Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 3

Verse 1

3:1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest {a} standing before the angel of the LORD, and {b} Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

(a) He prayed to Christ the Mediator for the state of the Church.

(b) Which declares that the faithful do not only war with flesh and blood, but with Satan himself, and spiritual wickedness; Ephesians 6:12 .

Verse 2

3:2 And the {c} LORD said to Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a {d} brand plucked out of the fire?

(c) That is, Christ speaks to God as the mediator of his Church, that he would rebuke Satan: and here he shows himself to be the continual preserver of his Church.

(d) Meaning that Joshua was wonderfully preserved in the captivity, and now Satan sought to afflict and trouble him when he was doing his office.

Verse 3

3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with {e} filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

(e) With regard to the glorious garments and precious stones that the priests wore before the captivity: and by this contemptible state the Prophet signifies, that these small beginnings would be made excellent when Christ will make the full restitution of his Church.

Verse 4

3:4 And he answered and spoke to those that stood before him, saying, Take away the {e} filthy garments from him. And to him he said, Behold, I have {f} caused thy iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

(e) See Geneva "Zechariah 3:3"

(f) He shows of what apparel he speaks, which is, when our filthy sins are taken away, and we are clothed with God’s mercies, which refers to the spiritual restitution.

Verse 5

3:5 And I said, Let them {g} set a clean mitre upon his head. So they set a clean mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

(g) The Prophet prays that besides the raiment, the Priest might also have attire for his head accordingly, that is, that the dignity of the priesthood might be perfect: and this was fulfilled in Christ, who was both Priest and King. And here all those are condemned, that can content themselves with any average reformation in religion, seeing the Prophet desires the perfection, and obtains it.

Verse 7

3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also {h} judge my house, and shalt also keep my {i} courts, and I will give thee places to walk among {k} these that stand by.

(h) That is, have rule and government in my Church, as your predecessors have had.

(i) By which he means to have the whole charge and ministry of the Church.

(k) That is, the angels, who represented the whole number of the faithful: signifying that all the godly would willingly receive him.

Verse 8

3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they {l} [are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the {m} BRANCH.

(l) Because they follow my word, they are condemned in the world, and esteemed as monsters. See Geneva "Isaiah 8:18"

(m) That is, Christ, who did so humble himself, that he not only became the servant of God, but also the servant of men: and therefore in him they should have comfort, even though in the world they are condemned; Isaiah 11:1 Jer 23:5 33:14-15 .

Verse 9

3:9 For behold the {n} stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone [shall be] seven eyes: behold, I {o} will engrave the engraving of it, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will {p} remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

(n) He shows that the ministers cannot build before God lay the first stone, which is Christ, who is full of eyes, both because he gives light to all others, and that all ought to seek light from him; Zechariah 4:10 .

(o) That is, I will make perfect in all points, as a thing done by the hand of God.

(p) Though I have punished this land for a time, yet I will even now be pacified, and punish their sins no more.

Verse 10

3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the {q} vine and under the fig tree.

(q) You will then live in peace and quietness, that is, in the kingdom of Christ; Isaiah 2:2 Micah 4:4 Ha 2:9 .