False Accusations

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8

The words, “false accusation,” come from the Greek word sukophanteo, from which comes our English word, “sycophant,” a “flatterer” or “accuser.” Literally it means “fig-informer” or “fig-identifier.”

This job [tax collector] involved inspecting, and consequently stopping the illegal exporting of figs, thus preventing them from leaving the country, and keeping them were they belonged – especially in times of drought. The term became synonymous with fraud and extortion. Perhaps a few figs here and there went unnoticed, for a price.

(Meyer, Allen R., Insects and Other Critters of the Bible, Bible-Student Resources, Claimont, Alberta, Canada, 1997, pg 48)