The passage
      v1. Jericho was a major trading town, serving as the main customs point for all imports into Palestine from the East. It was deep in the Jordan valley, about 30 kilometers east of Jerusalem.
      v2. Zacchaeus, as the "chief tax collector" of the area, would take a percentage of all taxes raised for the Roman administration. For us today, he is a kind of corrupt politician, very wealthy, but hated.
      v3-4. Obviously, Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus, a "messianic hopeful" who associated with social outcasts like himself. Zacchaeus was determined to get to meet with Jesus, a determination that showed that the good news of the coming kingdom had already touched him.
      v5-6. Jesus brilliantly reads human nature and he certainly reads Zacchaeus. Here was Rome's local representative willing to degrade himself by climbing a tree to get to meet with Jesus. Zacchaeus' obvious acceptance of Jesus, his faith in Jesus, is rewarded by Jesus' acceptance of him; Jesus invites himself for tea.
      v7. The crowd's muttering is typical, cf. 5:30, 15:2.
      v8. Zacchaeus, in response to the disapproval of his neighbors, proclaims how his faith has changed him. There is no indication that Jesus has demanded this response, rather it comes out of a changed heart; it is the evidence of "faith expressing itself through love", Gal.5:6. Zacchaeus' offer of half his wealth to the poor is overly generous, as is his willingness to repay fourfold to those from whom he has "unlawfully exacted" taxes. We are reminded that those who are forgiven much, love much.
      v9-10. The messianic salvation hoped for by Israel, evidenced itself in the life and home of a corrupt man; the eschatological salvation of the people of God was realized in the life of a corrupt politician. Here was a true "son of Abraham", a spiritual son, Rom.2:28f. Zacchaeus put his faith in Jesus, in God's messiah, and was therefore counted a true child of Abraham, linked to Abraham through his faith rather than natural descent, or obedience to the law, cf. Rom.5 and 6. It was for this purpose that the Son of Man came to earth. Jesus favors the title "Son of Man" because it is an obscure title for the messiah. The title can just mean "man", but for Jesus it represents Daniel's "Son of Man", Dan.7:13. The Son of Man is the glorious "coming" one who "comes to find and restore the lost."

Faith expressing itself through love
      On the surface it looks like Zacchaeus was saved by his generosity, his kindness, his goodness ..., yet his generosity is really a consequence of his being saved. We should always remember that those who are forgiven much, love much.
      By grace, through faith, Zacchaeus found himself included in the coming day of salvation when the lost are gathered in, that day when the lost are welcomed into God's coming kingdom. He was included in the "now" for a future fulfillment. His inclusion was not because of his good works, but because of his spiritual standing with Abraham. His association with Abraham was not because of his righteousness under the law, nor because of his natural descent from the family of Abraham, but because of his faith. "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." In this same sense Zacchaeus is truly "a son of Abraham". He knew of Jesus, believed in Jesus, wanted to "see him", and "welcomed him gladly." In reaching out to Jesus, trusting Jesus for acceptance in the sight of God, he "became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith". He became a true "son of Abraham." His love, expressed in restitution and generosity, visibly expresses the salvation that was his through the Abrahamic instrument of faith.
      We too can claim Abraham as our father and so stand secure in the day of glory. Such is ours through faith in the risen Christ who promises us an eternal acceptance in the presence of God as a free gift of divine kindness.
      As for a thankful and generous heart, this is a natural consequence of the continuing work of the indwelling Spirit of Christ who promises renewal to all believers. If our loving seems stilted, confined, then we need to do nothing more than remember God's love toward us in Christ. Outcasts we might be, but our Lord happily invites himself into our homes, every moment of every day. In the power of that truth we are changed.

v1
      eiselqwn (eisercomai) aor. part. "Jesus entered [Jericho]" - having entered. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "was passing through."
      dihrceto (diercomai) imperf. "was passing through" - Durative, so he had entered Jericho and "was on his way through it", Barclay.

