Jesus and Zacchaeus: 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. Luke 19:8

Wealth has always been a controversial topic in the New Testament, and there are many anecdotes about this issue in the Gospel of Luke, such as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, or the story of the rich young man who could not follow Jesus and obtain the gift of eternal life because he loved riches in Luke 18:18-23.
But it is important to understand something: Jesus never condemned the rich, but rather condemned the excessive desire to obtain riches or the misuse of them, because this is what prevents men from entering the Kingdom of God, and a demonstration of this fact was the story of Jesus with Zacchaeus, who was chief of the publicans, that is, chief of the tax collectors. And about riches, Jesus' thinking was always very clear and followed a teaching from the wisdom of the Old Testament: wealth is necessary and good if it is free from sin.
The Gospel of Luke recounts that Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to make his triumphal entry, but first, he arrived in the city of Jericho, where Zacchaeus lived. And Zacchaeus, as the gospel tells us, found out that Jesus was approaching his house and climbed a tree to see him because he was short in stature. And when Jesus saw Zacchaeus, he said to him: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today" Luke 19:5. And Zacchaeus, moved by Jesus' words, replied: "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" Luke 19:8. Jesus, then filled with joy at Zacchaeus's response, announced the salvation of this notable tax collector and his family.
Zacchaeus is an example of the response demanded by Jesus for those who seek eternal life and spiritual salvation above all else. The Kingdom of God demands a change of heart, for thus arises the renewed man from on high. Zacchaeus repented sincerely and thus allowed himself to be blessed by the mercy and free forgiveness of Jesus. The character of Zacchaeus is similar to Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who saw in Jesus a very special person with a mission in the world.

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