Holy pro-rock Za-ha-riya and holy pra-ved-naya Eli-sa-ve-ta were-whether ro-di-te-la-mi saint Pro-ro-ka, Pre-te-chi and Cross-sti-te-la Gos-pod-nya John-na. They are pro-is-ho-di-li from the clan Aaro-no-va: saint Za-ha-riya, the son of Vara-hii, was a saint-no-one in Jeru-sa-lim-sk temple, and Saint Eli-sa-ve-that was the sister-swarm of Saint Anna, ma-te-ri of the Pre-Saint Bo-go-ro-di-tsy. Pra-ved-nye su-pru-gi, "step-by-step in all for-in-ve-dyam Gos-under-him devil-in-roch-but" (), it’s okay -em that it was considered in the old-ho-for-old-time-me-na ve-li-kim on-ka-for-no-em God-zhi-im. At one time, while serving in the church of St. to give birth to him a son, who-that-ry "will be great before the Lord" () and "will be presented before Him in the spirit and si-le of Elijah" ( ). For-ha-riya doubted the possibility of using this pre-presentiment and was for little-ve-rie na-ka-zan mute. When the great-ved-noy El-sa-ve-you had a son, she, through the inspiration of the Holy One Du-ha, announced that she was mla-den-tsa John, although earlier in their family this name was not for anyone. Asked if pra-ved-no-go Za-ha-riu, and he also na-pi-sal on the cheek-ke the name John. That hour, the gift of speech came to him, and he, having fulfilled the Holy Du-ha, began to talk about his son as the Pre-te-che Gos-yes.
When the wicked king Herod heard from the magi about the divine Messiah, he decided to beat in Beth-le-e-me and its surroundings. All babies under the age of 2 years old, hopefully, will include a ro-divine Messiah among them. Herod ho-ro-sho knew about the unusual birth of the pro-ro-ka John and wanted to kill him, fearing that he was the King of the Jews. But the pra-ved-naya Eli-sa-ve-ta took refuge with the little one in the mountains. The murderers are everywhere looking for John. Pra-ved-naya Eli-sa-ve-ta, uvi-dev pre-next-to-va-te-lei, with after-mi began to pray to God about the spa session, and that-hour-stu-piv-sha-i-sya go-ra sheltered her together with the baby from po-go-no. In these troublesome days, Saint Za-ha-riya fulfilled his womb of ministry in the Jeru-sa-lim-temple. In-and-us, sent to Iro-house, in vain tried to find out from him where his son was going. Then, according to Iro's words, they killed the saintly pro-ro-ka, for-ko-catching him between the victim-ven-no-one and al-ta- rem (). Pra-ved-naya Eli-sa-ve-ta con-cha-la 40 days after his-th-su-pru-ga, and St. , stayed in the wilderness until the day of his-e-appearance from-ra-il-sko-mu na-ro-du.
See also: "" in the translation of St. Di-mit-rya Rostov.
Your righteous Zacharias and Elisabeth, / Lord, the memory is great, / we pray Thee: // save our souls.
Translation: Thy righteous men Zechariah and Elizabeth, Lord, celebrating the memory, together with them we pray to You: "Save our souls."
The priesthood is covered with clothing, wise, / according to the law of God, the burnt offering is pleasing to God, sacredly offered it, Zachariah, / and there was a luminary and beholder of the mysterious prophecy, good fortune to you, and revelations in the temple / , with the Forerunner pray // our souls will be saved.
Translation: Endowed with the priesthood, wise, according to the law of God, you are worthy of shrine, brought God-pleasing, Zechariah, and was a lamp and spectator of the sacraments, clearly carrying within you, all-wise, and was killed with a sword in the temple of God, Christ, with the Forerunner pray for the salvation of our souls.
The prophet of the day and the priest of the Vyshnyago, / Zachariah propose, the Forerunner parent, / a meal of his memory, / faithful food, the drink of the truth is dissolved by all, / this blessed blessing is divine, // and yajako
Translation: Today, the prophet and priest of the Most High, Zechariah, the parent of the Forerunner, prepared a meal in his memory, nourishing the believers, for, having mixed the drink of truth () for everyone, therefore he rested as a sacred secretary of God's grace.
As the moon is full, / the light of truth from the thought of the Sun, Messi, welcomed you / and in all the commandments of the Lord with Zachariah walked with Zachariah, / God-enamored Elisovét
Translation: Like a full moon, you were illuminated with the light of truth from the spiritual Sun, the Messiah, and God-beloved Elizabeth fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord with Zechariah. Praising you at your dignity with prayer chants, the all-generous Light that enlightens everyone (), we magnify the Lord.
God is holy and of the holy pochivayay, Trisagion voice in heaven by an angel chant on the ground by a man in his saints hvalimy, davy Holy Your Spirit koemuzhdo grace as the gift of Christ, and toyu postavivy Church thy Holy ovy apostles ovy prophets ovy the evangelists , ovy pastors and teachers, ihzhe word sermon, you yourself acting all in all, harbored many sovershishasya saints in koemzhdo kind and kind, different blagodetelmi blagougodivshii you, and to you, our image of the good deeds of his ostavivshe, joy preshedshy, ready, in Whom we are you yourself were tempted, and help us who are being assassinated. So the saints of all and the Holy Prophet Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth remembering and godly praise of life, you Samago, they deystvovavshago, praise, and oneh of charity thy gifts be alone believing diligently pray thee, the Holy of Holies, grant me a sinner consecutively to their teaching, the Life, love, faith, longsuffering, and their prayerful help, but even more your omnipotent grace, heavenly with them is made worthy of glory, praising the Most Holy Mother of God, and the Father and the Son of the Son. Amen.
Oh, the blessedness of God's delight, all the holy ones who stand before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity and enjoy the unspeakable blessedness! Today, on the day of your general triumph, look mercifully at us, your little brethren, who bring you this praiseworthy meal, and by your way of asking for mercy and forgiveness of sin; Verily, verily, Verily, for all, you will delight in Him, you can ask Him. Wherefore DRC humbly pray to you, and the Holy Prophet Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth, pray Milostivago Lord, but will give us the spirit of your zeal for keeping holy His commandments, Thou yes streamed in the footsteps of your chance of earthly career in the virtuous the Life without blemish pass away, and repentance, reach the glorious villages of paradise, and tamo with you glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen!
To you, oh, all the holy and holy prophet Zechariah and the holy Elisabeth, like the guiding lamps, by their deeds that illuminated the path of the heavenly ascent, as the many-sinful I am humbled in my soul, I still love the depths of my heart. bluzhdati at the crossroads of sin, but yes enlighten my mind and heart with the light grace of her, like a yes toyu illuminates and supports, vozmogu other time zemnago lives right stezi without offense preiti and request your to Preblagomu Lord spodoblyusya, Pone a Minor partaker byti duhovnyya your meal in the heavenly Certosa The king of glory. To him with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy, the Good and the Life-giving Spirit will be glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.
O holy sanctuary of God, the prophet Zachariah and the righteous Elisabeth! By a good move, having labored on the earth, they received the crown of righteousness in Heaven, and the Lord pleased him to eat all who loved Him. Even looking at your holy image, we rejoice over the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. But you, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and offer blessings to the All-Merciful God, forgive us every sin and help us to resist the congestion of the Diabols, I wish you all the better, I am sorry for you. greatness and we will be made worthy of your representation, even if we are unworthy of me, seeing good things on the living earth, glorifying the One in His saints, the glorified God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Age, and the Holy Spirit, Vauch, Amen.
Election from the family of Aaron, the birth of John the God-praising, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord prepared for being, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth! As if they have boldness in the Lord, by your intercession from all our troubles free those who cry to you:
The angels of the earth and the men of heaven have truly appeared, to the Saints Zechariah and Elisabeth, from your youth you adorned all the virtues and your immaculate life, together with your life, it seems to him, we call you voices of praise to the mouth:
Rejoice, glorious vegetation of the Aronov family.
Rejoice, radiant adornment of pious parents.
Rejoice, diligence of spiritual and bodily purity.
Rejoice, you are zealous guardian of God's commandments.
Rejoice, supruzi righteous, by God before the election.
Rejoice, to the heavenly meal of the Lord's calling.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
Seeing the Heavenly Father from the height of His glory, like your life, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, piously and holyly fast, bless from the branch of your saint to grow an honest and glorious fruit - John, in order to be his prophet, Forerunner and Baptist to His beloved Son Jesus To Christ, to Him we give praise: Alleluia.
The Archangel Gabriel, directed by the Divine Mind from above, appears before you, Priest Zachariah, who has entered the sanctuary and is serving in his order. See the heavenly messenger, at the right hand of the censer, the great fear enveloping you, both the messenger of God of the speech: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah." But we, by the grace of God to your family, are moved, crying:
Rejoice, strong guard of the chaste life.
Rejoice, sins and passions are invariably overpowered.
Rejoice, by the grace of God, generously fall.
Rejoice, you who see hidden secrets in heaven.
Rejoice, like angels of incorporeality, who have lived on the earth.
Rejoice, you have preserved bodily purity in your life.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
The power of the ineffable mercy of God on you, the saint, has been revealed, for seeing the righteousness of your walk before the face of God, the Lord sent you great consolation in old age, so you sing to Him faithfully: Alleluia.
Have a command from the Lord to comfort you, Saint Zechariah, to erect an angel of God, as your prayer is favorable to God and listening to it, God will grant you mercy: bless your spouse Elizabeth, letting her bondage of infertility, let her give birth to a son, of the same grace, John. In the same way, receive this song from us:
Rejoice, you please God by your life.
