Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Luke 19:2
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And behold [there was] a man named Zacchaeus, etc.] Or yakz, “Zaccai”, a name in use among the Jews; (see <150209>Ezra 2:9). We often read of yakz ybr, “Rabbi Zaccai”, or “Zacchaeus” f601, and very frequently of R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a famous doctor that lived in the times of Christ, and even till after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Jews also make mention of one R. Zaccai, a prince of the seed of David the king, in later times f602. So that this man, as appears by his name, was a Jew, though some have thought him to have been a Gentile f603, perhaps because of his employment: but it does not follow from thence; for there were Jews that were publicans, as Levi, or Matthew, afterwards one of Christ's disciples; and also in Jewish writings, mention is made, as of yrkn skwm, “a stranger”, or “a Gentile publican” f604, so likewise of larçy skwm, “an Israelite publican” f605; and such an one was Zacchaeus, as follows: which was chief among the publicans; the head of them in that place, to whom the rest brought the tax, tribute, or toll; he was the receiver general of the tax: at the toll booths, at bridges, for people's going over the water, there was lwdg skwm, “the greater publican”, and ˆwjq skwm, “the lesser publican” f606, who was deputy to the other. What sort of tax Zacchaeus was concerned in collecting, is not certain; however, he was a principal man in this employ, and had got great riches by it. And he was rich; was a person of figure among the publicans, and of substance, which he had gained in his post. And though the instances of rich men being called by grace are few, yet there have been some; and the rather this circumstance is mentioned, because it had been observed in the preceding chapter, how difficult, but not impossible, as this instance proves, it was for rich men to enter into the kingdom of God.
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