Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · minor prophets · Zechariah · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
I See a fleeing roul the length 20 cubits, and the breadth 10 cubits. After joyfull things of finishing the Temple, and furnishing it, &c. ch. 4. now follow V. 2.sad things, threatnings of judgments against the wicked, lest they should apply to themselves the comforts before propounded, and goe on in their sins without any sense of their misery to come therefore, after the great grace before spoken of done to Zerubbabel and Joshua men of so great piety, and the eyes running to and fro all over the earth, in the Apostles coasting about being now indued with extraordinory gifts of the Spirit. So that here is not a vision representing things past, as most hold after Lyra, for God used not by visions to set forth things past, but to come, and therefore this may best be Lyra. Calvin. Gualter.understood of the judgments upon the wicked Jews degenerating again into grosse vices, although not into Idolatry as in times past, but into the foul sin of theft, and swearing here particularly taxed, as may well be conceived, that they of the sect of the Pharisees did, who were a sect arising about 200 years before Christs incarnation, and are noted by him to be very covetous and to Matth. 23. Matth. 5. 3….bear with all swearing commonly, so that perjury were avoided, and although covetous persons haply will not all play the theeves directly, yet indirectly they will by bribes taking and oppression, or otherwise unlawfully getting their neighbours goods, which make men theeves as well as plaine stealing, witnesse Esa. 1. 23. Thy Princes are companions of theeves, they love gifts. And Burgensis noteth, that they compiled the two Targums, one called Targum Hieroso lymitanum, the other Targum Babyl. containing many false doctrines by way of Exposition upon the Laws of Moses, tending to the allowance of theft from some men. But for this the Lord here sheweth his curse coming in the form of a flying roul or parchment twenty cubits long and ten broad, which was just the longitude and latitude of the porch of the Temple. And this most probably was represented thus to intimate, that the sinnes of the people, who heard the Law there taught, were written before God, as it were in a long and broad roll, as being very many equalling the commandements, which were ten in all their extent, and long lived in, which made twice as much as the breadth. And this appeared flying, to intimate the swiftnesse of the judgments for sin intimated hereby coming upon the wicked, because although it be long before they come, yet when they come, they come suddenly, as the serpents in the Wildernesse upon the Israelites, that murmured.
And it is said, that it shall enter into the house of the thief and of the V. 4. V. 3.swearer as the curse of God, and it is said, vers. 3. To goe over all the earth, and every one that stealeth shall be cut off on this side according to it, and on that side according to it, that is, according to the curses written herein, and the threatnings often iterated, such and such shall be cut off from his people, for so the Law of Moses runneth, Deut. 27. and in many other places, on this side and on that setting forth whether he be a thief or a swearer, and here although by all the land is first and chiefly meant the land of Judea, through which this curse should flyl, yet like sinners of other lands, where they have teaching, are not excluded, but meant also. And he speaks of entring into the house of the thief and swearer, alluding to the threatning of the Law, Deut. 28. Cursed shalt thou be in the house and in the field, and because it is said, vers. 3. shall be cut off, the Septuagint hath it, for a roul, an hooke, to which cutting off properly belongeth, and the word differeth but little foreign signifying an hook, and foreign a roul. Now touching the two sins here threatened Furt and Swearing, I hold the reason of Burgensis to be good, that is taken from Burgensis.the consideration hereof, that this Vision cannot be demonstrative, shewing what the Jews had formerly suffered, and for what, because it is plain, that they were delivered into the hands of the Caldeans, chiefly for idolatry, 2 King. 25. and whereas Lyra justifieth his exposition, because idolatry for the robbing of God of his worship may be called theft, it is weak and cannot hold here, seeing this is a theft, whereby somewhat comes in towards the building of a mans house, as appears by his threatning, that the curse should enter into the house of the thief, and consume the stones and timber thereof, as intimating it to have been gotten by stealth and unjust dealing. But as Gualter Gualter.saith, Let no man, because these two sins and none else are named, that no curse shall come upon men for other sins, for these are mentioned onelyonly as most notorious, and commonly going together, for he that stealeth is most vilely accounted of, of all other men, and is most ashamed to have it known, and therefore will not stick to deny it and swear to it also, as is intimated, Prov. 30. 8. Give me not poverty, lest I steal and take thy name in vain. And indeed almost all sins may be referred to these two, dishonouring Parents, murther, adultery, falsewitnesse-bearing and coveting; in the first, parents being robbed of their honour, in the second, a man of his life, in the third, a woman of her chastity, in the fourth, of justice in his cause, and in the fifth the ground of stealing any thing of our neighbours is laid.