Rejoice, for you walked holy before Him.
Rejoice, for in your prayers to the Creator, nature rose up.
Rejoice, for you were always comforted by the word of the Lord.
Rejoice, for you have placed all your hopes on the Creator.
Rejoice, in your good deeds you did not know fatigue.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
Not overcome by the storm of the worldly life, your son, Saints Zechariah and Elisabeth, will be great before the Lord, not only in body, but also in spirit, the speech of the Angel of the Lord, for by her birth she will bring great joy to the world, as if many will rejoice at his birth, praising the Creator: Alleluia.
Hearing wondrous verbs about his son, that he will be called the great prophet and fasting, and even from his mother's womb the Holy Spirit will be filled, and many from the sons of Israel for his sake will turn to the true God, for he must be the Forerunner of Christ in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah and prepare peoples to the acceptance of the Savior, Zechariah was extremely amazed and surprised, not daring to believe the Angel spoken of. We, listening to the words of the angels, cry out to you sice:
Rejoice, having acquired the Creator's great mercy.
Rejoice, you have brought great joy to tongues.
Rejoice, having covered your gray hair with glory.
Rejoice, you have not deprived yourself of your rewards in heaven.
Rejoice, you who resembled the merciful Lord in all things.
Rejoice, you who have always worshiped the Triune God.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
Fear God exactly, speaking the angel of the Lord to Zechariah: I am Gabriel, stand before God and was sent to bring you all this good news, both because you did not believe in my words, be dumb and did not utter a single word until everything that I have spoken should be fulfilled according to to the will of the great God, to whom I sing glory: Alleluia.
When I saw the people who were in the Church of the Lord, I slowed down Zacharias in the altars, I marvel at this, I went out to them and I cannot speak, but I just shake things up, stirring everything up, as if he had a vision in the altars. We, glorifying the wondrous in the miracles of Our Lord, are saying to you:
Rejoice, for the power of God is perfect on you.
Rejoice, for the will of God is irrevocably created on you.
Rejoice, for the Creator's mercy has poured out in abundance on you.
Rejoice, for the Creator has generously bestowed joy upon you.
Rejoice, for you have been exalted by the hand of the saint.
Rejoice, for you are setting an example for everyone.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
The words of the Lord, proclaimed by the angel, seeing the realization, rejoiced greatly, Elizabeth, for conceiving her son and hiding for five months, saying: as this is how the Lord has done for me in days, take away my reproach in men in a nazy ghost, so I sing His praise: Alleluia.
Exalt abundantly the grace of God in the saints Elizabeth, when be filled with the Holy Spirit and cry out in the great voice of the Virgin Mary: “Blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And I will get this away for me, as if the Mother of my Lord came to me! " Her child leapt in her belly with joy at the coming of the Mother of God. Yes, and the grace of the Holy Spirit has come down on us, crying out with joy to the face:
Rejoice, you are gilded by the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, generous with grace, the Creator of the autumn.
Rejoice, great child of holy conception.
Rejoice, joy of fatherhood and motherhood from God knowing.
Rejoice, Mother of God akin to all-righteousness.
Rejoice in the incarnate Son of God, the servant of goodness.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
I want people to proclaim from the angel the called name of his son John, Saint Zechariah, after his birth I wrote and abie your tongue and mouth opened, and verb paki, blessing God and singing to Him: Alleluia.
God grant you a new grace, righteous Zechariah, saturate you with the Holy Spirit, prophesy you as well, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, as if visit and create deliverance for His people and erect a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David His youth, as the verb of the lips of the holy ones from time immemorial His prophet and you, child, the Prophet of the Most High, were called, come before the Lord, prepare His ways. " But we, listening to your prophecy, through you, the righteous women of God, praise the Lord, singing to you these praises:
Rejoice, having sent forth holy things into the world of the one who has given birth.
Rejoice, for you have proclaimed joy to the world by this Merry Christmas.
Rejoice in praising God beyond measure.
Rejoice, having served the Lord faithfully.
Rejoice, you have kept all His Laws.
Rejoice, you have kept yourself clean.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
A strange miracle happened to the living people around, when I hear about the glorious and wonderful birth of your child, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, and with surprise I say to myself: "What will this child be?" We, rejoicing at the glorious birth of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, cry to the Lord: Alleluia.
You were all filled with great confusion, God's prophet Zechariah, in vain the Most Holy Virgin Mary with the Divine Infant came to the temple and in the place of unclean wives before the doors of the temple, she became, she wants to ask for cleansing of the law. Leading Bo Yu into the Holy of Holies by you, by the inspiration of God, introduced and brought up there and understanding in spirit, that this Mother is the Pure Virgin, and after Christmas, put Yu in the place of maidens, where women who have a husband do not stand like a wife. We, praising the Pure Virgin with you, cry out with love and tenderness:
Rejoice, for giving the glory to the Mother of God.
Rejoice, you have praised Her with all.
Rejoice, the coming of God into the waiting world.
Rejoice, having blessed the Creator with the pure prayer.
Rejoice, delight in the Face of the Christ Child.
Rejoice, into the Kingdom of God he has erected.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
All the angels and saints rejoice in the joy of greatness, when you, holy Zechariah, on the hand of your righteous, were touched by your heart and with the fear of God, you accepted the Divine Infant, and like the Creator and God, you called Him: Alleluia.
Human vortex does not suffice for the worthy glorification of your wondrous life, the holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, it is not possible to confess and disappear all your prayer and compassion, all your tears and sighs, even to God. Receive from us, the love of those who labor for you, this little praise:
Rejoice, vessel of the Holy Spirit from the age of choice.
Rejoice, I will stretch out my hand to the Creator in hope.
Rejoice, Holy Trinity of faithful saint.
Rejoice, you have found your way to God in thorns.
Rejoice, for you have acquired salvation by your labors.
Rejoice, in the Lord you have only trusted in all.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
Salvation to their child is alive, they give their mother to drink and run with him to the mountains from the evil-minded child-killer Herod, who is the ambassador of warriors to Bethlehem, so that all the babies will be beaten, and your child, blessed Zachariah and Elisabeth, will be killed. We, to the Lord, keeping His elect from the hand of the wicked, with love with the verb: Alleluia.
The Lord, righteous Elisabeth, has become your wall of intercession from the murderers who overtook you, when, according to your prayer: "Mountain of God, accept mother and son!" Rejoicing at your salvation with tears, crying out to you:
Rejoice in the Lord on all paths you keep.
Rejoice, by the hand of God through the life of this vodimiya.
Rejoice, you have carried your love for the Creator in yourself.
Rejoice, you have tasted imperishable fruit in Paradise.
Rejoice for the truth of God who suffered.
Rejoice, you want to be with God.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
You, holy and righteous Zechariah, brought the singing of prayer to the Lord God, when the warriors of the beastlike Herod came to you with the command to give them your son. But you answered them: “I serve now the Lord God of Israel, and I don’t know where my son is!” Cry to God who strengthens you: Alleluia.
The temple of the Lord will be filled with the light of heaven, righteous Zechariah, when you advertise with the warrior asking you: "You will kill my body, but the Lord will accept my soul!" I was killed to you between the church and the altar, as Herod commanded, your saint's shed blood thickened on the marble and hardened as a testimony and eternal condemnation of Herod. We, glorifying your martyrdom, sing with voices of praise:
Rejoice, you have dedicated your souls to the Creator.
Rejoice in keeping them holy.
Rejoice in the glory of heaven from the wedding of God.
Rejoice, into the joy of your Lord, enter your calling.
Rejoice, for you are now eating imperishable food.
Rejoice, for you are always begging God for us.
Divine grace appears on you, righteous Elizabeth, and an ineffable miracle has miraculously revealed itself, when in the mountain that has covered you with the child, a cave is arranged by God's command, a water source opens and a phoenix grows above the cave, giving its fruits in abundance. Rejoicing at this favor of God, you sang to Him with your child: Alleluia.
Singing a joyful song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, after forty days after the murder of the righteous Zechariah, Saint Elizabeth surrendered her soul to her Creator and unite with her husband in heaven. Glorifying your righteous life, Saints Zechariah and Elisabeth, we earnestly pray you to hear our laudatory singing:
Rejoice, for in the faith of the saints you are naturally affirmed.
Rejoice, for you are our natural protection from troubles.
Rejoice, as you always protect us from sorrows.
Rejoice, for you tame bodily passions in us.
Rejoice, as a pious spouse you are the natural patron of wisdom.
Rejoice, as a child of ours you are a natural educator of goodness.
Rejoice, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth, good fruit for people who have grown up.
Oh, holy and righteous Zechariah and Elisabeth! We pray you with zeal and love: ask our Lord in this life of faith and virtue for confirmation, deliverance from sorrows and misfortunes, forgiveness of our sins, so that we may also be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven to inherit and forever chant to God: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
This kontakion is read three times. Then Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1.
Oh, the righteous majesty of Christ, the Saints Zachariah and Elisabeth! We run to you and we pray to you with great hope: bring your holy prayers to the Lord for us sinners, let him send all that is good for our souls and bodies, faith is right, unhypocritical love, prosperity in good deeds, health and eternal salvation for souls and bodies. Do not despise our prayers, which are offered to you with tenderness, but wake us a representation to the Lord so that we may be vouchsafed with your help to receive eternal salvation, inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and, together with you and all the saints, glorify the ineffable love of mankind of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the Trinity of God worshiped, God eyelids of centuries. Amen.
