The short man in the tree

Zacchaeus is a chief tax collector, which means he is rich and hated, and he is short. He climbs a sycamore to see over the crowd, which is undignified for a man of his position — an indication of how badly he wanted to see. Jesus stops under the tree, looks up, and uses his name: Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. The crowd mutters that he has gone to be the guest of a sinner. Nobody preaches at Zacchaeus. He simply stands up at his own table and says he will give half his goods to the poor and repay fourfold anything he took by fraud. That is restitution beyond what the law required. Jesus says salvation has come to this house — after the dinner invitation, not as a condition of it.