TEXT [Commentary]

  E.   Cleansing for the High Priest (3:1-10)

1 Then the angel showed me Jeshua[*] the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. The Accuser, Satan,[*] was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

3 Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”

5 Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the LORD stood by.

6 Then the angel of the LORD spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, 7 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.

8 “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets.[*] I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.

10 “And on that day, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”

NOTES

3:1 the angel of the LORD. The prophet’s vision depicts a heavenly courtroom with the “prosecuting attorney” (Satan) accusing the defendant (Jeshua the high priest) of being unfit for his priestly duties. The Lord is both “defense attorney” and “judge.” He censured the arguments of the prosecution, dismissed the case, and declared Jeshua innocent by virtue of his divine election and cleansing. The “angel of the LORD” (3:1) and “the LORD” (3:2) seem to be one and the same divine being (see note on 1:11).

The Accuser, Satan. The construction of the word with the definite article, “the satan” (hassatan [TH1886.1/7854A, ZH2021/8477]), designates a functionary of the heavenly court whose role is to accuse human beings of wrongdoing.

right hand. This is a position of authority, marking “the Accuser” as “first officer” in the heavenly court (see the discussion of the Divine Council in Meyers and Meyers 1987:183-187).

accusations. The title “Satan” and the word “accusations” are based on the same root: stn [TH7853, ZH8476].

3:2 reject . . . rebukes. The emphatic repetition of the Lord’s “rebuke” (ga‘ar [TH1605, ZH1721]) of Satan’s accusations serves as a reminder that even Satan is subject to the dictates of the Sovereign Lord. The Lord’s example is also a model for the angelic hosts and the faithful people of God in withstanding the attacks of the evil one (and those in league with him) by rebuking the enemy in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 5:11; Jude 1:9).

3:5 place a clean turban. The turban of the high priest was set with a medallion of pure gold inscribed with the words “HOLY TO THE LORD” (Exod 28:36). The high priest was supposed to wear the turban at all times so that the Lord would accept the people of Israel (Exod 28:38). The placement of the turban on Jeshua’s head was an act of ordination or dedication, reinstating him in the priestly office and as mediator for the people. The word for “turban” (tsanip [TH6797, ZH7565]) is rare in the OT (only found here and in Job 29:14 and Isa 62:3) and connotes an elaborate headdress associated with royalty (cf. Meyers and Meyers 1987:178; Petersen 1984:198). The use of such an unusual term here may anticipate the later “crowning” of Jeshua (6:9-15).

3:8 my servant, the Branch. The angel indicates that the high priest Jeshua and the other priests are “symbols” (mopeth [TH4159, ZH4603]) or types of greater realities. The terms “servant” and “Branch” are both titles for the Messiah. As servant, the Messiah obeys the will of God even to the point of becoming a sin offering so that many may be counted righteous (Isa 53:11; cf. Acts 3:13; 4:27). The Branch is a metaphor for kingship; this is first because the symbol identifies the Messiah as a descendant of David and hearkens back to the Davidic covenant and the divine promise of kingship granted to the dynasty of David (Isa 11:1; cf. 2 Sam 7:4-17). Second, the prophet Jeremiah equated the “Branch” with a Davidic king who would rule with wisdom and righteousness (Jer 23:5, cf. NLT mg). According to Luke 1:78, Jesus is the predicted anatolē [TG395, ZG424]. This word goes back to the LXX, which translates the Hebrew word tsemakh [TH6780, ZH7542] (branch, sprout) with the Greek word anatolē (which usually means “sun rising” but may also mean “sprout” or “shoot”; cf. BAGD 62) in 3:8; 6:12; and in Jer 23:5. This is the only direct lexical connection between the NT and the use of this messianic title in the OT prophets. Some hold that Matthew refers to the Hebrew word “branch” (netser) in associating Jesus with the town of Nazareth in fulfillment of OT prophecy (although the exact words of Matthew’s citation are not found in the OT; cf. Nicoll 1974:1.77-78). The emphasis on the geographical context of Galilee and Nazareth in Matt 2:19-23 makes the identification unlikely.