From the book of Zechariah himself, as well as from the books of Ezra and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we can assert that Zechariah was a contemporary of the prophet Hagai, Zerubabel and the high priest Yehoshua; having survived the latter, he was, with his son Joachim, the head of his priestly family. The beginning of the prophetic activity of Zechariah according to these books is determined quite accurately; about the end of it, as well as about the time of the death of the prophet and the place of his burial, we have no indications in the Tanakh.
There is no exact information about his time and place of birth. The most accepted opinion among researchers is this: if during the high priesthood of Yehoshua, the prophet Iddo's grandfather was still a representative of his priestly family, then Zechariah, when the captives returned to Jerusalem during the reign of Cyrus, was a relatively young man; and from the fact that he, eighteen years later, in the second year of Darius Hystaspes (520-518 BC), calls himself a "youth" (2: 8), this assumption becomes even more probable. Hence the following conclusion is made: the prophet was born in Babylon shortly before the publication of the decree of Cyrus and arrived in Jerusalem as a child.
The first recorded prophecy of Zechariah dates back to the second year of Darius Hystaspes. The last of Zechariah's time-specific prophecies refers to the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius (7: 1). The prophecies in chapters 9-14 are chronological. Thus, the period of Zechariah's prophecy coincides with the time of the initial dispensation of the Jewish community upon their return from Babylon, and the time of the rebuilding of the Temple (or, as some scholars put it, the time of restoration). It was in parallel with the prophetic activity of Hagai, but at the same time it was longer (judging by the instructions of the books of these prophets).
Zechariah seeks to encourage the builders of the Temple and all the people in the difficult time of the restoration of the community after the Babylonian captivity; at the same time, he tries to dispel the false opinion about the righteousness and godliness of those freed from captivity and about the immediate proximity of messianic times. The Prophet stresses that the future Kingdom of the Messiah will come true only after a long struggle against paganism, after repeated falls of the Jewish people themselves; the actions of Providence, leading the people to their intended goal, will be expressed in miraculous help to the children of Israel in the struggle against paganism, on the one hand, and in heavy punishments for their own sins, on the other; moreover, the Gentiles are an instrument in the hands of God for the punishment of the children of Israel.
The Book of Zchariah falls into two parts (chapters 1-8 and chapters 9-14), differing in both content and style.
First part, which contains the revelations to the prophet that were in the second and fourth years of the reign of Darius Hystaspes (1: 7; 7: 1). It focuses on the building of the Temple and on the main figures of the time, Zerubawel and the high priest Yehoshua. This part can be divided into three sections.
The specific reason for the writing of the passage 6: 9-15 was the arrival in Jerusalem of Heldai with companions from Babylon, with gifts for the temple. Chapters 7 and 8 are written in response to a discussion among the Jewish people about the appropriateness of observing the fasts established to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, under changed circumstances.
In addition, the prophet addresses the question of the main meaning of serving God, which he sees in the observance of ethical standards - justice, mercy, compassion and adherence to the truth. The first part of the book concludes with a vision of “many tribes and powerful nations” who will come “to seek the Lord ... in Jerusalem” (8:22; cf. Isa. 2: 3). Thus, Zchariah, like the prophets that preceded him, believes in the universal mission of the Jewish religion and - like Deuteronomy - awaits its early fulfillment.
Second part the book of the prophet Zechariah (chapters 9 - 14) contains an image of the future destinies of the world in general and messianic times in particular. In this part of the book there is no designation of the time of receiving the revelations and the name of the prophet. The angels and evil spirits mentioned in the visions of the first part also do not occur in the second part of the book.
The second half of the book of Zechariah can be divided into two prophecies (chapters 9-11 and chapters 12-14), beginning with the same words: "מַשָּׂא דְבַר-יי" - "The prophetic word of the Lord":
First prophecy spoken in the land of Khadrach, depicts the struggle between the pagan world and Israel and the destruction of the power of the pagans; a second prophecy(about Israel) paints pictures of the future state of the chosen people, when it is purified by calamities, and attains a high degree of holiness and glory.
Unlike the first part, here we are talking about the overthrow of a world power hostile to the Jewish people, a good and worthless pastor, about the great crime of the people and their repentance and universal sanctification.
The language and style of the second part are also significantly different from the first. The first part is usually written in prose, the second in poetic language; in the first part, each independent passage begins with a short introductory formula, in the second they are absent. In the second part, there is a relatively large number of Arameisms that may indicate its later origin.
Due to the significant difference in the style of these chapters from the first half of the book of Zechariah, the direction of "biblical criticism" starting from the 17th century. began to express more and more doubt about their authenticity. For Christian scholars, an additional reason for separating the last six chapters was the fact that in the Gospel of Matthew (27: 9) the quotation from Zechariah 11:12 is cited not with reference to Zechariah, but to Jeremiah.
The opinions of researchers about the time of compilation of these prophecies differ. Some scholars attribute them to the period of the reign of the Jewish king Uzzia (8th century BC), others consider the form in which the theological motives of prophecy are clothed, characteristic of the Hellenistic period and on this basis also attribute the prophecies to the 3rd century. BC NS..
Opponents of attributing the second part of Zechariah's book to a different author believe that the difference between the two parts is not so great that it would be possible, on this basis, to exclude the possibility of a single authorship. The second part contains no visions; but even in the first part, rather significant passages (chap. 7-8) represent a narrative, not a vision; the symbolic action described in the first part corresponds in the second part to the symbolic actions in 9: 4-17.
Good and evil spirits are not characters and are not mentioned in the second part, but they are not mentioned in Ch. 7-8; on the other hand, in Zech. 12: 8 mentions the "Angel of the Lord", and in Zech. 14: 5, about whom many commentators also refer to the "saints" as angels. The inconsistency of the content of the second part of Zechariah with historical circumstances also cannot be reliably shown.
As a result, a scrupulous analysis of the second part of Zechariah's book leads to the conclusion that it is difficult, if not impossible, to make a final judgment about her authorship. Each of the polemicizing parties has strong arguments in favor of their position, but weaknesses in the model they propose are also revealed to the same extent.
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ZAKHARIA(memory of the Lord, Heb.) - the sickle-eyed prophet, one of the 12 so-called minor prophets, from the tribe of Levi, died around 520 BC. and foretold the blessed kingdom of Christ. He was named the sickle because during one of the revelations he saw a scroll flying from the sky in the form of a sickle. Commemoration of February 8.
Prophet Zechariah was, according to the book of his name ( 1 , 1, 7), son of Barachiah and Adda; in the very first book of Ezra 5 , 1; 6 , 14 he is already called the son of Adda alone, a representative of the priestly family, who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylonian captivity (Neh. 12 , 4). The latter name is understood either in the sense that Adda was Zechariah's educator (Cyril of Alexandria, Rosenmüller), or in the fact that he was his grandfather. The second explanation is the most plausible, since in genealogies the Hebrew "ben" means not only a son, but also a grandson (see, for example, Gen. 29 , 5; 32 , 55, etc.). In addition, that Adda was not just a teacher of the prophet, but was also related to him, this is quite clear from Neh. 12 , 16. Zechariah's prophetic ministry began in the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes ( 1 , 7), that is, in 520 BC Chr., 16-17 years after the return of the Jews from captivity, continued in the fourth year of his reign ( 7 , 1) and ended, as they think, after the sixth year of Darius, that is, after the construction of the temple; to this time the uttering of the speeches of the last six chapters is attributed. Nothing is known about the subsequent life of the prophet Zechariah. According to legend, he died at a ripe old age.