This is an Ephah that goeth forth, and this is their resemblance throughout all the V. 6.earth. Here Zechary hath another Vision, by Lyra and such as follow him, Lyra. Calvin. Gualter.thought to be Propheticall touching mercy to be shewed to the Jews, their sins, superstition and idolatry, wherein they had formerly lived, being hereby shewed to be so taken away and fixedly set in the land of Shinar, that is, Babylon, that they should never return thence again, but here abide together with the judgements thereunto belonging, to bring it to desolation. And they expound the two women bearing the Ephah thither of the two wicked Kingdomes Israel and Judah carrying the burthen of their sins, as it were, to Babylon, their captivity thither being suffered for them, but now the remnant of the Jews returning, that great sin of idolatry was setled upon the basis there, and stirred not from thence to Judah any more. But forsomuch as this going away into captivity was long before, and this a prophesie of things to come, and although Judah were carryed to Babylon, yet Israel was not, but into the countrey of the Medes, this Exposition cannot stand, no more can that, which is of the Medes and Grecians made by some, nor that of others understanding by these two women weak means, for they were mighty and strong, that carryed them away. Therefore it is rather to be held, that by the Ephah being a measure amongst the Jews, wherein a woman sat, that is, iniquity, their fulfilling of their sins, or sin amongst them growing to the full is to be understood, as it is said, Gen. 15. that the wickednesse of the Ammonites is not yet full, but when it should be full, the great judgement of the lands spewing them out should come: so the Jews wickednesse growing so great, that it filled this great measure, they should be carryed away, and the talent of lead being a most heavy weight of more then 60 pounds laid upon the top of the Ephah, did set forth one other most heavy sin, viz. the crucifying of Christ, which being done, they could not stand long, but be thus carryed away, as our Lord threatened, saying, Fill yee up the measure of your Fathers sins, behold your habitation shall be left desolate, and it was accordingly Matth. 23. 32. 37.done, the Romans destroying them and their City, and carrying away the survivours into other countries. Of their iniquity before this destruction by the Romans Josephus saith, that it was so great, that wise men thought, if the Romans had not come to execute that wrath upon them, Josephus.fire must needs have come down from heaven upon them, as upon Sodom, there being no foul sin, but it was there commonly committed in the height. The two women having wings of storkes, that took up this Ephah between heaven and earth, and carryed it into the land of Shinar, were Pride and Hypocrifie, whereby they were lifted up in their own conceits above other men of the earth, because both Matth. 23. and Rom. 2. 17. their pride is shewed to have been very great, and their hypocrisie palpable, and by women are these vices set forth, because they are most apt by painting and decking their bodies to desire to seem more beautifull then they are, and they are most proud. And being thus elevated they are carryed into the land of Shinar, and with their iniquity together with them is setled, as it were, in an house in judgement prepared, and as upon a basis or firm foundation to continue, not for a little, but a very long time. Herein it being alluded to that which was done Gen. 11. 2, 3, &c. where they being all of one language found a plain place, and there consulted together to build a tower, the top whereof might reach to heaven, but when they were in building God divided their tongues and so made them cease, and that Tower was called Babel, that is, confusion, and they were scattered all over the earth. So it is shewed here, that it should be fall the Jews, they should be carryed through their pride and hypocrisie to the building of another Babel, which they did when the compiled the foresaid Talmud Babylon: that is so full of absurdities, wicked inventions, and a confused Chaos of untruths, that it is worthy to be called by this name, and specially touching the Messiah to come, seeking by false glosses to blind the light given to the truth touching Jesus; and herein it is shewed, that they should continue long setled, as it hath indeed faln out, for it being now almost 1600 yeares agoe since they suffered by the destruction of their City and Temple, they yet continue a scattered Nation, in all parts, and setled in their first Principles of malice and enmity against Christ to this day, whereas many ancients by their carrying into the land of Shinar, understand the Jews being carryed after Antichrist, that should arise in Babylon and fight against Christians, and subdue all Nations in three yeares and an halfe, it is rather to be counted a common errour, wherein one was carryed after another rather then a truth, seeing Antichrist hath been already long acting his part, pretending to be for Christ, but indeed being against him and his faithfull people, and for this he is called the mystery of iniquity. Whereas vers. 6. it is said, this is the eye in all the earth, he V. 6.hath herein reference to that, which was said before of the seven eyes of the Lord going out into all the earth, chap. 4. 10. touching the New Translation, this is their resemblance in all the earth, I see no reason of thus rendring it, the word being foreign which signifieth nothing but an eye and foreign signifying their, affixed to it, and therefore the Vulgar best renders it, this is their eye in all their earth. But how is the Ephah said to be their eye? Answ. not actively, whereby they see, but passively, whereby their iniquity was seene by the Lord, this is their eye then, is as much as if he had said, it is that which mine eye set upon them seeth, as it also doth all wickednesses, that are committed all over the world. Some by their eye in all the earth, understand their sin continually in their sight, wheresoever they be. The Septuagint for eye hath, this is their iniquity in all the land, by the change of one letter foreign for foreign but to the same effect. This Vision then and that of the roul before going are not touching divers things, but the same, viz. the great sins of the Jews, into which they should fall after the worke of the Temple finished, first represented in a rool of curses coming upon their habitations, which were therefore demolished at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and then by an Ephah, whereupon followed their carrying away and scattering, as hath been said. And from hence note, that it Note. is most dangerous for a people to sin so much and so long that the measure comes now to be full, and the roul of writing against them extended to such a length and breadth, that it is now ready to flee. When we sin of infirmity, Cyril.God hath patience for a time, and still spares, expecting that his goodnesse should lead us to repentance; but if his patience be abused and sins be still multiplyed, he stayes but till they are grown to a certain measure and undoubtedly destruction shall come as the swiftest fleeing fowl upon wings therefore.