Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Zechariah · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
IN that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of V. 1.Jerusalem forsin and uncleannesse; for menstruous uncleannesse, saith Gualter and the vulg. Lat. because the word signifieth uncleannesse, for which one is separated from the company of others, according to Numb. 5. The Prophet having shewed in the latter end of the former chapter, with what sorrow the Jewes should be stricken for the crucifying of Christ, now for their comfort and the comfort of all, that mourn likewise he sheweth that in Christ such should finde a never failing fountain of clean water, whereby their sins and uncleannesse, although never so great, should be washed away. And here by sinne we are to understand any actuall breach of the ten commandements, by uncleannesse, originall sinne, of the which it is said, 1 Joh. 1. 6. The bloud of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin, and behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. But it is to be noted that this comfort belongeth not to any but to mourners, as was before said, that such as rejoyce in iniquity may not apply it to themselves, as all commonly doe: Note. And the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are spoken of, because they were said before to be the mourners in speciall for the grievous sufferings of their Saviour, whereof their sinnes and ours were the cause.
I will cut off the names of the idols out of the Land. Such as be of the house V. 2.of David, that is, of Christ the Sonne of David, being thus washed through the spirit of faith and by baptisme, here is further shewed, what a reformation should follow in the Land. Idols should be no more once named, as indeed it came to passe in all nations after the faith imbraced and not amongst the Jewes only. However the Church being corrupted again in time, images and idols wereset up, although not of Iupiter or Iuno, of Baal or Ashteroth, yet of Christ hanging upon the crosse, and of both he and she Saints, about an. 600. by the 2d. Nicene councell, after that all the learned and holy fathers, Chrysostom, Ierom, Augustine, &c. were dead and gone, and another ignorant and superstitious generation arose, that preferred their own profit and worldly greatnesse before the purity of religion. Whereupon one saith well, all the while that there were golden Doctours in the Church of Christ no images were permitted either of silver or gold, but when wooden Doctours came up, the Church abounded with images both golden, silver, and wooden. And Epiphanius expresly said, when in visiting the Churches under him he found a painted cloth behinde the door having an image upon it in one of them, he sharply reproved the rectour of the Church and tore the image in pieces. And he addeth further as appurtenances of idols, their Prophets and the unclean spirit speaking in idols, as in the image of Apollo, which he saith, should passe out of the land, that the people of God might be no more deluded by them. For of such Prophets it is to be understood, of which sort we read, that Jezabel nourished some time 400. and by the unclean spirit the devill is meant, who when idolatry is put down, is fugated and made to passe away, but where it is, he both keeps his residence and reigneth as Lord and King, as he did here in England in the time of Popery, when all places were so full of Robbin-good-fellowes, as they were called, and Fairies, which since the breaking out of the light of the Gospell vanished.
And if any yet shall prophesie, his father and his mother shall say unto him, Thou shalt V. 3.not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord. Here is set forth another effect, that should follow in them, that were washed in the fountain before said, they had such zeal to God, and to the purity of his worship, that if one, although most dear and near unto them, as their own son is, should seek to draw them, or others, to this abomination, pretending the Lord therefore, as Jesuites, and Popish priests doe, affirming, that Images are good for ignorant people to learn by, as by books, the things of God, and that they are a good means to remember God and his Saints in Prayer, and that they are thus honoured, the honour given to their Images redounding to them represented hereby, they should not suffer themselves to be thus deluded; but as a just reward of so great an abuse offered to the Lord, by telling lies in his Name, they should both pass sentence against such an one, and doe execution upon him, by thrusting him through without all mercy. And forsomuch as this is spoken of, that which should be done under the Gospell, it appears, that the Magistrates hands are not tyed now from sentencing even to death, the seducers to Idolatry in these times, and therefore our law is justifiable, whereby Priests and Jesuits the great seducers of these times, if they come into this land so to doe, are adjudged to dye, and we should want Zeal, and be guilty of the sinne of Lukewarmnesse, which God loatheth, if we should not so doe, according to Deut. 13. whereas he speaks of Father and Mother, thrusting him through, it is not to be understood of their doing a private execution upon their own heads, but by proceeding to law, bringing him before the Judges, that they might give this sentence against him, as by Moses his law it was provided, and the like is to be held touching any other dangerous lie in point of Religion, because it is said, for that thou hast spoken lies in the name of the Lord: and as Images are the Hab. 2. 18.teachers of lies, so are they that hold any thing blasphemous, pretend Revelations for the abetting of any Errour, as the Anahaptists doe.
And the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, neither shall he wear a V. 4.rough garment to deceive any more. Here is a third effect of this washing, or sanctification, the Prophets of Idols themselves also being warned by the destruction of some of their own sect shall be ashamed, and turn from this their evill way, being also by their friends sharply reproved, and threatned, as was said before, that the false Prophets Father and Mother should first threaten him, saying, thou shalt die, and then he, persisting still in his wickedness, thrust him through. But such of them, as are appointed to like being thus admonished, he saith, should repent, and say, I am no Prophet, but an husbandman.V. 5.
