A Prophecy of the coming Messiah and his kingdom

In Hebrew Zakar-Yah, "the Lord remembers."

Identity of Zechariah

His prophecies are referred to the second and fourth years of Darius, 519 and 517 B.C. Zechariah began to prophesy two months after Haggai (Aggeus). In the opening verse of Zechariah he is termed "the son of Barachias, the son of Addo." In Nehemiah 12:1-4, we read of an Addo who came up with Zorobabel from Babylon, and in verse 12:16 we find a priest Zechariah of the family of Adaia; while in Esdras 5:1 and 6:14, Zechariah the Prophet is called "son of Iddo (Addo)," the intermediate "Barachias" being omitted. Hence we may conclude that the Prophet was also a priest. That he was the Prophet who was "slain between the temple and the altar," Matthew 23:35, seems highly improbable, the Jews would hardly have slain a Prophet in those days, cf. Haggai 1:12. In the LXX, Psalms 145-148 are attributed to Haggai and Zechariah.

Object of the Prophecy of Zechariah

Haggai had dwelt upon (a) the re-building of the Temple and (b) the resuscitation of the Davidic House; Zechariah is concerned with the same two questions, but far more with the latter, i.e. the resuscitation of the Messianic kingdom.

Divisions of the Book of Zechariah

Chapter 1:1-6.

Introduction; they must turn to God.

Chapters 1:7 -thru- Ch. 6.

Seven visions and one symbolic action.

Zechariah 1:7-17. The first vision, on the 21st day of the eleventh month; the Prophet is shown the horsemen among the myrtle-bushes; the punishment of the Nations and the restitution of Jerusalem is promised: "it is now the seventieth year."

Zechariah 1:18-21. The second vision; the four Horns signifying the oppressors of Israel; the four Smiths signifying those who are to remove these same oppressors,

Zechariah 2:1-13. The third vision; the measuring-rod, the future Messianic city.

These first three visions are concerned with the foundation of the Messianic kingdom.

Zechariah 3:1-10. The fourth vision; Joshua's filthy garments are replaced by spotless ones, a miter is put upon his head, and he and his friends are designated portending men, for, behold, I will bring My Servant the Orient.

Zechariah 4:1-14. The fifth vision; the Prophet is shown the golden candlestick and the two olive-trees, the symbols of the royal power.

Zechariah 5:1-11. The sixth vision; the Prophet is shown the roll flying, the vessel, the talent of lead, and the Woman in the vessel; symbols of iniquity which is to be removed.

Zechariah 6:1-8. The seventh vision; he is shown the four chariots representing the Spirit of God which passes throughout the earth.

Zechariah 6:9-15. The Symbolic action; the Prophet is told to place a golden crown on the head of Joshua, for Behold, a Man, the Orient is His Name. The union of the priestly and the kingly powers is thus symbolized.

The first three visions signify, as already said, the foundation of the Messianic kingdom; the fourth and fifth are concerned with the Royal and Priestly Messiah; the sixth and seventh with certain features of the kingdom.

Chapters 7-8.

An address in the fourth year of Darius.

7. To keep the commandments is of more importance than to observe the fasts. 8. The Messianic promises are insisted on as an incentive to the observance of the commandments.

Chapters 9-14.

Two "Burdens"

(a) Zechariah 9:1-7. The "Burden" upon Syria, Phoenicia, and Philistia.

Zechariah 9:8-17. But mercy shall be shown to Israel: Behold thy King will come to thee, the Just and Savior.

Zechariah 10-11. A reprobation of the evil "shepherds" who have neglected the flock entrusted to them. In spite of them abundant mercy shall be poured out upon Israel. By means of a symbolic action the Prophet shows what God will do to the rebellious ones of Israel, 11:7-17.

(b) Chapters 12-14. The "Burden" on Israel.

Zechariah 12:1-14. An assault upon Jerusalem; it shall bring ultimate relief to the city. It is remarkable that the punishment and relief are described in practically alternating strophes.

Zechariah 13:1-6. A fountain shall spring up in Jerusalem; all false prophets and all idols shall be swept away, and "I will say: thou art My people, and they shall say: the Lord is my God."

Zechariah 14:1-21. The final onslaught on Jerusalem; the Lord shall judge them; finally all Nations shall come to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Authenticity of Chapters 9-14

There can be no question but that the tone of these chapters is quite different from that of the preceding ones, and it is well known that St. Matthew, 27:9, quotes Zechariah 11:12-13, as "Jeremiah." We may briefly present the arguments for and against their attribution to Zechariah as follows:

Against their Authenticity.

