Zacchaeus The Tax Collector
Jesus said "Zacchaeus , come down immediately, I must stay at your house today." Jesus stays with Zacchaeus for a meal; noon or night meal we are not told.
Then, Jesus leaves Jericho and walks towards Jerusalem and his death in 10 days time.
Next "Bible Module" Easter - Palm Sunday to Pentecost.
Background Reading:
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.'"
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Further reading Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, John 12:13-1
More Information:
Zacchaeus
Zacchaeus name means "Pure One".
Jesus sets out from Jericho [City of Palms] to Jerusalem about 24km (15miles), approximate 4-8 hours all up hill. Jericho 825 feet below sea level and Jerusalem 2,610 feet above. A total climb of 3,425 feet. The custom was that you started early morning with rest in the middle of day.
The hill or tel of Jericho has been occupied since 800BC and is some 800 feet or 230 meters below sea level. The dead sea 1,300 feet or 400 meters below sea level is the lowest area on earth below sea level. Whereas the sea of Galilee or the Lake of Tiberias is only 700 feet or 200 meters below sea level.