Vere. 7-14.-A final opportunity. "And I will feed the flock of slaughter,'' etc. Although the "flock" of Israel was ripe for "slaughter "-as we saw in our last-there was to bo, nevertheless, e. certain measure of pause before that slau::,;hter began (comp. 1 Pot. iii. 20). Israel should hear again, if only once more, an offer of peace. Our present very difficult pass11ge may, perhaps, be understood as describing how such an offer was ma.de to rebellious Israel-just previously to that destruction of J eru:salem which seems predicted in the preceding verses-by our Lord himself (the good Shepherd) and bis apostles. Also it seems to describe to us how that final offer was met. These, accordingly, are the ~--,o points on which we would speak; viz. (1) that momentous offer; and (2) its momentous results. I. 'l'IIE NATURE OF T.ElIS FINAL OFFER. This seems to be represented to UB: 1. By the good Shepherd's resolve. "I will feed the flock "-I will attend to them carefully; I will offer them all they require. Also: 2. By the good Shepherd's implemenls. These are two, we read, called" Beauty" and" Bands." By the one we may, perhaps, under- stand (see Ps. xc. 17; xxvii. 4; eh. ix. I 7, supra; Isa. Iii. 7) the abounding favour and grace and love of the message of Christ. Though he came to a "generation" altogether deserving condemnation and death (Matt. xii. 34, 39; xxiii. 32, 33; Acts ii. 40), he came not to condemn, but to save (John iii. 17; xii. 47; Luke ix. 56). By the other we may, perhaps, understand the special limitation of the personal message of Christ (Matt. xv. 24); as also, in the first instance, of that of his apostles (Matt. x. 5, 6 ; Acts xiii. 46). There was especial favour-there was almost exclusive favour-in this final offer of Christ to'' his own" (John i.11, second clause). II. ITB MOMENTOUS RESULTS, These appear to have been of two very different kinds. 1. In the ca.se of the Jewish teachers and people at large they proved to be of a very painful and calamitous kind. On the one hand, these teachers and people contemp- tuously rejected the gracious offers of Christ. 'l'o them there was no degree whatever of" beauty," either in his character or his teaching (see ver. 8, end; and comp. Isa. liii. 2; John vii. 12, 13; xix. 7; Matt. xxvi. 66; xxvii. 63). By them, therefore, tbe peculiar favour he offered was utterly scorned (John xix. 15; xviii. 40; and such passages as Acts xiii. 45; 1 Thess. ii. 15, etc.); and he himself, in a certain mo~ remarkable and significant manner; only estimated and valued at the price of a slave (vers. 12, 13; Matt. xxvi. 15; xxvii. 9, 10; Exod. xxi. 32). On the other hand, this being so, both the Saviour's feelings and conduct towards them became changed. Instead of favour there comes" loathing" ( or indignation and grief; see Mark iii. 5 ; Luke xix. 41-46); instead of a special offer of mercy, the coming down of special judgment, in a singularly rapid and terrible manner, on the highest persons or· classes amongst them ('' three shepherds in one month"); instead of deliverance, utter desertion (ver. 9 compartod with Matt. xxiii. 38; Luke xxi. 22-24); and instead of the limitation of favour to them, the manifest transference of it from them to the rest of mankind (Acts xiii. 46; xviii. 6; xxviii. 28; Rom. xi. 11). 2. At the same time, in the case of the less esteemed and less eminent portion of the flock of Israel, there were results of a different kind. In their case the Shepherd's gracious offer was not only made, but also received. As he resolved (" I will feed even yon, 0 poor of the flock") in their case, so he did ( end of ver. 7; see also Matt. xi. 6; Luke iv. 18; Mark xii. 37). In their case, again, the Shepherd's message was duly honoured and highly prized as being indeecl "the Word of the Lord" (ver. 11, end; comp. Matt. xvi. 16; John vi. 68; xvi. 30). Even that comparative and temporary rejection of the Jews, which we suppose to be described in vers. 8, 9, 10, and 14, contributed greatly among the" poor" of the Gentiles to tbeir establishment in this faith (see, age.in, ver. 11, and such passages as Rom. xi. 11, 25, beginning of 28, 30 ; 1 Cor. i. 26). From this view of the passage-or, at any rate, from this review of those undoubted New 'l'estament facts to which we have supposed it to point-two concluding reflections seem to arise. 1. How obdurate is man's nature! We have become so familiar with the story of the rejection of Obrist by his own people, that it does not always surprise us as it ought. Yet how exceedingly surprising it is! Greater power, greater wisdom, greater goodness, could not possibly have been combined. Should we not also have said, at first, that they could not possibly have been resisted? No wonder the apostle speaks with such evident amazement e.s he does in John i. 11 (mpra); see also John xii. 11, 37. 2. How wonderful are God's ways I The rejection of Christianity by those to whom i~ 124 THE BOOK OF ZECHA.RIA.H. [OII, XI.1-17,
fil'l't c11.me h11.s been overruled to furnish its best evidence in the eyes of the rest of mankind. By crucifying their Messiah the Jews crowned him as ours. It reminds Ull of the words of the poet-
" From seeming evil still eduoing good, And better thenoe again, and better still, In infinit.e progression."