The Sycomore Tree

Luke 19:4 - And he [Zacchaeus] ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him [Jesus]: for he was to pass that way.

Sycomore - not like our sycamore tree today. The sycomore is a tree with low, wide branches, bearing edible but untasty figs. Easy to climb and often planted by roadsides for the benefit of the poor, the sycomore is associated with the poor, who gathered and ate the figs, like in Amos 7:14. Here, a rich man climbs the tree of poor men.

Zacchaeus was not ashamed to lay aside his station in life, run before the crowd like a little boy, and climb into the tree of the poor, all in order to see Jesus. "I wish there were more of us who did not mind being laughed at if only what we did helped us to see Jesus." (Maclaren).

VM