Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Zechariah
Book: Zechariah
Chapter: 11
Overview:
Destruction to come upon the Jews.
(1-3) The
Lord's dealing
with the Jews.
(4-14) The emblem and
Curse of a foolish
Shepherd.
(15-17)
1-3 In figurative expressions, that
Destruction of
Jerusalem,
and of the Jewish
Church and nation, is foretold, which our
Lord
Jesus, when the time was at
Hand, prophesied plainly and
expressly. How can the
Fir trees stand, if the cedars fall? The
falls of the
Wise and good into
Sin, and the falls of the rich
and great into trouble, are loud alarms to those every way their
inferiors. It is sad with a people, when those who should be as
shepherds to them, are as young
Lions. The pride of
Jordan was
the thickets
On the banks; and when the
River overflowed the
banks, the
Lions came up from them roaring. Thus the doom of
Jerusalem may
Alarm other churches.
4-14 Christ came into this world for
Judgment to the Jewish
Church and nation, which were wretchedly corrupt and degenerate.
Those have their minds woefully blinded, who do ill, and justify
themselves in it; but
God will not
Hold those guiltless who
Hold
themselves
So. How can we go to
God to
Beg a blessing
On
unlawful methods of getting wealth, or to return thanks for
success in them? There was a general decay of religion among
them, and they regarded it not. The Good
Shepherd would feed his
flock, but his attention would chiefly be directed to the
Poor.
As an emblem, the
Prophet seems to have taken two staves;
Beauty, denoted the privileges of the Jewish nation, in their
national
Covenant; the other he called
Bands, denoting the
harmony which hitherto united them as the flock of
God. But they
chose to cleave to false teachers. The
Carnal mind and the
friendship of the world are
Enmity to
God; and
God hates all the
workers of iniquity: it is easy to foresee what this will
End
in. The
Prophet demanded
Wages, or a reward, and received thirty
Pieces of
Silver.
By Divine direction he cast it to the potter,
as in disdain for the smallness of the sum. This shadowed forth
the bargain of
Judas to betray
Christ, and the final method of
applying it. Nothing ruins a people
So certainly, as weakening
the brotherhood among them. This follows the dissolving of the
Covenant between
God and them: when
Sin abounds,
Love waxes
cold, and civil contests follow.
No wonder if those fall out
among themselves, who have provoked
God to fall out with them.
Wilful contempt of
Christ is the great cause of men's ruin. And
if professors rightly valued
Christ, they would not contend
about little matters.
15-17 God, having showed the misery of this people in their
being justly left
By the Good
Shepherd, shows their further
misery in being abused
By foolish shepherds. The description
suits the character
Christ gives of the
Scribes and
Pharisees.
They never do any thing to support the weak, or comfort the
feeble-minded; but seek their own ease, while they are barbarous
to the flock. The
Idol Shepherd has the garb and appearance of a
Shepherd, receives submission, and is supported at much expense;
but he leaves the flock to perish through neglect, or leads them
to ruin
By his
Example. This suits many in different churches
and nations, but the warning had an awful fulfilment in the
Jewish teachers. And while such deceive others to their ruin,
they will themselves have the deepest condemnation.