the Third Week of Advent
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Bible Commentaries
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary Haydock's Catholic Commentary
Call to Return to God; Visions of Restoration.Chapter 2
Vision of a Measuring Line; Future Prosperity.Chapter 3
Joshua the High Priest's Vision; Cleansing and Promise.Chapter 4
Vision of the Golden Lampstand and the Two Anointed Ones.Chapter 5
Vision of the Flying Scroll and the Woman in a Basket.Chapter 6
Vision of the Four Chariots; Crowning of Joshua.Chapter 7
Questions About Fasting; True Worship and Justice.Chapter 8
Promise of Restoration and Prosperity for Zion.Chapter 9
Prophecies of Judgment on Nations; the Coming King.Chapter 10
Restoration and Blessings for Israel; Defeat of Enemies.Chapter 11
The Shepherd's Destruction; Prophecy of the Coming Messiah.Chapter 12
Jerusalem's Future and God's Protection.Chapter 13
Cleansing from Sin; Future Restoration.Chapter 14
The Day of the Lord; Final Victory and Worship.
- Zechariah
by George Leo Haydock
THE PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS.
INTRODUCTION.
Zacharias began to prophesy in the same year as Aggeus, and upon the same occasion. His prophecy is full of mysterious figures and promises of blessings, partly relating to the synagogue and partly to the Church of Christ. (Challoner) --- He is the "most obscure and longest of the twelve [minor prophets];" (St. Jerome) though Osee wrote the same number of chapters. (Haydock) --- Zacharias has been confounded with many others of the same name. Little is known concerning his life. Some have asserted that the ninth and two following chapters were written by Jeremias, in whose name chap. xi. 12., is quoted [in] Matthew xxvii. 9. But that is more probably a mistake of transcribers. Zacharias speaks more plainly of the Messias and of the last siege of Jerusalem than the rest, as he live nearer those times. (Calmet) --- His name signifies, "the memory of the Lord." (St. Jerome) --- He appeared only two months after Aggeus, and shewed that the Church should flourish in the synagogue, and much more after the coming of Christ, who would select his first preachers from among the Jews. Yet few of them shall embrace the gospel, in comparison with the Gentiles, though they shall at last be converted. (St. Jerome ad Paulin.) (Worthington)
