The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 52

Ycrs. 11-14.-The olive trees and the candksticks: model reUgious teacJiers. "Then answered I, and said unto him," etc. This is not another vision, but an explanation of the one recorded in the preceding verses. The explanation is that the two branches of the olive tree which, by means of the two tubes of gold empty their oil, is that they represented" two anointed ones," or sons of oil. Perhaps Joshua and Zerubbabel are particularly referred to. "Because," says Henderson," when installed into office they had oil poured upon their heads e.s 11. symbol of the gifts and influences of the Holy Spirit, which alone could fit them rightly to discharge their important functions. Their ser~ices to the new state were of such value that they might well be represented :is fnrnishim: it, instrumentally, with what was necessary for enabling it to answer the purpose of its establishment." I shall take these two "anointed ones" as types of model religious teachers. Three things are suggested. I. THEY HA VE A HIGH ORDER OF LIFE IN THEM. They are represented by the olive branches. There are few productions of the vegetable kingdom that are of such a high order as the olive. Though not large, seldom rising higher than thirty feet, it has a rich foliage, beautiful :Bowers, abundant fruit, and withal is filled with precious oil. One tree contains often not less than a. thousand pounds of precious oil. Its fatness was proverbial (J udg. ix. 9); it is an evergreen, and most enduring. In short, it is marked by great beauty, perpetual freshness, and immense utility. It was one of the sources of wealth in Judrea., and its failure was the cause of famine. The emblems of a true teacher are not dead timber or some frail vegetable life, but an olive tree. Religious teachers should not only have life, but life of the highest order. They should be full of animal spirits, full of creative genius, full of fertile thought, full of Di'rine inspiration. Men whose vitality is of a low order are utterly disqualified to be public religious teachers. They should not be reeds, fragile, and with temporary foliage, but like a "green olive tree in the house of God." 'l'he curse of the modern pulpit is its lack of -oital,ity,freshness, and power. II. 'l.REY 0OMMUNIC.ATE THE MOST PRE0IOUS ELEMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE. They "empty the golden oil out of themselves." Whether the expression "golden" here signifies merely the richness of its colour or the preciousness of its property, it scarcely matters. It has been observed by modem travellers that the natives of olive countries manifest more attachment to olive oil than to any other article of food, and find nothing adequate to supply its place. Genuine religious teachers feed the lamp of universal knowledge with the most golden elements of truth. They not only give the true theory of morals and worship, but the true theory of moral restoration. What a high value Paul set on this knowledge ! "I count e.11 things but loss for the excellency of the know- ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." What are the true genuine religious teachers doing? 'l.'hey are pouring into the lamps of the world's knowledge the choicest elements of truth. Ill. '!'HEY LIVE NEAR TO THE GoD OF ALL TRUTH. "Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that staud by the Lord of the whole earth." 'l'hey "stand," a position of dignity; "stand," _a _position of wa.iting-wait!n_g to receive in~allible in~truc- tions ready to execute the D1vrne behests. All true relig10us teachers hve consciously near 'to God. To" stand by the Lord of the whole earth" is one thing, to be conscious of it is another. All "stand by" him; but few of the race are practically conscious of the position, and these few alone a.re the true teachers. CoNcLUBION. Let us, who are engaged in the office of public teaching, try ourselves by these criteria. The olive tree gave what it had in it-gave out its nature. So must we. Manufactured discourses, intellectual speculations, rhetorical flourishes,-these have no oiL-D. T. OD, V, 1-11.] THE BOOK OF ZECHARL\H. 49