The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 44

its "ppurtenRnces, ROOording t.o his notion of to the former pint of the clause, but tho the ,·ision. The Authorized Version seems accent is in favouroftbe Authorized Version. to give the correct idea of the passage, Thon shalt become a plain ; literally, into a whether we arrive at it by rejecting the p"lain ! A command. All obstacle_s she.ll first •· een•n." or by considering that it is be removed (comp. Isa.. xl. 4; xhx. 11 ; rep(lnt.ed for emph•sis' sake, as Cornelius & Matt. xvii. 20 ; Luke iii. 4, 5). Septua- La pick ,rnd Pressel think: "Seven are the gint, -roii 1<aTOp80XTa1 (intmns.), ·• that thou lnmps up(\n it-seven, I say, and seven the sbouldst prosper;" "ut conigns" (Jerome). pipes•· Take it as we may, the point is lie shall bring forth the headstone thereof. th11t the (\ii is well and copiously supplied "He" is evidently Zerubbabel. He sho.ll to the several lights. commence and put the finishing stroke to Yer. 3.-Two olive trees. These, as ex- the work of rebuilding the temple. Many plained in ver. 12, discharged the oil from commentat.ors take this stone to be the one th, ir fruit-bee.ring branches into conduits 0 that oompletes the building, "the top-stone." which led to the central reservoir. Without But it may well be questioned whether o. man's agency the oil is separated from building like the temple could have any the berry and keeps the lamps constantly such stone. An arch or a pyramid may supplied (comp. Rev. ii. 4). have a crowning stone, but no other edifice; Yer. 4.-What are these, my lord t The nor is there any proof that snch a. top-stone question mar refer to the two olive trees, was known or its erection celebrated. It which were n novelty to the prophet, who,, may be a mere metaphor for the comple- of course, was well acquainted with the tion of the work. It is better, however, to form and use, if not the symbolism, of the take it as the corner-stone, to which we candelabrum. But it may also be taken as know great importance was attached (comp. desiring information about the whole vision. Job xx.xviii. 6; Ps. cxviii. 22, etc.). This Yer. -5.-Xnowest thou not! The angel stone, on which the building rests, Zerub- speaks not so much in surprise nt the babel will bring forth from the workshop; prophet's slowness of comprehension (comp. as the next verses say, his hands have laid John iii. 10) as desirous of calling bis most the foundation. That action, already past, serious attention t.o the coming explanation. is represented as futuw, the regular com- Ver. 6.-Thi!; is the word of the Lord mencement of the work under Zerubbabel's unto Zern.bbabel. The Lord's message nnt.o direction being intimated, and its happy Zerubbabel is the purport of the vision, viz. conclusion promised. •Septuagint, Kal i(olcrui that his work will be accomplished through .,.;ti., 71.l8oi, ri)s 1<ll.11poi,oµ.las, " And I will bring the grace of God a.lone. Not by might. forth the stone of the inheritance"-the Septuagint, "not by great might;" but the meaning of which is obscure, though Jerome Vulgate, "not by an army." The word explains it by considering it an allusion t.o is almost synonymous with the following, Christ. With shouting&, crying, Graoe, translated power; and the two together grace unto it! All the by-standers, as mean that the effect is to be produced, not the stone is placed, shout in acclamation, by any human means, however potent. "God's favour rest upon it I" (Ezra. iii. 10). Doubtless Zerubbabel was dispirited when The LXX. seems to have mistaken the he thought how much there was to do, how sense, rendering, 'Icro-r11-ra xlip1Tos xd.p,-ra feeble the means at his disposal (Neb. iv. 2), alrr:;,,, "The grace of it the equality of and how formidable the opposition ; and grace" (John i. 16); and to have led St. nothing could better reassure him than the Jerome astray, who translates, "Et exrequa- promise of Divine aid. But by my Spirit. bit gratiam gratim ejus," and comments The angel does not say expressly what is to thne: "We all have received of his fulness, be done ; but the purpose that filled the and grace for grace, that is, the grace of the minds of Zecharia.h e.nd Zern.bbe.bel applied gospel for the grace of the Law, in order the word. The operations of the Spirit are that the Israelites and the heathen who manifold, and his aid alone could bring believe may receive equal grace und a like these mighty things t.o ,pass. The oil is a blessing." The Targum recognizes here a figure of the grace of the Holy Spirit; e.nd Messianic prophecy: "He will reveal the e.s the lamps are not supplied by human Messiah whose Name is spoken of from all hands, but directly from the olives, so the eternity, and he shall rule over an· the good work now undertaken shall be sup- kingdoms." ported by Divine means (see on ver. 14). Ver. 8.-The word of the Lord came unto Ver. 7.-Who art thou, 0 great mountain t me. The word ea.me through the interpreting Th€: "mountain" is a figurative expression angel, as is clear from the expression in to denote the various difficulties that stood ver. 9, "The Lord ha.th sent me unto you." in ZArubbabel's way and impeded the He explains more fully what had been currying out of his great delrign. Before already announced figuratively. Zerubbabel. The Vulgate affixes these words Ver. 9.-.Have laid the foundation. Zerub- OH, IV, 1-14,] THE TIOOK OF ZECHARIAH. 41