The book of the prophet Zechariah, consisting of chapter 14, is split into two parts; one embraces the initial eight chapters, the other the last six. The content of the first, including here and a small introduction ( 1 , 1-6), is in a rather close relation to the construction of the second temple. In the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, when all peoples known to the Jews enjoyed peace ( 1 11), the holy land was for the most part occupied by pagan peoples, before whom the returning captives trembled (Ezra. 3 , 3; 4 4), and the construction of the temple was hampered by the Samaritans and, finally, completely stopped (Ezra. 4). As a result of all this, the pious lost faith in the faithfulness of divine promises and the omnipotence of God (1, 12). The support for them in such a state was the first vision of Zechariah. The temple, the prophet said in his explanation, will be rebuilt, Jerusalem will be built up and, together with other cities, will overflow with good ( 1 , 16-17). While the Lord "will take pity on Zion," He is indignant at "fearless nations with great indignation" (v. 15). How this indignation will be expressed, what will be the fate of the pagans, explains the second vision ( 1 , 18-21). The Prophet sees four horns - symbols of the peoples who scattered Judah and Israel and destroyed Jerusalem (v. 19), and then four blacksmiths going to shoot down these horns. The power of the oppressors of the Jews will be crushed. And if they interfered with the building of the city and the temple (Ezra. 4 , 12-16, 21), then with the destruction of their power, the obstacle to the execution of this work will be removed. Jerusalem will not only be restored, but also populated with countless people: the Lord will call into it those who are still in the scattering, many pagans will join them ( 2 6, 11), and the Lord himself will settle in Zion ( 2 , ten). The third vision ends with the Lord's promise to dwell in Zion. But how can a saint dwell among a sinful people? The fourth vision (Ch. 3) answers this bewilderment. It announces that the sins of the people will be forgiven: the stained clothes are removed from the high priest Jesus, the representative of the whole nation - a symbol of impurity, sinfulness, and he puts on clean clothes. This miraculous work of God's mercy will transform the future, a much greater work of the grace of God cleansing the sins - the effacement of the sins of the whole earth in one day by the branch - the Messiah. The cleansing of sins made it possible for the cleansed to walk before the Lord without blemish, supported by the grace of God. This glorious state of society is portrayed in the next, fifth vision (4 chap.). The prophet contemplates the golden lamp (the symbol of the church - Apoc. 1 13, 20), which is crowned with a bowl, into which oil flowed through two grooves from the branches of two fertile olives (Jesus and Zerubbabel, priesthood and judicial dignity). From the upper bowl, oil flowed through special tubes in seven icon lamps that hung on the lamp. The rich olive branches oozed with oil oozed gold. In explaining the vision, the existence of this glorious society is connected with the existence of the temple as a center of service to God ( 4 , 5 and gave.). He will be built by Zerubbabel, no matter what the obstacles are (v. 7). All five visions told the prophet what favors the Jewish people would be rewarded to, what a glorious state they would be brought to by the power of God. But it will not be eternal, the time will come when the people will become corrupted, fall into impiety, and for this they will be punished. This thought is revealed in the vision of a scroll, on which a curse was written on all thieves and perjurers, and an ephah with a woman sitting in it (wickedness itself), carried away by two other women to the land of Babylon (Ch. 5). Zechariah contemplates the time when corruption will reach its peak. Then the curse will fly over the whole earth, that is, Judea, and will strike the wicked until the measure of the people's unrighteousness is fulfilled and the final punishment comes. The wicked woman is the Jewish people; ephah is the measure of the falsities against which the curse has been pronounced. If the Lord does this to the chosen people, then what should the world expect? The answer to this question lies in the seventh vision ( 6 , 1-8). The Prophet sees four chariots drawn by red, black, white and piebald horses; they have to go all over the earth to enforce divine judgment on all the enemies of God. After the destruction of the pagan world, the kingdom of the Messiah will be established on earth. The prophet expresses this thought by symbolic action ( 6 9-15) - by placing a crown on the head of the high priest Jesus. The crowned high priest Jesus was to transform the Messiah for the people, who would create a church, receive glory and sit on his throne. Speeches 7 and 8 chap., Uttered in the 4th year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, like the previous visions, are related to the construction of the second temple. In the fourth year of Darius, the construction of the temple moved forward significantly, and everything predicted its imminent completion. In view of this, Zechariah's contemporaries asked themselves the question: should we mourn the destruction of the former temple - to fast in the fifth month? To resolve this bewilderment, an embassy was sent to Jerusalem, and the Lord answered it through Zechariah. The latter, first of all, denounces the inner motivation from which this question arose. The people attributed the dignity of internal piety to the external expression of piety - fasts, forgetting that the former is important only in connection with the latter. The Lord requires the fulfillment of the moral law, without which external piety has no value. Before, when Jerusalem was inhabited, the Lord demanded righteousness in judgment, mutual love and mercy for the unfortunate. For disobedience, the Lord was angry with the people, so that Palestine turned into a desert ( 7 , 1-14). At the present time, the Lord will again show favor to Jerusalem, settle in Zion and give the people all kinds of blessings. Then the fasts themselves will be days of joy and gladness, and a multitude of people will then come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord ( 8 , 1-23). The second part of the book of Zechariah contains prophetic speeches about the times of the blessed messianic kingdom. At the beginning of Ch. 9. the prophet says that the Lord will punish the Syrians, the Phoenicians and the Philistines, and will protect His people. Jerusalem will be under the special protection of God. The Lord will protect him from enemies passing back and forth, and no more oppressor will pass to him. Then the prophet invites the Jewish people to rejoice, since the King will soon come to him, who, being himself righteous, has to establish righteousness on earth and will save His people. Meek, He will destroy the arrogance and arrogance of people; therefore, He will open His kingdom by entering His capital, not on a shiny chariot, like a military conqueror of nations, but sitting on a donkey and a young colt, meek animals that served as a symbol of peace. The peace that the King of Zion will come to establish on earth, first of all, will be entwined in the Promised Land, and from it will spread throughout the entire universe; this King will save the people and draw them into His kingdom, not by force, but by a bloody sacrifice, which He will bring for all mankind, in order to reconcile them with God and free them from hell. The spiritual kingdom of the Messiah will be preceded by an external temporary restoration of the Jewish people ( 9 , 13-17): The Lord will make him victorious in the war with the Hellenes. Foreseeing the divine protection of the Jews, the prophet advises them to turn their prayers to the Lord, and not to the pagan gods. He himself will take care of His flock and will make His people the conqueror of the universe, will return to the fatherland those of the Israelites and Jews who still remained in the lands of captivity ( 10 , 1-12). Having depicted the bright side of the future fate of the Jewish people, the prophet proceeds to indicate the upcoming rejection of him. Zechariah asks Lebanon to open its doors to the incoming enemy who will devastate all Judea ( 11 , 1-3). What is the cause of such disasters is indicated by the two symbolic actions described below. In the first ( 11 , 4-14) Zechariah portrays the Shepherd-Messiah, trying to save the Jewish people, whom evil shepherds lead to destruction, like "slaughtering sheep." The care of the Messiah will be rejected by the blinded people: he will value his pastoral service at 30 pieces of silver, that is, at the cost of a slave. Then the Messiah will resign from Himself the pastoral office, as a result of which the end of the covenant between God and the chosen people will come. When the good shepherd was rejected, the flock fell into the hands of robbers and mercenaries. Wishing to point out to the people these latter, the prophet symbolically depicts a mad shepherd who will not take care of the perishing, will not look for the lost, heal the sick, feed the healthy, etc. But woe to these shepherds. "Their hand will dry up completely, and the right eye will grow dull." In the last chapters (12-14) Zechariah prophesies about the fate of Jerusalem, that is, the Church of Christ, from the time of the appearance of the Messiah to the end of the world. He predicts the terrible aspiration of the peoples to Jerusalem ( 12 1-3), which, however, will reflect Jehovah. He will create in Jerusalem a blessed kingdom, abundant in mercies and bounties ( 10 , 14), cleansed from all the abominations of the pagan ( 13 , 1-6), small in number, making up only a third of those living on earth, but tempted and holy (7-9). At the end of time, all nations will take up arms against this kingdom, but the Lord himself will rise up to protect it and defeat enemies ( 14 , 1-5). After darkness covers the earth, the only and eternal day will come when the Lord will be light for everyone. Then the living water will come out of the new heavenly Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be the focal point of the kingdom of God, in which only the righteous will dwell, and the enemies will be punished (6-21).
The second part of the book of the prophet Zechariah presents some differences from the first: it does not contain, for example, the definition of the time and name of the prophet; has no indication of the circumstances among which Zechariah uttered his predictions; it contains no visions, no acting angels, no satan; finally, the language itself is different from the language of the first part. All this taken together serves as the basis for the opinion that the second part of the book of Zechariah does not belong to the son of Barachiah, but is composed of many passages of Zechariah, a contemporary of Isaiah, and was brought into its present form in the era of the Maccabees. But in favor of the unity of the book, in favor of the fact that it is the work of one prophet, is decisively evidenced by the fact that the starting point for the speeches of both parts is the post-captivity state of the people (the people of the covenant are scattered among the pagans, like a flock without a shepherd - 10 , 3; the house of Ephraim is still to be gathered and saved, - 10 , 6-10; there is no discord between the Jewish and Israeli kingdoms, but it existed before the destruction of both kingdoms, - 11 , 14, etc.). Failure to mention the name of the prophet speaks just as little against the origin of the prophetic speeches of ch. 9 -14 from Zechariah, who lived after the captivity, how little the prophet Isaiah does not mention his name in the inscriptions to the speeches of Ch. 15 , 17 , 19 etc. speaks against their descent from Isaiah. As for the difference in presentation, then it does not exclude similarities. In both parts, the same images are used (the eyes of God - 3 , 9; 4 , 10; 9 , eighteen; a source - 3 , 9; 13 , 1; 14 , 8), the same characteristic expressions ( 7 , 14; 9 , 8), the same sayings ( 2 , 14; 9 , 9) and allusions to the previous sacred books.
* A.P. Lopukhin.
Text source: Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia. Volume 5, stlb. 671. Edition Petrograd. Supplement to the spiritual journal "Wanderer" for 1904 Modern spelling.
[greek. Ζαχαρίας], right., Prop., Father of St. John the Baptist and the husband is right. Elisabeth, relatives of the Most Holy. Theotokos (commemoration of 5 Sept.). Z. was a priest in Jerusalem “from the Avian lineage” (Luke 1. 5; the annual cycle of worship in the Jerusalem temple was divided into 24 parts, lasting 1 or 2 weeks, during which the priests, by lot, performed the prescribed rituals (Nolland. 1989 . P. 26)).
According to the story of the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1. 5-23), during the ceremony of burning incense in the Jerusalem temple, Z. was honored with the appearance of arch. Gabriel, who said to him: "... do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will give you a son, and you will call his name John" (Luke 1:13). Although Z., judging by his subsequent reaction, did not pray for a son, but for the salvation of Israel, he (beyond expectations) was given a prophecy about the birth of a son. Blzh. Theophylact of Bulgaria believes that Z.'s prayer was heard that God would forgive the sins of the people. “How can you see it? The angel says: here I give you a sign: Elisabeth will give birth to a son for you, and from what Elisabeth will give birth, you must also be sure of the remission of sins to the people ”(Theoph. Bulg. In Luc. 1 // PG. 123. Col. 698) ... At the same time, in the OT there are many cases of prayer of childless parents for the gift of children (see, for example: Gen. 25.21; 30.22; 1 Sam. 1:10-13, 17), therefore Z. could also pray for birth son. According to the promise of arch. Gabriel's son “will not drink wine and strong drink” (Luke 1:15) as a sign of his special dedication to God (see: Lev 10.9; Judgment 13.14 and 7) and will become a prophet, filled with the “Holy Spirit ... from her mother's womb; and many of the children of Israel he will turn to the Lord their God "(Luke 1: 15-16), and also" he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to return the hearts of fathers to children, and to the rebellious minds of the righteous, in order to present a prepared people to the Lord. " (Luke 1:17).