3:9 single stone. The abrupt shift from the symbol of the Branch to a stone is puzzling. The stone may anticipate the “final stone” in the Temple laid by Zerubbabel (4:7) or even refer to the foundation stone of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 28:16). The stone may allude to the ephod of the high priest, which was decorated with precious stones (Exod 25:7; 35:9). The engraving of an inscription on the stone recalls the engraved golden rosette set in the priest’s turban, the engraved onyx stones fastened to the shoulder pieces of the ephod (Exod 28:9, 36-39), and the engraved gemstones of the chestpiece (Exod 39:14). In any case, the stone signifies authority and represents another messianic metaphor or symbol.

seven facets. The number seven is the number of perfection and completeness. The seven facets of the stone may be related to the seven lamps of the golden lampstand (4:2). The facets (lit., “eyes”) of the stone probably symbolize knowledge and wisdom and may allude to the “sevenfold Spirit” of God (Rev 1:4).

I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. The removal of the sin of Israel in a single day alludes to the Day of Atonement (Lev 16). Understood prophetically, the phrase may be a reference to the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

3:10 that day. This phrase is shorthand in the OT prophets for “the day of the LORD” (cf. 2:11; Isa 2:11; Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:14). This eschatological “day” of divine intervention in history brings both judgment of the wicked and deliverance of the righteous (cf. 12:8; 14:3). The Day of the Lord is an indefinite period of time of divine activity, but always impending (note the word “soon” [3:8] in reference to the coming of “the Branch,” fulfilled some five centuries after Zechariah’s vision with the incarnation of Jesus Christ!).

COMMENTARY [Text]

Jeshua (a later form of the name Joshua) was high priest during Zechariah’s ministry. He was among the returnees to postexilic Judah from exile in Babylonia (Ezra 2:2). He and Zerubbabel represented the religious and civil leadership of the restoration community, and they were partners in the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple (Ezra 5:2; Hag 2:1-5).

In Zechariah’s vision, Jeshua stands before the Lord as the representative of Israel, especially of those in exile. The twelve stones of the high priest’s ephod and the two inscribed stones on the shoulder piece were perpetual reminders that the representation of Israel before the Lord was a function of the high priest (Exod 28:9-12). Like a “burning stick that has been snatched from the fire” (3:2), Jeshua and the Hebrew exiles were plucked by God from near destruction in Babylonia. Singed and soot covered, the Jewish nation now stood before the Lord in the person of Jeshua, facing the charges of the Accuser, Satan (3:1-2). Jeshua’s “filthy clothes” (3:4) are symbols of the guilt and pollution of sin that prompted the divine judgment of exile. No doubt the Accuser contended that any priest clad in such fashion was unfit for Temple service (thus implying that the Hebrews were unfit to be the chosen people of God).

As the vision unfolds, the angel of the Lord orders other angels to remove the filthy clothes—a symbol of the removal of the sins and guilt of Jeshua and the Hebrew people (3:3-4). The placing of the priestly turban on Jeshua’s head along with the new vestments was emblematic of the restoration to their former position accomplished in the divine cleansing (i.e., Jeshua to his service as high priest and Israel as the people of God, 3:5). This restoration to priestly service and access to the divine presence, however, was conditional—it had to be according to the pattern of the Mosaic covenant (cf. Deut 30:19-20). Jeshua’s privilege and position were contingent upon obedience to God (3:6-7).

