1 AND Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, [ so what do we know about Zacchaeus? He was a publican, as a matter of fact the chief publican. What was a publican? publicans were Jews who worked as tax collectors for the Roman government. The Jews generally disliked the publicans and considered them to be traitors and sinners.] and he was rich. [ Why do you suppose that this little comment would have been added at the end - he is rich? Was it a way of saying therefore he is self centered, he is one who would not look for the Messiah to come from humble means...]

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: [Zacchaeus is short and realizes that he will not get a good look at the Savior if he stays on the ground. So he runs a head and climbs up o a tree. This vert action allowed him to see the Savior but also cslled sttention to himself.] for he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; [ remember he is up in a tree, ] for to day I must abide at thy house. [ Who is doing the inviting here? Jesus is not waiting for an invitation he comes right out and asks. Any message for us today in these words? ]

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. [Zacchaeus had seen the Savior, so he was excited to learn more about him with the visit. Hpw often does Christ beckon to enter our lives, to live with us? How do we respond? ]

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. [ He was considered to be a sinner because of his profession as a tax collector - he would be considered a heathen.]

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. [ What he is tryig to say? is that the law was that figs and other provisions were exceedingly scarce in certain times so laws were enacted to make it illegal for those items to be exported from Attica. So when things were plentiful the law was considered by some to be of no value - because the purpose was not valid - but none the less the law still remained in place. So those that deemed the law useless in times of plenty would export their goods. It also provided a opportunity for others to maliciously bring harm to their neighvors by turning them in to the tax collectors - for something they did not even do. This is what he is talking about here restoring those who had taxes collected that were not due. The law required restution when it was proven that the tax collector had ober stepped his bounds. Here Zacchaeus is saying that I do not wait for the matter to come tojudgement I do my own homework and if a man is wronged I fix it immediately.so in otherwords he is trying to do the right thing recognizing that he makes mistakes, sometimes based on the actions of people that want to harm their neighbor..]

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. [The reference here is that Zacchaeus was a Jew by birth, but because of his work as a tax collected he would have been considere a heathen.]

10 For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

28 ¶ And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. [ so one might ask what significance does this request from Jesus have as a witness that he is the promised Messiah? The answer comes from one of the earliest Messianic prophecies found in Genesis. “Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes” (Genesis 49:11). For the Jews who were longing for the Messiah and constantly studying every Messianic prophecy, the never ridden tethered colt would hold great significance. Especially for the two unnamed disciples that were on the Lord’s errand. ]

31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

41 ¶ And when he was come near, [ His triumphant entry into the city had just ended. ] he beheld the city, and wept over it, [ The Savior is brought to tears over the condition of Jerusalem. Note what he says next. ]

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, [ If only you really knew who I AM, if so you would have seen things so differently. Think of what you could have had. ] even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, [ This will happen in about 40 years. ] and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. [ And here is the reason. They where not watching on the first watch, the second, or the third watch. Jesus keeps coming but they do not recognize him. Will we be that way? ]

45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes [ Those who were responsibile for in a way re-writing the scriptures of God. ] and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.