The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 35

their presence and fel!oWBhip. Here is incense. But it was more probl\b}y none RdumbrRted thRt aooe~s to God whioh the of these, but some rough, unhewod bloolr Christian enjoys in Christ (John xiv. 6; not yet polished or fittc,l into its place'. Eph. ii. 18). This is more fully revealed What doos it l'Opresent? l\lar1.y oritios of in the n0xt vflrso. note l\nswer at onoe, the Messil\h. He who Ver. 8.-Hoarnow; 1&1<ou• 8-i, (Septu&gint). was ahove ce.lled " Branch " is now 01111ml JoshuR is called upon to give all bis atten- the "Stone." And certninlv this term in t.inn to the import,rnt announcL"ment that app_lied unto h_i_~ in, prophcticnl lnngun.ge, fnl10ws, which promises a very great boon as m Isa. xxvm. ](j; Ps. cxviii. 22; and in the future. Thy fellows that Bit before references are made to the e.ppclll\tion is thee. His fellow-priests, who took t.heir the New Testament o.s to a well-known orden- from him 11,nd sat with him in council title, e.g. Matt. xxi. 42; Eph. ii. 20. But (cnmp. 2 Kings iv. 38 ; Ezek. viii. 1, etc.). there are objections to taking this as the These priests were not seen in the vision. primary sense. As Knabenbauer points out Keil considers thnt the address, to which it is not likely that in one ve1·se the Lord'~ Joshua's attention is ca,lled, begins at Servant Branch is so.id to be destined to be "Thou and thy fellows." For (or, yea) they brought forth, e.nd in the next the so.me is are men wondered at; Septuagint, 61&T1 called the stone which is set before Joshua li.v5p,s -repaTotT1<&1ro, eltT{, " men observers of e.nd has to be graven by e. hand Divine. wonders:" Vulgate, Quia 'IJ'iri portendentes Besides, if both terms mean Messie.h, we runt (see Isa. Yiii. IS). The phrase would be have the very le.me conclusion: I will bring better rendered, "men of portent, sign, or Messiah because I he.ve e.Iree.dy placed him type." Revised Version gives," men which before Joshua. The stone, too, is represented are a sign," i.e. who foreshadow some futnre e.e somewhat under the mane.gement of events, whose persons, office, duties, typify Joshua, and needing graving o.nd polishing, and look forward to good things to come. neither of which fncts apply to thii Messiah. I will bring forth my Servant the BRA.NCR. Putting on t of sight other interpretations This is wl.Jy they are called typical men, which are all more or less inadmissible, we because God is making the antitype to shall be safest in considering the stone to sppcar. The word rendered "branch" represent the theocracy, the spiritual king- <_Uemach) is translated by the Septuagint dom of Israel, now indeed lying imperfect a.vaToAti>, which is used in the sense of and unpolished before Joshua., but ordained •·shoot" as well as "sunrise" (see Jer. to become beautiful and extensive and xx.ii..i. 5; Ezek. xvi. 7; xvii. 10), e.nd by the admirable. So Daniel (ii. 35, 45) speaks of Vulgate, orientem. So the Syria.a and the stone cut out of the mountains without Arabic (comp. Lnke i. 78). Most inter- he.nds, which filled the whole ee.rth, a figure preters rightly see here a reference to the of the Church and kingdom of God, small Messiah. Some few have fancied that in its beginning, but in the end establishing Zerubbabel and Neheruial.J are meant: but its rule over the world. Upon one stone; the appellation, " my Servant Branch," bas LXX., ,1rl ,,-bv /1.(9011 .,.b,, ev11, "upon the already been applied in prophetical language one stone." The stone is termed "one" to Messiah, and ce.nnot be distorted to e.ny in contrast with the number seven that inferior B11bject, such as e. mere civil ruler. follows. Shall be (a1·e) seven eyes. Upon Messiah is often called the Lord's" Servant," this stone the eyes of God are directed in e.g. Isa. xiii. 1 ; xliii 10; Iii. 13, etc. .And watchful care ( comp. eh. iv. 10: and for the terms, " Branch," or "Rod," or " Shoot," the phrase, see I Kings viii. 29 ; Ps. xxxiii. referring to Messiah, are found in Isa.. iv. 2; 18; x:xxiv. 15; Jer. xxxix. 12). "Seven" xi 1 ; Jer. xx.ii..i. 5; xx.xiii 15. From the is the number of perfection, and me.y depressed house of David e. scion shonld denote here the infinite care which God spring, in whom all that we.e prophesied takes of his Church, even BS St. John concerning tbe priesthood e.nd kingdom of in the Revele.tion (i. 4; v. 6) beheld the Israel should find its e.ccomplisb.ment. Lamb "having seven eyes, which are the Ver. 9.-:ror behold. Tb.is gives the seven Spirits of God aent forth into e.11 reason why the "Bre.nch" is brought forth; the earth." The expression is metaphorical, the Church is to be firmly established e.nd and we are not to suppose, with Ewald, the.t e.11 iniquity to be abolished. The stone that the eyes were grnven on the stone, or the.t I have le.id (•et) before J'oshue.. In the Zechariah derived hie notion from the tenets vision 11 stone is seen lying at the feet of of Zoroaster or the degrees of rank in the Joshua, either the fou11dation-stone of the Persian court. 'rhere may be an nllusion temple, say the commentators, or tbe corner- to the seven gifts of the Spirit with which stone, or the coping; or, a.a the Talmud Messiah is anointed (lea. xi. 2), nnd which testifies, a atone that rose some three fingers' animate and strengtlien his body, the measure above the ground, and upon wl.Jich Church. I will engrave the graving thereof. tht: high pri01!t used to set the censer of As God engraved the tables of the Le.w (Exod. err. m. 1-10.J 'l'HE BOOK OF ZECHARTAH. 31