Westminster Annotations, Zechariah 2 – Mark 1
The ARGUMENT of the Book of the Prophet ZECHARIAH.
ZEchariah was sent of the Lord to be Copartner with Haggai, to confirm the same Doctrine, and to help on the Work of building the Temple, and setling Gods Service. The holy Ghost spake by Haggai in a plain way of Preaching; but altereth his style in Zechariah, who had many Visions of high and mysterious meaning, whereby to set out the Doctrines and Prophecies he was to declare; how marvellously the Son of God, Head of the Church, had formerly saved it in all Trialls and Troubles, and punished her Enemies. And the like Mercies might the returned from Captivity hope for, being truely penitent, and constantly pious, as well in Temporalls, untill the Messiah, as in Spirituall ones, after his Coming: Whose Coming is plainly and particularly specified; as also▪ his Death and Passion, his Kingdom and Priesthood, the coming of the Spirit, the power and spreading of the Gospel, the calling of the Gentiles, and establishing of his Universall Church: But the carnall and unbelieving Jews, unthankfull to God, and enemies to his Christ, would cause the desolation of their Citie and Nation by the Romanes; and, for killing the Lord of life▪ they should be cast off from the Covenant of Grace, untill the time appointed for their Conversion. To open some Difficulties of this Prophet, and to make him more easie, observe that Zechariah telleth, Babel had been as a Pit without Water, whence God had brought up Israel, Prisoners of Hope, calling on the rest to return: Caldeans had been Horns to push and scatter Judah, Israel and Jerusalem: Persians were Carpenters to fray them, and to beat down their strength, that scattered Israel might come to their Countrey again: Christ is an Angel and Jehovah, whom Angels attend: Joshuah the high-Priest, was a Type of Jesus, the true high Priest of his Church. The Temple and Jerusalem shall be builded, which had been unwalled, to shew that Christ is a fiery Wall to his Church; and that the Church under Christ, in the number to come to it, would be uncompassable. The golden Candlestick hath two Olives, which stand before the Lord of the whole earth, signifying the Church supplied with sufficient Graces; whence all which filled with Grace testifie and bear witnesse to the Truth, are for number termed two, Apoc. 11. 3, 4. By four Charets coming out of mountains of Brasse, and horses of divers colours, are meant Gods Armies, and attendance of Angels, diligently running up and down the earth, and executing his Commands: Mountains of Brasse, signes of the most powerfull and unsearchable providence, from whose secret, most firm and inevitable Counsels and Decrees proceed: Horses represent swiftnesse and speed: Divers colours, divers sorts of Administrations for Judah at home, and yet in Babel to comfort and keep them, lest they should seem cast off. So that in God we see Foresight, Power and Readinesse to help and keep them, wheresoever they are; Angels being his ministring spirits, for their good who are heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. and to plague their enemies. Syria, viz. Persians, who had conquered the Babylonians, as they of Babel had mastered the Assyrians, who had formerly brought under them the Syrians, should be plagued by Javan, that is, Greeks: Then after Javan, that is, Ezekiels Gog-Magog, in two Kingdoms Syria and Egypt should be plagued, for their wrongs done to Judah; the pride of Assyria should be brought down, and the Scepter of Egypt depart away, Chap. 10. 11. Christ the King of his Church will come lowly, *Chap. 9. 9.riding the Asse; and shall be sold for thirty *Chap. 11. 12.Sicles: He the Shepherd shall be smitten, and the Apostles *Chap. 13. 7.the Sheep scattered: His side shall be *Chap. 12. 10.pierced, and they that did it shall mourn when they consider it. See Acts 2. 37. Apoc. 1. 7. Jerusalem shall be destroyed, the Lords feet standing on Mount *Chap. 14. 2, 3.Olivet to see it done. On Mount Olivet the Lord Christ told the same thing to his Disciples, Matth. 24. 34. There he was taken by the Jews who brought him to his death; and there▪ fourty yeers after the death of Christ, will the Lord stand▪ not as an Adversary to, but as an Helper of the Romanes to revenge his Sons blood, by destroying the Jews Temple and Nation. Lastly, a new Jerusalem should be built, whither all Nations shall come *Chap. 14. 16., from yeer to yeer, to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles: and as Isaiah also foretold, Isai. 66. 23. from one New-moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord: And this could not be properly at Jerusalem, but in every place where God was purely worshipped under the Messiah. This is the sum of Zechariah, who speaketh either in Types, or plain Terms. In Types, partly Hortatory, generally, to all the people, Chap. 1 and 2. specially, to Ioshuah, Chap. 3. and to Zerubbabel, Chap. 4. Partly Monitory, concerning false Prophets, Chap. 5. Partly Consolatory, concerning Christ, Chap. 6. In plain Speech, handling their present state, Chap. 7 and 8. or that which was future, under Christ, Incarnate, Chap. 9 and 10. Crucified, Chap. 11, and 12, and 13.
