And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. Zaccheus - It is not unlikely that this person was a Jew by birth, see Luke 19:9; but because he had engaged in a business so infamous, in the eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a mere heathen, Luke 19:7.
Chief among the publicans - Either a farmer-general of the taxes, who had subordinate collectors under him: or else the most respectable and honorable man among that class at Jericho.
He was rich - And therefore the more unlikely to pay attention to an impoverished Messiah, preaching a doctrine of universal mortification and self-denial.