v2
      kai idou "-" - and behold. Serving to focus the readers attention, even promote surprise; "and suddenly", NJB.
      onomati kaloumenoV "by the name of" - by name being called. Pleonastic, a redundant duplication; "whose name was", NJB.
      ZakcaioV "Zacchaeus" - From the Hebrew of Zechariah, a good Jewish name.
      arcitelwnhV "chief tax collector" - Zacchaeus was the head government official in Jericho for the collection of revenue and probably most other government business. He would have purchased this rite, even tendered for it. Our equivalent, head of the department of taxation, does not fit since Zacchaeus was regarded by his fellow Jews as a traitor, in the pay of Rome. As part of the tax component, a percentage went to the tax collector, set at his discretion, heightening the people's hate of the profession. We may be better served if we call him "a powerful corrupt politician."
      polousioV adj. "wealthy" - rich. How hard is it for a person who has wealth to enter the kingdom of God? cf. 18:24. Obviously, not hard for a person who has faith.

v3
      ezhtei (zhtew) imperf. "he wanted" - he was seeking. Do we put the weight on his seeking of Jesus, or on Jesus' seeking of him? The imperfect is durative, so "he was trying to see Jesus", Barclay, possibly "eager to see", Fitzmyer.
      idein (eidon) aor. inf. "to see [Jesus]" - Infinitive of means, describing what "he wanted."
      tiV estin "who [Jesus] was" - who he is. Possibly "what Jesus was like", Moffatt, although better, "trying to see [among the crowd] which was Jesus", TNT.
      ouk hdunato (dunamai) imperf. pas. "he could not" - he was not able. Not able [to see]. "But he could not see him", NAB.
      apo + gen. "because [of the crowd]" - Here taking an uncommon meaning expressing cause or reason, as NIV.
      oJti "but" - since, that is. Here introducing an explanatory clause; "as he was so small in stature", Williams.
      th/ hJlikia/ (a) dat. "a short [man]" - in height [he was little]. Dative of respect, with respect to his height he was little. Obviously it is Zacchaeus who is short, not Jesus, as some have argued, although there is nothing intrinsically wrong with Jesus being named among "the short people"! Of course, as Nolland notes, as far as the crowd is concerned, Zacchaeus' littleness is more than just height and so no one is likely to get out of his way and let him see Jesus.

v4
      prodramwn (protrecw) aor. part. "so he ran ahead" - having run ahead. The participle is consecutive (result); he tried to see Jesus but was unable, with the result that / as a consequence of he ran ahead and ...." Also possibly temporal, "after running on ahead", TH.
      eiV to emprosqen "-" - [having run ahead] into the front. Pleonastic, redundant. Variant readings exist without this prepositional phrase.
      sukomorean (a) "sycamore-fig tree" - fig mulberry, sycamore fig. This tree looks like an Oak tree and can grow into a very large tree.
      iJna + subj. "to [see him]" - Forming a purpose clause "in order to see him." "To catch sight of Jesus", Fitzmyer.
      oJti "since" - because. Expressing cause or reason.
      ekeinhV gen. pro. "that way" - [he was about to pass] that. "Way" understood. Genitive of space; "he was about to pass through that way", Wallace.

v5
      anableyaV (anablepw) aor. part. "he looked up" - [Jesus] having looked up [said to him]. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "said", as NIV.
      speusaV (speudw) aor. part. "[come down] immediately" - having hurried [come down]. The participle is modal, a descriptive participle of manner, modifying the aorist imperative "come down"; "quickly come down", Bock.
      dei + inf. "[I] must [stay]" - it is necessary [for me to remain]. Divine imperative? Obviously, "stay overnight."
      shmeron adv. "today" - Some suggest there is allusion here to "the day", that coming day, which for Zacchaeus has come. The position is emphatic; "today I must stay at your house", NAB.

v6
      speusaV (speudw) aor. part. "at once" - having hurried. The participle is probably modal expressing the manner in which the action of the verb "came down" is accomplished; "he climbed down as quickly as he could", REB.
      cairwn (cairw) pres. part. "gladly" - rejoicing. Again, the participle is modal, expressing the manner in which he welcomed him. Possibly "gladly welcomed him", CEV, or "welcomed him joyfully", TNT. The image is of an outcast joyfully accepting, and thus entering, the coming kingdom. Marshall notes that Jesus' entry into Zacchaeus' home serves as a sign of forgiveness.

