And Zacchaeus was not just a tax collector… he was the chief tax collector. He ran the whole operation in Jericho, one of the wealthiest cities in the region, sitting on major trade routes where goods moved constantly, and every cart, every merchant, every transaction was an opportunity to take a cut.
His neighbors knew exactly how he had gotten rich. He had gotten rich by bleeding them.
For the church workers, it cost many hours of labor; for Jesus, it cost Him His life. When we identify ourselves with the needs of others, we put love into action. And that is exactly what the Son of God, Son of Man did on the cross.
There is a great chasm separating the two realms of the dead – one is paradise and the other a place of torment. The rich man looked up and saw Abraham afar off and said to him, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”