The ARGUMENT of the Book of the Prophet MALACHI.
MAlachi, his name in Hebrew signifieth Angel or Messenger, endeth the Prophets. He prophesied to Israel, viz. to all the people of severall Tribes which were returned from Babylon; after the reedifying of the Temple; and also, after Haggai and Zechariah, confirming their Doctrine, and carrying on the Reformation of what was yet corrupt and defective, either in Gods Service, or in the Israelites Life and Conversation. And first, he putteth them in minde of their free Election, the onelyonly Ground of Gods continued favour in their Preservation: Then doth he reprove and threaten them for false dealing in the Covenant, for their profaning Gods Service, and other Vices of all sorts, as Idolatry, Adultery, false Oathes, Sacriledge, Blasphemies, mixing themselves in unlawfull Marriages, Injustice, and Violence; Vices which had spread far, and invaded not onelyonly the common People, but Priests and Levites also. Moreover, he calleth them to Repentance, promising Grace and Blessing to all Believers in the coming of the Messiah, Christ, the Son of Righteousnesse, with healing in his Wings; before whom the Messenger or Forerunner, John the Baptist (who is called also by this Prophet, Elias the Prophet, Chap. 4. 5.) must come before the coming of the great and dreadfull Day, viz. that stately Apparition of the Son of God in the Flesh, accompanied also with consuming Power, set down, Chap. 3. 2. and 4. 1. After Iohn the Messenger to prepare the way, Christ the … Messenger of the Covenant, or Mediatour and Foundation of the Covenant of Grace with Gods Elect, should suddenly come into that reedified Temple, work the Salvation of his People, call in …he Nations, make his Church Catholike and one, by joyning Iews and Gentiles. And because they Israelites must look for no more Prophets till that great Prophet was born, he referreth them to Moses, who spake of this Prophet to come, whom all must hear, or be cut off; bidding them remember his Law in the mean while, till Christ come to accomplish the Covenant; whose coming would be terrible to the wicked, but joyfull to the godly. Malachi threatneth the Priests, Chap. 1. and 2. and the People, from the coming of John Baptist, Chap. 3. and of Christ, Chap. 4. Zechariah and Malachi are the last Prophets, and end the Old Testament: The same names the New Testament beginneth withall. Zacharias was John Baptists father: Malachi was John Baptist himself. The Evangelist Luke beginneth the Gospel with Zacharias, and Mark beginneth it with Malachi, that is, Messenger, namely, John the Baptist. So sweetly in Speeches hath God joyned the Old and New Testament to face one another, as the Cherubims over the Ark, that the hid Apocrypha ought not to be in the Bible▪ being it disturbeth the glory of both the Testaments, and is owned by neither, but rejected of both. In Hebrew these Apocryphall Books are not: The New Testament citeth them n…t. Why should this Nettle stand between two such sweet Roses?
The ARGUMENT on the Gospel according to S. MATTHEW.
THis word Gospel in the Original signifieth Glad Tydings, or Message of Good. Here, it is peculiarly used for the History of the Parentage, Birth, Life, and Death, of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; which is the best and most joyfull Tydings that ever came to the World, as bringing News of Gods great love in giving his Son for us; without which Gift, we must have perished eternally, Joh. 3. 16. The first Writer, in order, is called Matthew, who was first a Publican, to gather the Emperours Tribute, and afterwards called to be an Apostle, to gather souls for God, Chap. 10. 3. as some others were called from Fisher-men, to be Fishers of me…▪ Chap. 4. 18, 19. The chiefest care of this Writer seemeth to have been, To write largely of our Saviours Parables, and the Interpretation of them; and also of his famous Miracles, and the History of his Passion. God give us Grace so to read, that we may believe in the Son of God, and, by trusting in him alone, be eternally saved. Amen.
The ARGUMENT on the Gospel according to S. MARK.
MArk is remarkable for his Brevity, and, in many things, doth as it were abbreviate Matthew: Yet not without some usefull Differences, which may serve for Explanations of the former Gospel written by S. Matthew the Apostle. This Euangelist is thought to have been a Follower of Peter, and called his son, 1 Pet. 5. 13. yet whether it was John Mark or no, who is mentioned as Barnabas his Kinsman, Col. 4. 10. is uncertain; for he was a Follower of Paul and Barnabas, and not of Peter. Whose Follower soever he was, out of doubt the credit of the History dependeth not upon any mans Approbation, but upon Divine Inspiration; else could it not be Canonicall-Scripture, 2 Pet. 1. 21. In Ecclesiasticall Histories, he is said to be the Founder of the Church of Alexandria in Egypt, and there to die and be buried: yet his Book remaineth, for the good of Gods Church: To whom the Lord give grace to make good use of it. Amen.