Bible Commentaries
Zechariah 3

Verse 1

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

And he — The Lord represented to me in a vision.

Standing — Ministering in his office.

The angel — Christ.

Verse 2

And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

The Lord — Christ, as a mediator, rather chuses to rebuke him in his father’s name, than in his own.

Is not this — Joshua.

Verse 3

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

With filthy garments — The emblem of a poor or sinful state.

The angel — Christ.

Verse 4

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

And he — Christ.

Unto those — Ministerial angels.

I have caused — What angels could not take away, Christ did; he removed the filth of sin, the guilt and stain of it.

With change of raiment — Clean and rich, the emblem of holiness.

Verse 5

And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

I said — Zechariah takes the boldness to desire that for Joshua, which might add to his authority, and he asks the thing of Christ.

A fair mitre — The proper ornament for the head of the high-priest.

With garments — All the garments which appertained to the high priest.

The angel — Christ.

Verse 6

And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

Protested — Solemnly declared.

Verse 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 judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

My charge — The special charge and office of the high-priest.

Judge — Be ruler in the temple, and in the things that pertain to the worship of God there.

Keep — Not as a servant, but as the chief, on whom others wait, and at last thou shalt have place among my angels.

Verse 8

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

Thy fellows — Thy associates in the priestly office.

That sit — As assessors in a council.

Wondered at — The unbelieving Jews wonder at them; at their labour and expense in attempting to build such a house.

Bring forth — God the Father will bring forth a much more wonderful work.

The Branch — The Messiah.

Verse 9

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Behold — Behold (pointing to a particular stone) that stone which I have laid in the sight of Joshua.

Upon one stone — On that stone are seven eyes, probably so placed, that they may look many ways; so it was a more exact emblem of Christ, and of his perfect knowledge and wisdom.

I have removed — I have pardoned the iniquity of this land at once. The temple, founded on such a corner-stone, guarded and watched over by all-seeing Providence, is the blessing and honour of that people, whose sins are all forgiven.

Verse 10

In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

In that day — Of removing the sins of my people.

Shall ye call — Ye shall invite one another to refresh yourselves with the sweet fruit of the vine and fig-tree. When iniquity is taken away, we receive precious benefits from our justification, more precious than the fruits of the vine or fig-tree. And we repose ourselves in sweet tranquillity, being quiet from the fear of evil.