Z. expressed doubt about the possibility of giving birth to a son, since he and his wife were already in their old age. For admonition and as confirmation of the fidelity of the words of the heavenly messenger, Z. became deaf and dumb (Luke 1.22; cf. Luke 1. 62). “He is justly exposed to both - deafness and dumbness, for as an offender he is punished with deafness, and as a contradicting one - with silence” (Theoph. Bulg. In Luc. 1 // PG. 123. Col. 700). Z. remained in this state until the day of the birth of his son, who later became a prophet and preacher of repentance in Israel and the Forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. Apparently, this story reveals the triple meaning of Z's silence: as punishment, as signs that what was predicted will come true (cf. Gen. 15. 9-21; Judgment 6. 36-40; 4 Kings 20. 8-11; 1 Tsar 10.2-16; Luke 1. 36; 2. 12), and also as a motive for an apocalyptic concealment, according to which the silence of Z. was supposed to become a means of keeping divine plans secret from people until the moment of their fulfillment (cf. : Dan 8.26; 12.4, 9; Rev 10.4). In addition, Z.'s unbelief is contrasted with Mary's faith, which is described further (Luke 1. 45) (Brown. 1993. P. 263). The people who stood outside the sanctuary, after Z. went out to them and "explained ... by signs" (Luke 1:22), realized that he had a vision.
When, 9 months later, Z. had a son, then on the 8th day after the birth, relatives and neighbors gathered in Z. and Elisabeth's house to circumcise the baby and give him a name. Elizabeth, remembering the command of God, transmitted through the arch. Gabriel, said that his name must be John, which was confirmed by Z., having written the same name on the tablet. After that Z. was healed and, being filled with the Holy Spirit, blessed God and uttered a prophecy in which he announced the soon-to-come promised salvation of Israel and the role of his newborn son in this event (Luke 1. 67-79).
The history of Z. is also found in the narration of the apocryphal "Proto-Gospel of Jacob" (2nd half of the 2nd century). Here Z. is presented as the high priest. According to the plot of the apocrypha, he receives a revelation about the fate of the Mother of God, that Mary is destined to become the wife of Joseph (Ch. 8). It is also mentioned (but without specifying the reasons and circumstances) about the dumbness of Z. (Ch. 10). At the end of the apocrypha, the scene of the murder of Z. is described for not wanting to give away the whereabouts of his son. By order of King Herod, he "was killed ... in front of the temple" (Ch. 23). The story ends with mysterious words that the priests, having entered the temple, “did not find his body, only blood that had become like a stone” (Ch. 24). The last detail from the life of Z., apparently, is the result of his identification with Dr. Zechariah, “killed between the altar and the temple,” about whom Jesus Christ mentions in Luke 11.51 (cf. Matt 23. 35). Blzh. Theophylact gives an interpretation that was widespread in his time, a cut also preserves this tradition. He says that Z. “did not exclude the Mother of God from the ranks of the virgins after She gave birth to Christ, and put Her in the same place where they stood, and this place was between the temple and the outer copper altar. For this they killed him. Since some were expecting in Christ their future king, while others did not want to be under the rule of the king, therefore they killed this saint also because he claimed that the Virgin had given birth and that Christ, their future King was born, which was disgusting to them for they wished to be without a king "(Theoph. Bulg. In Luc. 11 // PG. 123. Col. 872). The fact that Z. was the high priest was also mentioned (possibly under the influence of the "Proto-Gospel of James") and St. John Chrysostom (Ioan. Chrysost. De incompreh. 2 // PG. 48. Col. 710-711).
According to the majority of the modern. biblical scholars (see, for example: Peels. S. 594), Luke 11.51 contains a reference to 2 Chronicles 24.20-22, which tells about the son of priest. Jehoiada Zechariah, who, being filled with the Holy Spirit, denounced the apostasy of King Joash and was stoned by the order of the latter “in the court of the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 24.21). According to Matthew 23. 35, the Lord speaks of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, identifying this martyr with one of the minor prophets of the post-captivity period (see: Zech 1.1). Such an identification was admitted even by St. John Chrysostom (Ioan. Chrysost. In Matth. 74 // PG. 58. Col. 681) and blzh. Theophylact (Theoph. Bulg. In Matth. 23 // PG. 123. Col. 405). Nicephorus Callistus (XIV century) with reference to St. Hippolyta of Rome, writes in "Church History" that the first wife is right. Joseph the Betrothed, Salome, was the niece of Z. (Niceph. Callist. Hist. Eccl. II 3 // PG. 145. Col. 760).
In the Byzantine. sources preserved the anonymous apocryphal Martyrdom of Z., based on the text of the "Proto-Gospel of Jacob" (BHG, N 1881). In addition, a number of hagiographic works are devoted to Z. (VIII-IX centuries) (BHG, N 1881q - 1881r), 3 anonymous words of praise (BHG, N 1881p, N 1881v - 1881x).
In the Russian Orthodox Church and other Orthodox. Churches commemorate Z. is celebrated on 5 Sept. The oldest Jerusalem Holy Sepulcher Typicon, preserved in the Arm. and cargo. versions, except for the memory of Z. 5 Sept. celebrated 27 Sept. the appearance of the architect. Gabriel, December 1 - uncovering of the relics of Z., ap. James the Righteous and Simeon the God-Receiver and on May 18 - the memory of these 3 saints in the church built in Jerusalem by Paul from Eleutheropolis (Kekelidze. Canonary. S. 114, 135, 144; Tarchnischvili. Grande Lectionnaire. T. 2. P. 11, 42, 54; Garitte. Calendrier Palestino-Georgien. P. 67, 92, 107). In the Patmos list of the Typicon of the Great Church. (IX-X centuries) under 23 October. there is a message that the memory of Z., ap. James the Righteous and Simeon the God-Receiver was celebrated in K-field in the church dedicated to the Most Holy. Mother of God, next to St. Sophia. According to lat. the description of the K-field of the XII century. ("Anonymous Mercati"), in this church were the relics of Z., Jacob and Simeon (Description of the K-field shrines in the Latin manuscript of the 12th century. // Miraculous icon in Byzantium and Ancient Russia. M., 1996. P. 448) ... It is known that the relics of Z. were transferred to K-pol in 415. In a number of Byzantines. calendars, the memory of Z. was indicated on May 15 or 16, and the acquisition of relics - on February 11. In the Synaxarum of the K-Polish c. end X century. there is a mention of 2 churches in the name of a certain St. Zechariah, Atroa and the Monastery of Paradisios. I. Delee and R. Janin believe that the church in Paradisia was consecrated in the name of Z. The temple in Atroa Janin is not mentioned. The BHG gives another day of memory of Z., which is not in SynCP - December 30, apparently indicated in one of the Visants. manuscripts.
According to the testimony of the pilgrim John Phocas (1185), the tombs with the relics of Z. and Elizabeth were in c. St. John the Baptist, built on the site of his prison in the city of Sevastia (PPS. 1889. T. 8. Iss. 2. (Issue 23). P. 39). In the present. At the time of the relics (or part of the relics) Z. stay in the Athos monastery of Kastamonit (Meinardus O. A Study of the Relics of Saints of the Greek Orthodox Church // Oriens Chr. 1970. Bd. 54. S. 176).
The Roman Catholic. To the Church the memory of Z. takes place on November 6. (in some Martyrology the dates are 6 Sept. and 5 Nov.), especially solemnly in the Lateran Basilica in Rome, where, according to the West. traditions, the relics of Z. are kept (Mariani. Col. 1445).
Source: BHG, N 1881-1881x; SynCP. Col. 15-16, 155, 169, 366; Νικόδημος. Συναξαριστής. Τ. 1. Σ. 85-88.
Lit .: Mariani B. Zaccaria // BiblSS. Vol. 12. Col. 1443-1446; Janin. Églises et monastères. P. 133; ΘΗΕ. Τ. 5. Σ. 1198-1199; Nolland J. Luke. Dallas (Tex.) 1989. Vol. 1: 1-9: 20.P. 13-81. (WBC; 35a); Σωφρόνιος (Εὐστρατιάδης). ῾Αγιολόγιον. Σ. 160; Watson J. F. Zechariah (31) // ABD. Vol. 6. P. 1060-1061; Witherington B. The Birth of Jesus // Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels / Ed. J. B. Green et al. Downers Grove (Ill.) 1992. P. 60-74; Brown R. E. The Birth of the Messiah. N. Y .; L. 19932. P. 256-285; 367-392; idem. An Introduction to the NT. N. Y .; L. 1997. P. 225-230; Peels H. G. L. The Blood "from Abel to Zachariah" (Matthew 23, 35; Luke 11, 50f.) And the Canon of the OT // ZAW. 2001. Bd. 113 S. 583-601; Murphy C. M. John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age. Collegeville (Minn.) 2003. P. 43-90.
P. Yu. Lebedev, O. N. A., O. V. L.
Z. is recalled in Orthodoxy. divine service on the feasts dedicated to John the Baptist (Conception (23 Sept.) and Christmas (24 June)) as his father.
