Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Haggai Malachi
Zechariah 3
Concise Complete
The restoration of the church. (1-5) A promise
concerning the Messiah. (6-10)
Verses 1-5 The
angel showed Joshua, the high priest, to Zechariah, in a vision. Guilt and
corruption are great discouragements when we stand before God. By the guilt of
the sins committed by us, we are liable to the justice of God; by the power of
sin that dwells in us, we are hateful to the holiness of God. Even God's Israel
are in danger on these accounts; but they have relief from Jesus Christ, who is
made of God to us both righteousness and sanctification. Joshua, the high
priest, is accused as a criminal, but is justified. When we stand before God, to
minister to him, or stand up for God, we must expect to meet all the resistance
Satan's subtlety and malice can give. Satan is checked by one that has conquered
him, and many times silenced him. Those who belong to Christ, will find him
ready to appear for them, when Satan appears most strongly against them. A
converted soul is a brand plucked out of the fire by a miracle of free grace,
therefore shall not be left a prey to Satan. Joshua appears as one polluted, but
is purified; he represents the Israel of God, who are all as an unclean thing,
till they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God. Israel now were free from idolatry, but there were many
things amiss in them. There were spiritual enemies warring against them, more
dangerous than any neighbouring nations. Christ loathed the filthiness of
Joshua's garments, yet did not put him away. Thus God by his grace does with
those whom he chooses to be priests to himself. The guilt of sin is taken away
by pardoning mercy, and the power of it is broken by renewing grace. Thus Christ
washes those from their sins in his own blood, whom he makes kings and priests
to our God. Those whom Christ makes spiritual priests, are clothed with the
spotless robe of his righteousness, and appear before God in that; and with the
graces of his Spirit, which are ornaments to them. The righteousness of saints,
both imputed and implanted, is the fine linen, clean and white, with which the
bride, the Lamb's wife, is arrayed,
revelation 19:8.
Joshua is restored to former honours and trusts. The crown of the priesthood is
put on him. When the Lord designs to restore and revive religion, he stirs up
prophets and people to pray for it.
Verses 6-10 All
whom God calls to any office he finds fit, or makes so. The Lord will cause the
sins of the believer to pass away by his sanctifying grace, and will enable him
to walk in newness of life. As the promises made to David often pass into
promises of the Messiah, so the promises to Joshua look forward to Christ, of
whose priesthood Joshua's was a shadow. Whatever trials we pass through,
whatever services we perform, our whole dependence must rest on Christ, the
Branch of righteousness. He is God's servant, employed in his work, obedient to
his will, devoted to his honour and glory. He is the Branch from which all our
fruit must be gathered. The eye of his Father was upon him, especially in his
sufferings, and when he was buried in the grave, as the foundation-stones are
under ground, out of men's sight. But the prophecy rather denotes the attention
paid to this precious Corner-stone. All believers, from the beginning, had
looked forward to it in the types and predictions. All believers, after Christ's
coming, would look to it with faith, hope, and love. Christ shall appear for all
his chosen, as the high priest when before the Lord, with the names of all
Israel graven in the precious stones of his breastplate. When God gave a remnant
to Christ, to be brought through grace to glory, then he engraved this precious
stone. By him sin shall be taken away, both the guilt and the dominion of it; he
did it in one day, that day in which he suffered and died. What should terrify
when sin is taken away? Then nothing can hurt, and we sit down under Christ's
shadow with delight, and are sheltered by it. And gospel grace, coming with
power, makes men forward to draw others to it.
Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Haggai Malachi
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
