Why is Jericho Important?
July 17, 2026
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
July 24, 2026We are in week six of our summer study, The Testimony of Faithful Witnesses. In June, we studied Old Testament witnesses. This month, we are looking at those who said yes to Jesus Christ and became witnesses to Him.
Today’s lesson is called, “Zacchaeus: The Publican” and comes from Luke 19.
Historical Background
Today’s lesson is about Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector from Jericho. Long after the famous Biblical story of Joshua and the destruction of Jericho, the city continued to be a major focus of trade well into the first century A.D. and beyond. So why was Jericho important?
Jericho is the oldest city in the world at 10,500 years old. It is the lowest city in the world at 670 feet below sea level. The site has over 20 cities, each built on top of the previous one. With the exception of a few centuries following the destruction of City IV (probably by Joshua and the Israelites around 1400 B.C.), Jericho has been more or less continually occupied, including a thriving city today. So what makes Jericho important?
The answer is location and resources. Jericho is located at the northern end of the Great African Rift Valley that starts in East Africa and stretches to the Middle East. Jericho is located in the deepest section of the rift.
Rainfall in the area is negligible, averaging only 6.4 inches per year. Average temperatures are fairly mild; 59°F in January and 88° F in August (although summer temperatures can reach 100°). Jericho lies in an arid plain on the west side of the Jordan River Valley. What rain falls in the Judean Hills to the west flows underground along planes of rock that discharge in a series of three springs (Ein es-Sultan, Ein Duk, Ein Nu’erima). Ein es-Sultan, the spring at Jericho, pumps out between 3,000-5,000 gallons of cold clear water per minute. This irrigates an area of approximately 2,500 acres. Today, this area produces grapes, figs, pomegranates, dates, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and large bunches of small, very sweet bananas.
In the ancient past, the area around Jericho grew wild barley, double-rowed barley, and emmer wheat. Archeological evidence shows that the region also once had large stands of sycamore (mulberry fig), date palms, tamarisk, and balsam trees. Marc Anthony gave the land around Jericho to Cleopatra so that she would have a source of balsam for her perfume.
The area was once inhabited by leopards, ibex, and gazelles. Jericho is so unique it is often called “a place by itself.”
In addition to its abundant freshwater supply, favorable climate, alluvial soil, and near permanent sunshine, Jericho is strategically located. From Jericho, one has access to the heartland of Canaan (Palestine). Roads from Jericho lead into northern Palestine, Central Palestine, and to Jerusalem (15 miles away). All trade routes traveling from the East to the Palestine coast went through Jericho. Later in the first century A.D., all Jewish travelers between Galilee and Jerusalem traveled along the River Jordan to Jericho before going west (this was to avoid traveling through “unclean” Samaria). As a result, Jericho became a major center for regional trade. Jericho had ready access to bitumen, sulfur, and salt – all were valued trade items. Trade in balsam from Ein Gedi (34 miles to the south) went through Jericho. Balsam was the key ingredient in perfume which made it one of the most valuable products in the entire Roman Empire.
Archeologically, exotic trade items such as copper, obsidian, precious stones, and even hippo ivory from Africa have been recovered from Jericho. Because of its abundant water and mild temperatures, Herod the Great built his winter palace at Jericho.
Lesson: Luke 19:1-10; 19:11-27
OK, time to get your Bibles out and turn to Luke 19. Key highlights of these verses are as follows:
1. Luke 19 – V1-10: This is the story of Zacchaeus (Latinized from Hebrew “Zakkal” meaning innocent or pure), the tax collector from Jericho. This story is only found in the Gospel of Luke. The position of Tax Collector in the Roman Empire was a bid business whereby all candidates bid on the level of taxes they could collect. The high bidder got the job and was held to his mark of bid with failure meaning going to prison. Any income was expected to be made from over collecting on taxes. All of the Roman balsam trade (from Ein Gedi 34 miles to the south), which was the key ingredient in perfume, went through Jericho. Many other trade goods (salt, sulfur, pitch, etc.) also went through Jericho. Therefore the position of Tax Collector was a very lucrative job.
Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus and wanted to see and meet him. He was a short man and could not see above the growing crowd. Jesus was traveling on the eastern side of the Jordan as was the tradition of not traveling through Samaria. He is on His last trip to Jerusalem. Zacchaeus runs ahead of the crowds and climbs up on a branch of a sycamore tree. Jesus sees him and calls him by name to come down out of the tree because Jesus wants to have dinner with him at his house. Of course, all the Pharisees and teachers of the law say that Jesus is consorting with sinners if he goes to Zacchaeus’ home. Zacchaeus on the other hand is instantly convicted of his sins and says he will give half of his wealth to the poor and if he has cheated anyone, he will repay them four-fold.
Conclusions to Luke 19
Today’s lesson consists of two stories: (1) the story of the conversion of Zacchaeus, and (2) the Parable of the Servants and the 10 Minas.
The message in Zacchaeus’ conversion and repentance of his sins is regardless of what you have done in life, you can always repent and change. You are not a prisoner of your past record as long as your repentance is truly sincere.
In the Parable of the Servants and the 10 Minas, we need to remember that much of the Gospel of Luke deals with the coming of God’s Kingdom. The Nobleman (ruler), who many of his subjects do not want Him to be made King, is Jesus and his subjects are the non-believers among the Jews. The servants are his followers and the minas represent the Gospel and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Those that take the gifts of the Holy Spirit and put them to the Kingdom’s use, are rewarded whereas those that have been given the Gospel and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and do nothing with them, those gifts are then taken away.
What Jesus is saying is that to be a disciple of Christ, there is a cost and some risk. Just saying you are “a Christian” is not enough. You must also be an active disciple for Christ in the world.
Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive us for the time we have spent sitting on your gifts
and not using them fully to your service. Empower us to more fully
utilize what has been given to each of us and help us to offer the
fullness of our lives, imperfect as they are, to your use and your
glory. In Christ’s name, we pray, Amen.
Next week we move to a lesson on probably the most famous woman from the New Testament, “Mary, The Mother of Jesus”. As our historical background, I will talk about what is known fact and what is myth about Mary.
Have a great week in the Lord and I will see you next week.
Dub