v7
      panteV "all" - Not just the Pharisees, but all the Jews "muttered their disapproval", Phillips.
      idonteV (eidon) aor. part. "[all the people] saw" - having seen. The participle is probably temporal; "when they saw this", Moffatt.
      diegogguzon (diagogguzon) imperf. "began to mutter" - were complaining, grumbling, murmuring. The imperfect is probably inceptive, highlighting the commencement of the action, as NIV; "they began muttering with indignation", Weymouth.
      oJti "-" - Here introducing direct speech.
      katalusai "to be the guest" - to lodge, rest. The infinitive is final, expressing the purpose of Jesus' entering Zacchaeus' home, namely, "in order to lodge with him", and he a sinner.
      para + dat. "of" - with. The position is emphatic; "with a sinful man, he entered in order to lodge." Jesus "has gone to stay with a real sinner", Phillips.

v8
      staqeiV (iJsthmi) aor. pas. part. "stood up" - having stood, having taken his stand. Attendant circumstance participle so, "Zacchaeus stood and said." The standing up possibly serves to underline the importance of what Zacchaeus was about to say, or better, as a reaction to the negative response of his neighbors, thus a defense of Jesus' visit to his home, now appropriate since he is a changed man; "Zacchaeus stood his ground and said", NJB.
      kurie (oV) "Lord" - lord, master, sir. "Lord" is surely intended, rather than just "sir".
      didwmi pres. "I give" - I am giving. The present tense here is interesting. The action is durative, but Zacchaeus is obviously not handing money over at the present moment, so is the action progressive, ie. he has, in the past, began giving and has continued giving into the present, or is it futuristic, ie. he is asserting his intention to give in the future? Probably not "I now give", Williams, or "I am giving", Rieu, but "I am going to give", Barclay.
      ta hJmisia pl. adj. + gen. "half" - Used here as an adjective, as NIV. A 50% giving regime is excessive; the Pharisees regarded 20% as generous. The adage applies here, those who are forgiven much love much.
      twn uJparcontwn (uJparcw) pres. part. "possessions" - that which exists. Participle forming a substantive. "My fortune", Rieu.
      idou "Look" - behold, pay attention. The position is emphatic serving to emphasize what follows.
      ei + ind. "if [I have cheated]" - Introducing a conditional clause, 1st. class, where the condition is assumed a reality. Zacchaeus has extorted, therefor best not translated "if", but rather, "from whomsoever I have wrongfully extracted anything", Marshall. Again, such theft would require the repayment of what was stolen + a fifth. Zacchaeus offers more than required by law.
      esukofanthsa (sukofantew) aor. "I have cheated" - I defrauded. "Unlawfully exacted", Nolland.
      apodidwmi "I will pay back" - I am paying back. Again, the present tense is futuristic, see above, as NIV.

v9
      proV + acc. "to" - to, toward [him]. Note that Jesus' words are in 3rd. person, which implies he is not speaking directly to Zacchaeus, but more likely to those who were complaining. So, not really "to him", but about him." "Jesus said of him", Moffatt.
      oJti "-" - introducing direct speech.
      shmeron adv. "today" - expressing the immediacy of salvation.
      swthria "salvation" - "Messianic salvation", meaning, of course, "the kingdom of God has come near to you", 10:9, present / bursting in upon, such that the believer is free to enter / is welcomed in.
      egeneto (ginomai) aor. "has come" - came, happened. "Salvation has happened in this house", Johnson.
      tw/ oikw/ (oV) "[to this] house" - [to this] house, family. A very interesting feature in the NT., especially in Acts, is the extension of salvation to the repentant person's house, household = family and servants, which is possibly the sense here, but see above. To what extent salvation applies to those under the care of the repentant head of the household is unclear. Are they actually saved, or are they simply brought into a blessed environment where they are better able to respond to the gospel and/or share in kingdom blessings?
      kaqoti "because" - because, for / as, as to the degree that. Expressing the reason why, as NIV.
      kai autoV "this man, too" - even this one; "even this tax-collector", Marshall.
      uiJoV Abraham "[is] a son of Abraham" - He is obviously a son of Abraham by descent so what is Jesus actually saying? The sense is unlikely to mean that Zacchaeus aligns with Abraham morally; possibly as a descendant of Abraham, Zacchaeus is entitled to "salvation", eg. Plummer, Bock, etc. - "because even this tax-collector is a Jew and so is entitled to salvation"; but probably better in the sense that Zacchaeus possesses the faith of Abraham - "because even this tax collector is a true son of Abraham, in that he possesses the faith of Abraham, and so is entitled to salvation", cf. Stein.