Hi there! This episode I chose to share what I have learned after deeper study of the story of Zacchaeus, AKA "the wee little man". I always wondered about the extreme hatred and disgust Jews had against tax collectors. A deep dive made me better understand why the wee man was probably hated more than most. I talk about sycamore trees, the difference between Publicani vs hired tax collectors, the taxes themselves and what was the treatment toward collectors. It's always refreshing to see that, where people only see unredeemable trash, Jesus saw a person with value and worthy of His time.

Reference: Luke 19:1-10

C. R. Koester: ⁠https://enterthebible.org/time-period/judea-during-roman-rule⁠

E. Schürer: ⁠https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Tax-Collector⁠

⁠https://bible-history.com/taxcollectors/their-history⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://www.evidenceunseen.com/theology/historical-theology/tax-collectors/⁠⁠