The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 134

God (E7oltim). The chiers of the theocracy " They shall look to me becnuse they in- 11h1Ll1 be C'ndowcd with 1111pem1Lt11r1Ll might, sulted," either reading the ll\et verb differ- the expression, "11e God," being expllLincd ently, or underste.nding it figure.tively in the in the next e!1Luse. Septu1Lgint, ,l,s olr<os sense of assailing with cutting words; but 8,oii. """ the house of God," &s if it were of there is no doubt about the true rcilding e.nd the heavenly flLmily. The translators seem interpretntion. Vulgate, .Aspicient ad me to have thought the genuine expression too quem con.fi.zerunt. " Me " has been 11,I tered in unqunlified. As the angel of the Lord some manuscripts into" him;" but this is an before them. Even as the angel of the evident gloss received into the text for con- Lord. who led the Ism.elites in a.II their troversial purposes, or to obvi11.te the sup- wanderings ( comp. Exod. xiv. 19; xxiii. 20 ; posed impropriety of representing Jehov11,h :rxxii. 34; Josh. v. 13). We see in this as slain by the impious. That St. John seems description an intimation of the graces and to sanction this reading id of no critical endowment.s bestowed upon every faithful importance, as he is merely referring to the member of the Church of Christ. prophecy historically, and does not profess , er. 9.-1 will seek to destroy. It shall to give the very wording of the prophet. A be alwavs mv aim and m.- care t.o destroy the suffering Messiah wu.s not an unknown idea enemies· of the Church, that they shall never in Zecharie.h's time. He has already spoken prendl ag&inst it. The words cannot apply of the Shepherd as despised and ill-treated, to the literal Jerusalem, &,,"'&inst which no e.nd a little fnrther on ( eh. xiii. 7) he inti- snch confederacy of nations was ever mates that he is stricken with the sword. formed. The prophecies of Ise.ie.h he.d familiarized him with the same notion (lee.. !iii., eto. ). Vers. 10-H.-§ 2. There shall ensue an And when he rep1·esents Jehovah as saying, outpouring of Goa's Spirit upon Israel, which " Me whom they pierced," it is not merely shall produu a great natumal repenf4nctJ. that in killing his messenger e.nd representa- tive they may be said to have killed him, but Ver. 10.-1 will pour. The word implies the prophet, by inspiration, acknowledges the abunde.nce (comp. Ezek :x:xxix. 29; Joel two natures in the one Person of Messiah, ii. 28). The house of David. etc. The even e.s Isaiah (ix. 6) called him the" Mighty leaders and the people alike, e.11 orders and God," and the psalmists often speak to the degrees in the theocracy. Jerusalem is ea.me effect (Ps. ii. 7 ; xl v. 6, 7 ; ox. 1, etc. ; named as the ea.pita.I and represente.tive comp. Micah v. 2). The "looking to" the of the nation. The spirit of grace and stricken Messiah began when they who saw of supplications. The spirit which bestows that woeful sight smote their breasts (Luke grace and leads to prayer. "Grace" here xxiii. 48); it was carried on by the preach- means the effects produced in me.n by ing of the apostles ; it shall continue till 1111 God's fe.vonr, that which makes the re- Israel is converted; it is re-ene.cted when- cipient plea.sing to God and delighting in ever penitent sinners turn to him whom his commandments (Heb. L 29). They ahsJ.l they have crucified by their sins. Critics look npon me whom they have pierced. have supposed that the person whose The Speaker is Jehovah. To "look upon murder is deplored is Is11.iah, or Urijah, or unto " implies trust, longing, and rever- or J eremie.h ; but none of these fulfill the ence (comp. Numb. :x:xi. 9; 2 Kings iii. H; prediction in the text. They shall mourn Ps. xxxiv. 5; Isa. x:xiL 11 ). We me.y say for him. There is a change of persons generally that the clanse intimates that the here. Jehovah speaks of the Messiah e.s people, who had grieved e.nd offended God distinct in Person from himself. As one by their sins e.nd ingratitude, should repent mourneth for hie only son . . . for his 11.rst- and turn to him in faith. Bnt there we.s e. bom. The depth e.nd poignancy of this lit.ere.I fulfilment of this piercing, i.e. !!laying mourning a.re expressed by e. double com- (eh. xiii. 3; Lam. iv. 9), when the Jews parison, the grief felt e.t the loss of e.n only crucified the Messiah, him who was God and son, and of the firstborn. Among the He- Me.n, e.nd of whom, e.s e. result of the hypo• brews the preservation of the family was static union, the properties of one natnre a.re deemed of vast importance, and its extinc- often predicated of the other. Thus St. tion regarded as a punishment e.nd a curse, Paul savs that the Jews crucified" the Lord l!O that the death of an only son would be of glory·" (1 Cor. ii. 8), and bids the Ephesian the heaviest blow that could happen (see elders "feed the Church of God, which he Isa.. xlvii. 9; Jer. vi. 26; Amos viii. 10). he.th purchased with his own blood" (Acts Peculiar privileges belonged to the first- xx. 28 ; for the reading 8•o~, see the critics). bom, e.nd his loss would be estimated fit. John (xir. 37) refers to these words of e.ccordingly (see Gen. xlix. 3; Exod. iv. 22; Zceharie.h a.a a prophecy of the Crucifiiion Dent. xxi. 17; Micah vi. 7). The mention (comp. Rev. i. 7). The LXX. renders, of" piercing," just above, seems to counect 'E1n/3AE'fOl'TO.I wpos l'-f o.Ye' ,'J,p ICO.T"'XJ>flfTO.l"TO, the pe.sse.,ge with the Passover solemnities en. xtr. 1-14.] THE HOOK OF ZECHARIATI.