Into the cargo. monuments reflecting the traditions of the ancient Jerusalem worship, the memory of Z. together with Elizabeth is celebrated on June 26, as part of the multi-day celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist (Garitte. Calendrier Palestino-Géorgien. P. 261; Marr I. Ya. Description of Georgian manuscripts of the Sinai mon-ry . M .; L., 1940. S. 139).
In the Typikon of the Great Church. IX-XI centuries (Mateos. Typicon. T. 1. P. 16) Z.'s memory was installed on 5 Sept. along with the memory of other saints, in some lists there is a succession of Z., including the troparion Psalm 98, Gospel Matt 23.29-39, participates in Psalm 111.6b.
In the Studio-Aleksievsky Typicon of 1034 (Pentkovsky. Typicon. Pp. 277-278), containing the earliest surviving edition of the Studio Synaxar, in memory of Z. 5 Sept. a festive sequence is given, including 6 stichera Z. on "Lord, I have cried out", the singing "God the Lord" at matins and the troparion of the 8th voice 
on the 9th canto of the luminary () (studio luminary of small holidays). At the liturgy, the Blessed Ones are sung the 3rd and 6th Cantos of Canon Z., the prokeimenon from Ps 109, Apostle Heb. 4. 14 - 5. 6; alleluiarium, the Gospel and the sacraments are the same as in the Typicon of the Great c. In the Evergetida Typicon, the 2nd half. XI century (Dmitrievsky. Description. T. 1. S. 260-261) 5 Sept. the successions of Z. and Bishop are combined. Cyril of Gortynsky, the service is performed with the singing of "God the Lord" and the troparion of Z. 4th voice ῾Ιερωσύνης στολισμόν, περιβαλλόμενος σοφέ̇ ( 
), etc. the instructions are the same as in the Studio-Aleksievsky Typicon. At the liturgy, the prokeimenon, the Gospel and the Holy Communion are the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church, Apostle Heb. 5.4-10, an alleluiarium with a verse from Psalm 96. In the Typicon of Messina, 1131 (Arranz. Typicon. P. 15-16) 5 Sep only the memory of Z. is indicated, the troparion is the same as in the Evergetida Typicon, at matins "God the Lord" is sung. On "Lord, I have cried out" 3 stichera Z. and 3 - Presv. Theotokos. At the liturgy, the prokeimenon, the Apostle and the Gospel are the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church, the alleluiarium is the same as in the Typicon of Evergetida, Ps 32.1 is involved. In the Athonite edition of the Studian charter, preserved in the cargo. translation (Georgy Mtatsmindeli Typikon - see: Kekelidze. Liturgical Georgian Monuments. S. 230) at the liturgy on 5 Sept. the prokeimenon, the Apostle and the Gospel are the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church, alleluiarium with a verse from Psalm 91, Psalm 32 is involved. 1.
In the Jerusalem Typicons of various editions, ranging from early (see: Lossky. Typicon. P. 158-159) and up to the present, the charter of the service of 5 Sept. practically did not change, retaining the similarity with the studio Typicons. On "Lord, Cry" the stichera Z. are sung at 6, the canon at Matins is also at 6, that is, Z. refers to the “saints sung at 6” (see article Signs of the feast of the month). In the XVI century. in Russian the lists of Jerusalem Typicons are beginning to regularly put a red sign of 3 dots in a semicircle (), denoting a small holiday; starting with the 1st Moscow edition of the Typicon 1610, 5 Sept. a black sign () is placed, meaning "a saint to be sung at 6". At the liturgy, the prokeimenon, the Gospel and the sacraments are the same as in the Typicon of the Great Church, alleluiarium, as in the Typicon of Evergetida, Apostle Heb. 6 13-20. In Greek. The typicon retains the same sequence, but in the Menaion the number of Z.'s chants increased - the stichera on the Vespers verse were added, the Slavnik on the Matins verse disappears. In the Typicon Mon-rya St. Dionysius (Τυπικόν τῆς ἐν Αθῷ μονῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Διονυσίου. ῞Αγιον ῎Ορος, 2004. Σ. 12-13) 5 Sept. the stichera of the Z. are indicated on the verse of Vespers, they are repeated at matins on the praises, after which the great doxology is sung. The Typicon of Protopsalt Constantine (K-pol, 18512, Venice, 1869) contains a short chapter on the coincidence of 5 Sept. with Sunday, reflecting the same tradition of celebrating Z. with the singing of the great doxology (the singing of the stichera of Z. is indicated on the praises).
In Russian. The Menaea, starting with the Moscow edition of 1724, also printed the 2nd service in honor of Z. and Elizabeth for the solemn commemoration of Elizabeth (for the sake of the namesake of the daughter of Emperor Peter I), the number of chants of Z. remains unchanged.
Follow Z., contained in the modern. glory. liturgical books, includes: troparion of the 4th voice ῾Ιερωσύνης στολισμὸν περιβαλλόμενος, σοφὲ̇ ( ); kontakion of the 3rd voice, like "Virgin of the day" ῾Ο προφήτης σήμερον κα ῾Ιερεὺς τοῦ ῾Υψίστου̇ (); the canon of the 1st voice of Theophanes' authorship with the acrostic Τὸν Προδρόμοιο τοκῆα κροτῶ σοφὸν ἀρχιερῆα (Forerunner to the parent applauding the wise bishop - in Slavic Menaea is absent), irmos: cycle of 3 stichera-like; 3 stichera-self-consistent; sedal; shining.
According to the manuscripts, the hymns of Z. are known, which were not included in the present. liturgical books: kontakion of the 6th voice (Amphilochius. Kondakariy. p. 234); additional ikos (Ibid. pp. 160, 234).
A. A. Lukashevich
Z. is depicted as an old man with gray, long, softly curly hair, with a slightly curly beard of medium length, tapering downward. Its distinctive feature is the clothes of the high priest, to-rye depicted in sufficient detail: an ephod, a bib with 12 precious stones fixed on it according to the number of tribes of Israel, an outer garment in the form of a cloak, decorated at the hem, a long shirt and a belt. The garment is completed by a woven headdress with a gold shield, with the words "Shrine of Yahweh" engraved on it. In the hands of a censer and incense. In the images of Z. as a prophet, the priestly garments are preserved, but in his hands he is holding a scroll with a text from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1. 68-69), for example, in the painting of c. Assumption on the Volotovo field near Vel. Novgorod (1363, not preserved), the scroll contains the full text: "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who visited His people and created deliverance for them, and erected a horn of salvation for us in the house of His boy David" (see: Vzdornov. 1989. Doc . No. 76).
In the mosaic of the apse of St. Euphrasianus in Porec, Croatia (543-553), the earliest single-person image of the Z.-high priest is presented in the left pillar between the altar windows. In the decoration of temples, the image of Z. is always found in the dome painting among the images of the prophets (for example, in the Palatine Chapel (c. 1143-1146) and in the Church of Santa Maria del Ammirallo (Martorana) (1143-1148) in Palermo, Sicily; in the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa in Vel. Novgorod (1199)) and in the altar zone (for example, in the Cappadocian churches in a row of 10 saints next to St. John the Baptist (between 945 and 1025) in Tavshanly-Kilis (St. Eustathius) and in the northern apse of Bally-kilis; in the northern apse of Direkli-kilis (976-1025); presumably in the church of St. Cross and St. George in Achiksaray (1060/61 or 1100). mainly on the eastern pillars or slopes of altar arches: in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Mirozhsky (40s of the XII century) and in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of Snetogorsky (1313) monasteries in Pskov, in the Novgorod churches of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin on Volotovo field , Of the Nativity of Christ on Red Field (90s of the XIV century), architect Mikhail of the Skovorodsky Monastery (beginning of the 15th century?, Not preserved), Venerable Sergius Radon Zhsky in the Novgorod Kremlin (between 1453 and 1463). In the Cappadocian c. Blessed. Theotokos, St. John the Baptist and St. George (Goreme 9; early or 1st half of the 10th century) in the altar niche of the Deesis composition on the sides of Jesus Christ are depicted St. John the Baptist and Z. (which is explained by the consecration of the throne in the southern apse to St. John the Baptist).
On a miniature from the Christian topography of Cosmas Indikoplov (last quarter of the 9th century) Z. is represented in a unique composition "The Mother of God, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Anna and Simeon" (Vat. Gr. 699. Fol. 76; see: Lazarev V. N. History of Byzantine painting. M., 1986. S. 68. Table 97).
Image of the prop. Z. was included in the prophetic row of iconostases (the icon "The Prophets Elisha, Zachariah, Joel" from the Cathedral of the Dormition Kirillov of the Belozersk Monastery, circa 1497, RM; see: Russian mon-ri: Art and Traditions. [St. Petersburg], 1997.S. 36). As a prophet with a scroll in his hand, Z. is depicted on a 2-sided icon-tablet “Selected Saints - Simeon the Stylite, prop. Zechariah, St. John of Novgorod. Annunciation "(late 15th - early 16th centuries, GE; see: Sinai, Byzantium, Rus. 2000, p. 266).
The sole depictions of Z. are included in the Menaion cycles on September: in the wall minologies (in the Church of the Great Martyr Dimitri Markov Mon-ry near Skopje, Macedonia, c. 1376; in the Church of St. Nicholas in Pelinovo, Montenegro, 1717-1718 ), on miniatures (in the minology of the Service Gospel (Vat. gr. 1156. Fol. 245v, K-pol, 3rd quarter of the 11th century), in the Greek-Georgian manuscript of the 15th century (RNB. OI58. L . 48v., 79)), in icon painting (on the icon "Annual Menaion" (beginning of the 19th century, UKM)).