1. The style changes.

2. The interpreting angel disappears.

3. In chapters 1-8 every allusion is to the time of Zechariah, while in chapters 9-14. it is hard to see the agreement with his period.

4. In chapters 9-14 occur frequent allusions to the half-built Temple, the growing city, etc.

5. In chapters 9-14 the Nations mentioned are, with the sole exception of Greece, Zechariah 9:13, those who are familiar to us at the time of the Assyrian invasion at the close of the eighth century.

6. Egypt and Assyria were only simultaneously enemies of Israel — as they are presented in chapter 10 — in the time of Hosea 7:11, Hosea 12:1, and of Isaiah 7:18.

7. The mourning for Josias, to whom Zechariah 12:11, is probably to be referred — cf. 2 Chronicles 35:24-25 — is mentioned as apparently something recent and therefore not later than 600 B.C.

8. Idolatry is mentioned, Zechariah 13:2, therefore the date cannot be subsequent to the Restoration in 538 B.C.

9. Similarly the earthquake, Zechariah 14:5, "in the days of Ozias," 809-757 B.C., is spoken of as something recent.

10. Damascus, Emath, and the towns of the Philistines, are spoken of as though in their full strength, as in the days of the kings.

The above arguments cannot be despised.

In Favor of the Authenticity

Of the chapters in question we must consider the following points:

1. The style changes because the 'visions' are over, thus chapters 7 and 8 mark a transition.

2. The "Burdens" now begin, as is nearly always the case when the Prophets speak of the relations between the Nations and Israel.

3. If we are to take into account the names of the Nations, Greece forms an exception which we cannot overlook.

4. Phoenicia and Philistia may not have been what they once were but they still existed and were still powerful.

5. The whole scene of invasion as described is perfectly fulfilled by Alexander the Great who did destroy Tyre and ravage Philistia, but not Jerusalem.

6. Though there are not frequent allusions to the time of Zechariah, yet in Zechariah 9:8, we have a reference to the "house" of God.

7. Nehemiah strove against mixed marriages precisely on the ground that they led to idolatry.

8. There is a remarkable similarity between much that we find in Zechariah throughout, and Ezechiel, Daniel, and the Apocalypse. It is doubtful whether this kind of Apocalyptic literature existed earlier than the time of Ezechiel.

It has been argued, with some degree of probability, that while chapters 9-14 are by Zechariah, the Prophet has used the terminology of the earlier Prophets because it was familiar, because it appealed more forcible to the ears of his hearers, and because he is now prophesying, and not speaking in the same way as in chapters 1-8.

Theology in Zechariah

The Lord is "the Lord of hosts," but it should be noted that though this title occurs with extraordinary frequency in chapters 1-8, it only appears seven times in 9-14. Also:

The land is His, Zechariah 9:16;
He is "King of all the earth," Zechariah 14:9;
His glory is "in the midst of Jerusalem," Zechariah 2:5, 2:8, Zechariah 2:10-11.

The Messianic prophecies are numerous;

a "remnant" shall be saved, Zechariah 8:6, 8:11-12;
the people are "My people," Zechariah 8:7-8, Zechariah 13:9;
He is "Emmanuel," Zechariah 8:23;
He is introduced as speaking, Zechariah 2:8-11, just as in Isaiah;
the priestly and kingly offices are united in His Person, Zechariah 6:13.
The three principal Messianic prophecies are in Zechariah 3:8, Zechariah 6:12, Zechariah 9:9.
The picture of Satan, Zechariah 3:1-2, should be compared with that in Job 1-2;

The peculiar expression, "the angel that spoke in me," e.g., Zechariah 1:9, throughout the first part, is confined to Zechariah.

Points of Interest in Zechariah

Take note of the parallels between:

Zechariah 3:2 and Amos 4:11;
Zechariah 8:16-17 and Psalm 14;
Zechariah 8:23 and Acts 2;
Zechariah 14:5 and Amos 1:1;
Zechariah 13:5 and Amos 7:14.

In Zechariah 2:8 (12, Hebrew), we have a famous instance of a change made by the Scribes from a false motive of reverence; the Hebrew text reads: "he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye,". The Vulgate, against the Hebrew and the LXX, has preserved the correct reading.


by
Very Rev. Hugh Pope, O.P., S.T.M.
Doctor in Sacred Scripture,
Member of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, and
late Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Collegio Angelico, Rome.