The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 69

Vers. 9-15.-The matchless Man in history. "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Take of them of the Captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijab, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day." The crowning, the work, and the position of Joshua spoken of in these verses are obviously employed to symbolize some coming Man who would be matchless in all history. Concerning this matchless Man, we are here taught- I. THAT HE IS ONE WHOM HEAVEN COMMANDS THE PEOPLE TO HO~OUR. "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Take of them of the Captivity, even of Heldai, of 'fohijab, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zepbaniah; then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest." The prophet is commanded to go to certain of the more distinguished men who had returned from Babylonian captivity, representative men and envoys it may be. He was to take these men, whose names are here given, who were entertained in the house of another distinguished man, here called Josiah the son of Zephaniah. From that house the silver and gold which they had brought from Babylon were to be taken, with which crowns were to be made and placed upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest. By the general consent of expositors, this was a mere symbolical transaction-a transaction pointing to some great Man whom Heaven will require all men to crown with the highest dignity. The spirit of hero-worship is so strong in human nature that the servile multitudes of all times have been ready to fa.II down and render homage to most unholy characters. They hoist flags, ring bells, shout hurrabs, in honour of the laurelled butchers, crowned despots, and gorgeou., millionaires. This is one of the worst features of human depravity, one of the greatest obstructions to the progress of men and nations. But here is a character syrn bolized by the name of Joshua, to whom the people are called upon by God himself to render honour. Who is this Man? Can you find him anywhere amongst the Inillions of your contemporaries in any land, or on the page of the history of the people of any time? anywhere but in the records of the four evangelists-the Man Christ Jesus? "When he bringeth in the First Begotten into the world, he saith, Let all the angels of God worship him." And all heaven worships him. "I heard the voice of angels round about the throne," etc. II. THAT HIS PEDIGREE WAS STRIKINGLY SINGULAR, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the Man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord." He is a" Branch; " he has root somewhere; he has life, and he grows. It is here said, " He shall grow up out of his place." The reference is to some Man who grows on the earth, who is not of the earth. What man on the earth can be said to have grown out of his place? The earth is the place of all men during their stay here. It is their native home. Only one such Man we know of-the illustrious "Son of Mary." He came down from heaven and tabernacled on this earth, which w11s not his place. And here he f!:l'L'W iu body and mind, in the favour of God and man. Though there was nothing congenial with his Spirit here, still he grew and became the Prince of life, the Conq neror of death, and the moral Commander of the race. A great soul, dominated by a supreme sympathy with the Supremely Good, can grow anywhere, in its place or out of it. It •~ ,,.r,,r A nr A 'LT }I, 66 TlIE BOOK OF ZECHAJUAH. [err. VI, 1-1!3,