The basis of the depiction of the hagiographic cycle of Z. was formed by the texts of the canonical Gospels, ch. arr. The Gospels of Luke, supplemented by scenes from the "Proto-Gospel of Jacob" (2nd half of the 2nd century): "The introduction of the Virgin into the temple" (Proto-Gospel. Ch. 7. 2-3), "Betrothal (presentation) of Mary to Joseph" and " Prayer for rods "(" The miracle of a prosperous rod ") (Matthew 1. 18; Luke 1.27; Proto-Gospel. Ch. 8, 9)," The Gospel of Zechariah "(Luke 1. 8-20)," The mute Zechariah before the people "(Luke 1. 21-22)," Meeting (kissing) Zechariah and Elizabeth "(Conception of St. John the Baptist) (Luke 1. 23-24)," The Nativity of John the Baptist "and" Zechariah calls the name of John "(Luke 1 . 57, 62-63), "The assassination of Zechariah on the threshold of the temple" (Mt 23. 35).
Scenes depicting Z., as a rule, appear in connection with the history of St. John the Baptist, forming an integral part of his hagiographic cycle, or are part of the proto-Gospel Theotokos cycle. The earliest known plots of the Life of Z. are presented in the painting of the Early Byzantine. period in the church of the former monaster of St. John the Baptist (Deir Abu Hinnis) near Mallawi (Egypt). The picturesque frieze, dated to the 7th century, includes 5 hagiographic scenes of the righteous Z. and Elizabeth set out in the order of historical sequence, among them “Evangelism of Rights. Zechariah "," Zechariah before the people "(the left hand touches the lips, indicating dumbness); "The Murder of Zechariah" is shown in a cycle of images dedicated to the childhood of Jesus Christ, between the scenes "Flight into the Desert" and "Joseph's Dream". Isolated scenes have also been preserved in the Cappadocian temples consecrated in the name of St. John the Baptist. So, "The Murder of Zechariah" is presented in the painting of c. Bakhattin-Samanligy in the Ihlara valley (2nd half of the 10th or 1st half of the 11th century) in the cycle of scenes from the earthly life of Christ; in the painting of the XI-XII centuries. altar chapel in the name of St. John the Baptist (St. Mark) c. St. Macarius the Great monastic of the same name (Deir-Anba-Makar) in Wadi-en-Natrun in the tromps of keeled niches under the dome are placed the scene "The Annunciation of Zechariah" and the paired composition "The Annunciation of the Virgin". The scene "The Murder of Zechariah" is preserved in the painting of the altar of c. Karagedik (St. George); obviously she was part of the cycle of St. John the Baptist (late X-XI centuries).
The tradition of consecration in Russia to St. John the Baptist located in the north. the apse of the altar determined the program of its decoration in the XII century - the placement there of the hagiographic cycle of the prophet. Expanded cycles, including episodes of childhood with the obligatory scenes “Evangelism of Rights. Zechariah "," Zechariah calls the name of John ", are known in the painting of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh monastery, reconstructed in the fragmentarily preserved painting of the Novgorod church. Annunciation on Myachin (in Arkazhi) (1189), in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk monastery in Pskov, etc. In Russian. icon painting, the earliest hagiographic cycles detailing the history of the birth of the prophet's parents date back to no earlier than the 1st half. XVI century: icons of the 1st half. XVI century., AMII; ser. XVI century, YAKhM, YaIAMZ; ser. XVI century from s. Pavlova, near Rostov (State Tretyakov Gallery); 2nd floor XVI century from Solvychegodsk (SIKHM) (about this see: Ustinova. 2005, pp. 197-212).
The earliest composition "The Gospel of Zechariah" is presented in miniature in the Echmiadzin Gospel (Mathen. 2374. L. 228. Armenia, VI century) (see: Durnovo L. A. Essays on the fine arts of medieval Armenia. M., 1979. Il . 92). As an illustration, anticipating the Gospel of Luke, this composition is included in the Psalter and the Gospel (Lond. Brit. Lib. Harl. 2788, c. 800) - on the centerfold is a miniature depicting St. Luke (Fol. 108v) and "The Annunciation of Zechariah" (Fol. 109r) - in front of the altar in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, opposite each other, are pointing with the finger of his right hand, arch. Gabriel and Z. with a censer; on the sides in medallions - bust images of the Blessed. Virgin (left) and right. Elisabeth (right). The Minology of Vasily II (Vat. Gr. 1613. K-pol, 976-1025) includes miniatures “The Murder of Zechariah” (P. 14), “Evangelism of Rights. Zechariah "(P. 61)," Finding the relics "(P. 391). A separate miniature "Zechariah before the people" illustrates the manuscript "De Virginitate Beatae Mariae" (Palat. Lat. 1650. Fol. 38, Cluny, c. 1090-1100) of St. Ildefons, Archbishop. Tolet (now Toledo).
Proto-evangelical Theotokos cycles, including scenes depicting Z., of varying completeness and preservation, are known in the paintings of many. temples: the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kiev (40s. XI century) (this cycle includes the scene "Presentation of Mary the crimson and purple", however, "Proto-Gospel of James" Mary was given not by Z., but by the high priest named Simeon (Ch. 9. 9)); the Novgorod Church of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Anthony Monastery (1125); Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk monastery in Pskov; mon-rya Hora (Kakhriye-jami) in K-field, approx. 1316-1321, etc. The first composition with the image of Z., according to the sequence of presentation, is "The Introduction of the Mother of God into the Temple": the high priest, bowing to little Mary, meets Her in front of (or under) the ciborium of the temple. In illuminated manuscripts, one of the earliest examples is represented by a miniature in the Minology of Imp. Basil II (Vat. Gr. 1613, K-pol, 976-1025). However, the developed scheme of this composition, anticipating scenes of the childhood of Christ, is already found in the painting of Cappadocian temples, for example. in c. Kyzylchukur in Goreme (the turn of the 9th and 10th centuries). This scene is widely represented in a number of monuments of monumental painting of the 11th-12th centuries, for example. to the sowing. wall of c. Savior on Nereditsa in Vel. Novgorod (1199, the frescoes are not preserved), paired with the "Presentation of the Lord" scene; in the Cypriot churches of Asinu (Panagia Forviotissa), near Nikitari (1105/06), Panagia Arakos, near Lagudera (1192).
In Russian. icon painting as a separate image is found “The Conception of St. John the Baptist ”, where Z. and Elizabeth lean against each other (for example, a temple icon from the church in the village of Novokotovo, Tver region (Novgorod, 2nd half - end of the 15th century, TsMiAR, see: Icons of the 13th - XVI centuries in the collection TsMiAR: Cat. M., 2007. Cat. 14. S. 102-105); 2-sided external icon "The Sign. Conception of St. John the Baptist", Novgorod, 2nd half of the XVI century ., Tretyakov Gallery). As a separate scene on the Novgorod 2-sided icon-tablet “Nativity of Christ. Conception of St. John the Baptist and Vmts. Euphemia the All-Praiseworthy "(1st half of the 16th century, TsAK MDA; see:" It is pleasing in the eyes of God this business ... ": Treasures of the TsAK MDA. Serg. P., 2004. S. 54-58) presents the phenomenon of arch ... Gabriel Z .: against the background of a white-stone church, crowned with 4 domes with crosses in the pommels, at the throne on the left is Z. bending over, in the epitrachil; on the right at the throne - arch. Gabriel; behind Z. - 3 priests. The naming of this composition “Conception of St. John the Baptist ”, despite the fact that her image as“ Meeting of Zechariah and Elizabeth ”has been known since the 15th century. (cm.: Smirnova, Laurina, Gordienko. Conception of St. John the Baptist. Icon. 2nd floor - con. XV century. (TsMiAR)
In extended compositions "Nativity of Christ" in Russian. icons show the stamp "Murder of Zechariah", for example. on an icon from the collection of I.S.Ostroukhov (late 16th century, State Tretyakov Gallery), on an icon from the circle of Gury Nikitin (Kostroma, around 1687, KGOIAMZ; see: Kostroma Icon of the 13th-19th centuries, 2004. Cat. 200) , and etc.
In Herminia, hierom. Dionysius Fournoagraphiot (c. 1730-1733) a description of the appearance of Z. is given in section. "Holy prophets ...", it is said about him: "... an old man with a long beard in priestly clothing" (Part 2. § 132. No. 24). In the collection, images of Z. are also mentioned in the plots included in the cycles "How the Feasts of the Theotokos are depicted" and "Miracles of the Forerunner": "The introduction of the Mother of God into the temple" - "In the depths of the temple, at the door with three steps, the prophet Zacharias stands in priestly clothes, holding out his hands to the Blessed. Mary ... "," The Gospel of Zechariah "(Part 3. § 5. No. 4); “Joseph receives the Mother of God from the temple” - “Inside the temple stands the prophet Zechariah blessing. Behind him, some priests point each other to the Most Holy. Mary, and before him Joseph ... "(Part 3. § 5. No. 5); “The Gospel of Zechariah” - “In the temple, before the altar, Zechariah stands and holds a censer in his right hand, and he lifted his left upward and looks at the sky. The archangel Gabriel soars above the altar, holding a charter with the words: do not be afraid, Zachariah, your prayer has not been heard quickly. Outside the temple, many Jews - men and wives - are praying ”(Part 3. § 21. No. 1); "The Nativity of the Forerunner" - about Z. it is said that he is right in bed. Elizabeth "sits and writes on the charter: John will be his name" (Ibid. No. 2).