And one shall say, what are those wounds in thy hands? and he shall say, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. It being meant hereby, that he V. 6.should acknowledge his ignorance for want of being bred up as a son of the Prophets, which was the cause of his running into so great errours, and so as ashamed, give over this office, and return to his old trade again, to which he had been brought up. For the wounds in his hands, hereby are meant the piercing reproofs and threats of his friends before spoken of, as Gualter saith o… rather some punishment which he was put to in his hands, haply by burning Gualter.with some hot iron upon his repentance; the punishment death, being remitted, as is often done in Courts of Justice, a Malefactour in somecase is branded, & spared from death, by the benefit of the Clergy: or he might, for his former presumption, be lashed on the hands with a sharp whip by way of correction, till that the print of the stroaks appeared therein. And from hence we may Note. gather what an Errour any tradesman runs into, that takes the office of a Prophet upon him. 2. That such repent not, unless they return to their old trade again. 3. That for any errour cutting off should not be suddenly, but first means used by instruction, and teaching to reduce therefrom. With Gualter, understanding the wounds of that which was done to a false Prophet by his friends, agree also Calvin, Jerom, Cyrill, and Lyra. But upon due consideration I Calvin. Hieron. Cyrill. Lyra.think rather, that the wounds made in the hands of Christ, when he was Crucified, are meant, to speak of whom the Prophet here returneth after his declaring the benefit redounding to his Church by his crucifying, or piercing spoken of, Chap. 12. 10. For having shewed, that thus a fountain of Sanctification should be assigned to all Beleevers, and what effects should follow hereupon amongst them in beating down Idols, & cutting off false Prophets, and the repentance that some of them should be moved withall: Now he returneth to speak of Christ again, who was wounded in his hands, feet, and side; those in hands onelyonly being mentioned, the other left to be understood. And hereabout one is brought in as King, What are those wounds in thy hands? to which he answereth, Those that I received in the house of my friends: for so it is said, He came amongst his own, and his own received him not: And his John 1.friends the Jewes are called, because he came of them according to the flesh. And Rom. 9. 5. Rupert. Tho. Aquin. Galatin. V. 7.to this agreeth Rupertus, Tho: Aquinas in Psal. 22. R. Samuel, in Epist Galatinus, lib. 8. c. 7.
And to this agreeth the words of ver. 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow; smile the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, which is plainly spoken of Christ, as is observed Matth. 26. 31. For the repentance of Prophets before spoken of, and returning to their trades again; this, saith Gualter, hath been fufilled, since the breaking out of the light again in many, who have had fat benefices; but turning from Popery, have left them, and fallen to working for their living, as knowing their own insufficiency for a ministeriall calling. And for wearing a rough garment, this was spoken of their habiting themselves after the manner of Prophets, that so they might the better be taken for such, and deceive others, and draw them from truth to errour. For Elijah wore a rough garment, and John the Baptist likewise; and therefore it is probable, that it was their common habit at all times. But to come to ver. 7. Awake (O sword) if it shall seem not to agree to the shepherd, Christ, because he was not smitten with the Sword, but Crucified, he might well yet be said to be smitten with the Sword, because the Magistrate is said to bear the Sword, when he is set forth, as having Rom. 13.power of punishing with death, so that when a man is cut off by death in any kind, the sword may be said to awake and smite, so Psal. 22. Christ is brought in saying, deliver my soul from the sword, when as it is foretold of his suffering by piercing his hands and feet, and Amos 9. They shall all dye by the sword, which as Jerom confesseth, cannot be understood properly, but of any kind of death. My fellow, or equall, these be the words of the Father touching Christ, to whom he thought it robbery to equall in Glory, Phil. 2. 7. as being one Essence. And the Lord is brought in speaking thus, because he suffered by his decree, Acts 2. 23. And I will turn my hands upon the little ones; that is, the sheep before said to be scattered, who should by the power of God be again gathered together, as we see that they were, Acts 1. to the number of 120 souls. And the Lord commonly calleth such little ones, as Mat. 18. Whosoever shall offend any of these little ones, it were better for him, that a mill stone▪ were hanged about his neck, &c.
And it shall come to passe, that in all the land two parts shall be cut off, and die, but V. 8.the third shall be left therein. This is by Jerom understood of Jewes and Gentiles Hieron.hardning their hearts in unbelief, and their cutting off, and dying, of their perishing everlastingly; and of Christians, who are the third part that shall live. But because he spoke before of turning his hand upon the little ones, that is, the faithfull, unbelievers cannot here be meant who shall be cut off, and die; neither can all the land here spoken of be taken for the whole world, but for the pale of the Church, wherein all that are, shall not be saved, but onelyonly a third part; two parts perishing for their wickednesse, adhered to, although they outwardly betake themselves to the profession of the Faith. For it is but a little flock that shall have the Kingdome: Many are John 10. 28. Matth. 22. Matth. 7. 14. Matth. 13. Calvin. Gualter. V. 9.called, but few are chosen, and straight is the way that leadeth to everlasting Life, and there are but few that finde it. And when the sower goeth out to sow, there is but one ground good of four, upon which the seed falleth, whereunto Calvin, and Gualter seeme to assent.
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and I wil refine them as silver, &c. Here is shewed what grievous things the faithfull should suffer in this world, who are called the third part, others not having the courage to stand in time of persecution, no more then the corn upon stony ground to keep from withering in the heat of the sun. And this was fulfilled in the time of the Primitive Church, when persecutions were stirred up by one wicked Emperor after an other 300 years together, yea, And all that will live godly (saith the Apostle) 2 Tim. 3. 12. Esay 43.must suffer persecution: but these sufferings are but as the sining pot for silver and gold, as Mal. 3. 3. Esay 1. 25. so Psal. 66. 12. Thou broughtest us through fire and water.