze column of Bishop Bernward in Hildesheim, one of the great bronze works that Bernward commissioned that revived the art of bronze casting, after its post-Roman decline.

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
Detail of Berward's Column
German (Hildesheim), ca. 1020
Hildesheim, Cathedral

For the next two hundred plus years, illustrations of the text were fairly simple and straightforward.  

Christ Addressing Zacchaeus
From a Book of Homilies
French (Cambrai), c. 1100-1150
Cambrai, Bibliotheque municipale
MS 528

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
From the Book of Pericopes of the Monastery of Saint Erentrud
Austrian (Salzburg), 1140
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
MS Cod. lat.15903, fol. 96v

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus

From a Gospel Book

German (Passau), ca. 1170-1180

Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

MS Clm 16002, fol. 40r

This image cleverly uses initials to represent the tree and Jesus standing on the ground.

Initial D Containing the Encounter Between Jesus and Zacchaeus
From the Stammheim Missal
German (Hildesheim), c. 1170-1180
Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum
MS 64, fol. 164r

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
from a Picture Bible
French (St. Omer, Abbey of St. Bertin), ca.1190-1200
The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek
MS KB 76 F 5, fol. 013r

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
From a Picture Bible
Navarrese, c. 1197
Amiens, Bibliotheque municipale
MS 108

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
English (Canterbury), 13th Century
Canterbury, Cathedral

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus and Dines with Him
North German (Monastery of Weinhausen), ca. 1335
Weinhausen, Weinhausen Abbey

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
From a 13th Century Pattern Book
German, 1200-1300
Freiburg im Breisgau, Augustiner Museum
G23.1c

Around the beginning of the 14^th century, the image, propagated throughout Europe by such means as pattern books and the interchange of artists, merged into a different part of the Gospel story, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.  

Artists began to incorporate one or two or more people in trees in their illustrations of the entry.   And this confusion between the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus’ entry into Jericho and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem lasted for about 100 years.

Giotto, Entry into Jerusalem

Italian, c. 1300-1305

Padua, Arena/Scrovegni Chapel

Duccio, Entry into Jerusalem
From the Maestà Altarpiece
Italian, c. 1308-1311
Siena, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

Pietro Lorenzetti. Entry into Jerusalem
Italian, c. 1320
Assisi, Church of San Francesco, Lower Church

German Master, Entry into Jerusalem

Detail from the Osnabrück Altarpiece

German, c. 1370s

Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum

The Limbourg Brothers (Herman, Jean and Paul), Jesus Enters Jerusalem

From the Tres Riches Heures of the Duc de Berry

Dutch, c. 1412-1416

Chantilly, Musée Condé

MS 65, fol. 173v

However, early in the 15^th century, the images became unwound once again.  The emphasis again returned to the dramatic moment of the meeting between Jesus and the small man in the tree.  

Attributed to the Master of the Harvard Hannibal, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus as He Enters Jericho
From Meditationes vitae Christi by Pseudo-Bonaventure
French (Paris), c. 1420-1422
London, British Library
MS Royal 20 B IV, fol. 94r

Claes Brouwer, the Alexander Master, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
from Bible historiale
Dutch (Utrecht), ca.1430
The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliothek
MS KB 78 D 38-dl2, fol. 173v

Jean Colcombe, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
From Vita Jesu Christi by Ludolf of Saxony
French (Bourges), c. 1475=1500
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 178, fol. 89v

Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
Cutting from a Choir Book
German (Rheinland-Pfalz), c. 1490s
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

Anonymous, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
A Cutting from a Gradual Book
Dutch, ea. 16th Century
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

As manuscripts were replaced by printed books, painting of Biblical scenes was no longer practiced in easily transportable miniature form.  Therefore, it is through the medium of prints and other of the “minor” arts that the images were transmitted.  This made them much more available to the ordinary person, since prints are cheaper than precious manuscripts and more mobile than wall paintings. 