Zechariah’s fourth vision serves as a reminder of several important theological principles that continue from the first Testament into the second Testament. The first is the principle of priestly mediation. Even as the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron were chosen to represent the Israelites before God, so Jesus Christ is the only mediator who can reconcile God and people as High Priest (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 8:1). Second, redemption belongs to the Lord God of Israel; he alone is mighty to save (Zeph 3:17; Matt 1:21; Heb 7:25). This means the work of atoning for sins, cleansing from guilt, and restoration to position and service as the people of God are the exclusive prerogative of the triune God (Isa 64:6; Acts 4:12; Rom 10:13; Rev 7:10). Finally, the vision of the restoration of Jeshua speaks to the very nature and character of God—the one who is gracious and rich in unfailing love, who is righteous, and who takes delight in showing mercy and forgiving every kind of sin (Exod 34:6-7; Mic 7:18).

At this time in the historical development of Hebrew theology, the expression “the Accuser, Satan” should probably be understood as a title or description of function, rather than a personal name. (See the discussion on “Satan” in Hill and Walton 2000:335.) The “Accuser” has a role similar to the rabisu official of Mesopotamia in the Old Babylonian court. This officer was the most important court personage next to the judge; he was responsible for the preliminary examination of the accused at trials (see “Rabisu” in van der Toorn 2001:682-683). The word “satan” simply means “adversary,” and the function of the adversary may be performed either by human or divine beings (cf. 1 Sam 29:4; 1 Chr 21:1). The role of the adversary (or the “satan”) is not always an evil one, as evidenced by Balaam’s encounter with the angel of the Lord (Num 22:22).

The context of Zechariah indicates that the function of the adversary in 3:1 was evil in its intent in that it sought to discredit Jeshua the high priest. The strong rebuke of the Accuser by the Lord supports this understanding (3:2). The Accuser (the “satan”) appears to be a divine being or angel and a member of the divine council of Yahweh, having the formal function of “prosecuting attorney” (cf. Job 1:6; see the discussion in Meyers and Meyers 1987:183-186 on the divine council). By the time of the New Testament, “Satan” was being used as a personal name belonging to an evil angel considered to be the prince of the demons (Matt 4:10; 12:26). Satan is equated with “the serpent” and “the devil,” and he is identified as both the deceiver of humanity and the adversary of God and all that is good (2 Cor 4:4; Eph 6:11; Rev 20:2).

The second half of the angel’s speech to Jeshua is clearly messianic in nature (3:8-10). Jeshua himself is not identified as the Branch; rather, he and the other priests are “symbols” or prophetic signs pointing to a great priestly servant of God (3:8). Two distinctive figures of speech further underscore the messianic intent of the angel’s message. The Branch (3:8) is associated with the Davidic covenant elsewhere in the Old Testament (Jer 23:5 mg); he is described both as a righteous king and a shepherd (Jer 33:15-17; Ezek 34:23; 37:24). The image of the Israelites sitting peacefully under vines (3:10) is a picture of security and prosperity under messianic rule, according to the Old Testament prophets (e.g., Mic 4:4), reminiscent of the ideals achieved during the reign of King Solomon (1 Kgs 4:25).

The preterist interpretation of this vision seeks to identify the Branch as Jeshua or Zerubbabel, the religious and civil leaders of the postexilic community during the period of Temple reconstruction (cf. Mason 1977:52). The futurist interpretation of the vision finds at least partial fulfillment of the messianic projections in the First Advent of Jesus Christ. Jesus is identified as the son of David and bears the title of king (Matt 1:1; 2:2).

Even as Jeshua was cleansed for his ministry as high priest, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate high priest, was sinless (Heb 7:26-27). Despite the fact that Jesus was the stone the builders rejected (1 Pet 2:7), in his own death he offered the one sacrifice necessary to atone for the sins of many people (Heb 9:28). As a result, Jesus Christ has implemented a spiritual kingdom of peace with God and prosperity in the form of righteousness (Rom 14:17). Some futurist interpreters suggest that the picture of the faithful people of God sitting peacefully under their vines will be fully and literally realized in the Second Advent of Jesus Christ and the establishment of his millennial kingdom (Rev 20).