Zacchaeus’ parents must have had high hopes for their son. They named him Zacchaeus, after all, which means, “righteous one, pure one.” A name, as it turns out, which was rather ironic because he grew up to be the chief tax collector, not just a tax collector, but that person in charge of other tax collectors, the chief among cheats who extorted the exploiters and as a result got rich. I wonder if people rolled their eyes when they saw this short man coming to get the fees, fines, and burdens imposed by Rome. Here comes that “righteous one” who stole from those who are barely getting by and preyed on the poor, that “pure one” who would stop at nothing to collect the money that goes to the state and funds our oppressor and makes him rich in the process.

No wonder the crowd grumbled at Jesus’…