Delft Master, Meal at House of Zacchaeus and the Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
Dutch, c. 1480-1500
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Antwerp Master, Meal at the House of Zacchaeus and the Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
Flemish, c. 1485-1491
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Glass Roundel with the Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
Dutch, c. 1500-1510
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters Collection

Glass Roundel, Jesus at Supper in the house of Zacchaeus
German, c.1530
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

Adam Petri, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
German, 1514
London, British Museum

Anonymous, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
Dutch, 1536
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

As time passed more figures began to be included.  In addition to all the apostles there were townspeople, including women and children.

Philips Galle after Maerten de Vos, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
Flemish, c. 1547-1612
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Jan Collaert after Maarten de Vos, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
From Thesaurus Novi Testamenti elegantissimis iconibus expressus continens historias
atque miracula do[mi] ni nostri Iesu Christi
Flemish, c. 1585
London, British Museum

Illustrated Mystery Play of 1547 on the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
French (Valenciennes), 1577
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Rothschild 3070, fol. 206r

Here the scenes of Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus and visit to his house occupy the far right side of this page, which includes several other stories as well.

Erasmus Quellinus the Younger, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus (and most of Jericho)
Flemish, 1660
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Possibly Jan Luyken, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
Dutch, 1660-1712
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Alexandre Ubelesqui, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus at Jericho
French, c.1700
Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des arts graphiques

Glazed Tile, Jesus Encounters Zacchaeus
English or Dutch, ca.1718-1725
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

Paintings from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods are infrequent, as are representations in sculpture.  They do, however, exist. 

Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Christ Calling Zacchaeus
Italian, c. 1575
Cambridge, University of Cambridge Museums, Fitzwilliam Museum

Bernardo Strozzi, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus

Italian, c.1640

Nantes, Musée des Beaux-Arts

Domenico Tiepolo, Christ in the House of Zacchaeus in Jericho

Italian, ca.1750-1800

Paris, Musée du Louvre

Joseph Anton Feuchtmayer, Encounter of Jesus with Zacchaeus
Austrian, 1761-1763
Sankt Gallen, Cathedral

Thomas Schaidhauf, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
German, c. 1780-1807
Furstenfeldbruck, Catholic Parish of St. Bernard

And, finally, late in the 19th century, Zacchaeus was included in the monumental Biblical work of the French painter James Tissot.

James Tissot, Encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus
French, 1886-1896
New York, Brooklyn Museum

He is also depicted as a saint in the decoration of the church of the Madeleine in Paris.

Charles Lemeire, St. Zacchaeus

French, 1888-1893

Paris, Musée d'Orsay

There was one significant further development on the theme, that of Zacchaeus as a penitent, detached from the meeting with Jesus or His reception in Zacchaeus’ home.  In these Zacchaeus is very clearly offering his ill-gotten gains to Jesus or is repenting in private prayer. 

Boetius Adamszoon Bolswert, Christ in the House of Zacchaeus
Flemish, c. 1590-1622
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Willem Isaacszoon van Swanenburg after Abraham Bloemaert, Penitent Zacchaeus
From a series of prints of Penitents
Dutch, 1611
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

A further interesting image of Zacchaeus, showing him climbing the tree, preparatory to the arrival of Jesus, is found in the book Predigen teütsch (German Preaching), by the preacher Johann Geiler von Keysersberg (1445-1510), who was a popular preacher at the end of the 15^th century.1 

Hans Burgkmair the Elder, Zacchaeus Climbs the Tree of Faith, Hope and Charity

From Predigen teütsch by Johann Geiler von Keysersberg

German, c. 1508-1510

London, British Museum

It shows the figure of Zacchaeus climbing a tree (incorrectly shown as a palm).  The tree is wrapped in a banderol with the words “Leibe”, “Hoffnung” and “Glaub”(sic), which translate as Love, Hope and Faith.  Someone has handwritten in the Latin translations of these words: “Charitas”, “Spes” and “Fides”.  In other words, Faith, Hope and Charity, the three theological virtues.  Zacchaeus is here shown for what he represents, the person who seeks to find salvation through Christ and the church.

© M. Duffy, 2016, revised and expanded 2022.

1.      Scheid, Nikolaus. "Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 28 Oct. 2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06403c.htm>.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.