Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 19:4

"And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way." — Luke 19:4 (ASV)

And climbed up into a sycomore tree.—The name "sycomore" has been variously applied:

1. To a species of maple (Acer pseudo-platanus).
2. To the mulberry (Morus nigra), more properly "sycamine," as in Luke 17:6.
3. To the fig mulberry (Ficus sycomorus).

The last is the tree here meant. It grew to a considerable height in the Jordan valley and was much used by builders and carpenters (1 Kings 10:27).

The care taken by St. Luke to distinguish between the "sycamine" of Luke 17:6 (see the note on that verse) and the "sycomore" here may fairly be noted as an instance of botanical accuracy, such as was likely to be found in a physician.

We can picture the scene to our mind’s eye—the eager, wistful, supplicating face looking down from the fresh green foliage (it was early spring), and meeting the gaze of Jesus as He passed.