In Russian. the consolidated icon-painting original (18th century) according to the list of G. D. Filimonov under 5 Sept. Z.'s appearance is described in detail: “The similarity is old, gray, hairs are the main debts, and the braids are on the shoulders, like those of Abraham, the brada to the waist is long, at the end it is not very bifurcated, her cloaks are golden, in twelve places, the middle riza is lazor, the tritium robe is light underneath. Indus is written: the robe on it is Greek, on the head is a two-horned miter according to the Old Law ... "(Filimonov. Icon-painting original. P. 145); under 23 Sept., in celebration of the Conception of St. John the Baptist, it is said: “... in the sanctuary of Zechariah ... with a censer at the throne, they serve a holy service, the Archangel Gabriel stands in front of him, holding a scepter in his hand, and Zechariah holds his hands in prayer to the throne, above them, according to the cherub, cinnabar, the elders stand behind Zechariah according to the old law ... ”(Ibid. pp. 157-158); under June 24, in the celebration of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Z. is mentioned as follows: "... a little apart the bed of [Elizabeth] sits, like an old, a brad of duty, in the hands of a daughter, and on it writes" John, let his name be "(Ibid. Pp. 372-373) ...
Lit .: Herminia DF. S. 83, 146-147, 183; Antonova, Meeva. Catalog. T. 2. Cat. 371, p. 29; Cat. 543, p. 149; Mijovi. Menologue. S. 286, 316, 344, 362, 376; Smirnova E.S., Laurina V.K., Gordienko E.A. Painting by Vel. Novgorod XV century. M., 1982; Vzdornov G.I. Volotovo: Frescoes c. Assumption on the Volotovo field near Novgorod. M., 1989; Jolivet-Levy C. Les églises byzantines de Cappadoce. P., 1991. P. 110, 181, 224, 256, 301, 314, 320, 326; Sinai, Byzantium, Russia: Orthodoxy. art from VI to early. XX century: Cat. vyst. / St. Catherine on Sinai, State Hermitage. [SPb.,] 2000. S. 266. Cat. R-15a; Pivovarova N.V. Frescoes of the c. Savior on Nereditsa in Novgorod: Iconogr. painting program. SPb., 2002. S. 49-50, 138. Cat. 238-239. Il. 146, 182, 208; Lifshits L.I., Sarabyanov V.D., Tsarevskaya T. Yu. Monumental painting Vel. Novgorod: Con. XI - 1st Thursday XII century: Cat. SPb., 2004. S. 616-621, 742-744, 754; Ustinova Yu. V. "Conception cycle" as part of the life of St. John the Baptist in Old Russian. art XVI - 1st floor. XVII century // IHM. 2005. Issue. 9.S. 197-212.
E. V. Shevchenko
[Heb. ; Greek Ζαχαριας], the prophetic book of the OT, is one of the minor prophets.
At the beginning of the Z. p. K. A short genealogy of its author is given: Zacharias is called "the son of Barachiah, the son of Addov, the prophet" (Zech 1.1). In the first book of Ezra, he is mentioned together with the prop. Haggai and is called simply “the prophet Zechariah, the son of Iddo” (; in the synodal translation “the son of Adda” - 1 Ezra 5. 1; 6. 14); some researchers consider this to be an abbreviated form of genealogy: the expression “son of Iddo” () can be understood more generally as “descendant of Iddo” (Craigie 1985, p. 154). Iddo, grandfather (or perhaps father) of the prop. Zechariah is usually identified (Redditt. 1995. p. 38) with a priest bearing the same name who came to Palestine with Zerubbabel (Neh 12:16); in this case Zechariah belonged to the priestly family. It has also been suggested that the father of the prop. Zechariah, “the seer of Yedo” (2 Chronicles 9. 29;; in the synodal translation - Joel), and “Adda the seer” (- 2 Chronicles 12.15) - one person (Wilson. 1980. P. 289).
The Z. p. To. Does not contain additional information about its author; since he was closely associated with the repatriates Zerubbabel and Jesus, the son of Yosedek, and took an active part in the restoration of the temple, researchers conclude that he was also one of the Jews who returned to Palestine from Babylonia (Redditt. 1995. p. 38). Some researchers find in the book evidence that Zechariah was well acquainted with the situation of the Jews who lived in Babylonia, and in his visions they find Mesopotamian influences (Amsler. 1988. P. 49-50); such t. sp. did not receive universal recognition in science (Petersen. 1985. P. 109-110).
His name () prop. Zachariah wore, apparently, not by chance. This name, meaning "The Lord (Yahweh) remembered," linked Zechariah's prophetic ministry with an earlier tradition: "Yahweh remembers what he did for Israel in the old time ... and will do the same in the future" (Ibid. P. 110).
Reached in the Masoretic edition of the Hebrew. the text of the Z. p. k. has relatively few textological problems and in most cases allows reading without the aid of emendations (see, for example: Ibid. P. 125). The oldest witness of the text, Qumran. scroll 4Q12c, contains several. differing readings, in some cases allowing to explain the differences in the Middle. handwritten tradition (Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Oxf., 2000. Vol. 1. P. 557).
Mn. scholars agree that the roots of religions. the life of the post-captive Jewish community should be sought in the circumstances of the Babylonian captivity (Meyers C. L., Meyers E. M. 1987. P. XXX). Apparently, even before the conquest of Babylon by the Persians, discrimination against the Jews as captives actually ceased, which gave them the opportunity to actively participate in the economic and social life of the power that conquered them, and some of them even to occupy high posts; examples of such prosperity are contained, for example, in the biblical Book of Prop. Daniel. The Jews continued to honor the true God, and apparently there was some form of public prayer; pl. Researchers trace the emergence of synagogues to this era, when the need for meetings was felt even in the absence of the Jerusalem Temple - the focus of religions. life of the people of God. The most important events were the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus II the Great (539 BC) and his issuance of a decree (538 BC), in which the Jews were allowed to return to Palestine and begin the restoration of the temple (cf. : 1 Ride 1. 1-4; 2 Par 36. 22-23; indirect confirmation of the biblical data saved on the "Cyrus cylinder"). Despite the fact that the Persian. the rulers generally supported the repatriates, "Persia remained a military power that could also destroy any other nation" (Meyers C. L., Meyers E. M. 1987. P. XXXII). An example of the hostility of the Persians. King Artaxerxes to the Jerusalem community is contained in 1 Ezra 4. 19-22, and the vision of prop. Zechariah, in which he was first shown 4 horns, "which scattered Judas, Israel and Jerusalem", and then 4 workers who came to the aid of the "land of Judah" (Zech 1. 18-21), is often interpreted as an image of the "Persian power ”, capable of doing both great good and great evil (Meyers CL, Meyers EM 1987. P. XXXII).
Since the time of Cyrus, the policy of Persians. rulers (with the possible exception of only Cambyses), both according to available historical sources and according to biblical reports, was aimed at introducing self-government in the subordinate territories (these actions were supposed to endear the local population in favor of the Persian government, etc. strengthening his power in the country - Ibidem). So, the leader of the 1st group of repatriates, and then the ruler of Prov. The Jew became, according to the decree of Cyrus, the Jew Sheshbatsar (cf .: 1 Ezra 1. 8-11); the tradition continued further, during the reign of Zerubbabel, one of the main characters in the Zerubbabel, based on biblical data, it is impossible to say with certainty whether Judea had the status of a province already under Sheshbazar and Zerubbabel, although some archaeological evidence speaks in favor of this (Meyers CL, Meyers EM 1987. P. XXXIV).
Regarding the central issue of the restoration of the temple for the Z. p. K., There is direct information in other biblical books and indirect information in non-biblical sources. It is assumed that the failure of the 1st group of immigrants, which failed to restore the temple (see, for example: 1 Ezd 4), could be due to the fact that Sheshbatsar did not yet have the powers that were after. were given to Zerubbabel. Perhaps, before the reform of the provincial administration system undertaken by Darius, the provincial ruler did not have sufficient financial resources to continue construction (Meyers C. L., Meyers E. M. 1987. P. XXXIV). Mn. of the Jews who lived in Babylon did not want to return to their homeland, since they were able to achieve success in Babylonia, and the Palestinian economy at that time was ruined (Agg 1.3-11 - Ibid. P. XXXVII is considered an indirect evidence of this).
The situation changed after the second wave of repatriation, when Zerubbabel stood at the head of the people - a descendant of King David, who was apparently considered the heir to the Jewish royal dynasty (he was the grandson of King Jeconiah - cf. Matt 1. 11-12). Some researchers believe that the Jews associated with Zerubbabel hopes for the restoration of independence (see: Meyers C. L., Meyers E. M. 1987. P. XXXIV), relying on the text from the Book of Prop. Haggai: “And the word of the Lord came to Haggai ... say to Zerubbabel, the ruler of Judah: I will shake heaven and earth; and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms, and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the heathen ... ”(Hag 2. 20-22). The emergence of Z. p. K. Is one of the factors in the unification of the people (which consisted primarily in the mutual recognition of the inhabitants of Palestine and the repatriates), thanks to which it became possible to build a temple and restore religions. life.
Mn. researchers believe that it is impossible to establish the exact historical circumstances of the writing of the 2nd part of the Z. p.c. (Zech 9-14) (Childs BS Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture. Phil., 1979. P. 474-476; Mason. 1982. P. 343-344). Unlike the first part of the book (Zech 1-8), there are no references to specific historical events, however, according to scientists, in order to understand Zech 9-14, it is necessary to take into account the historical realities of not only the 6th, but also the 5th century. B.C.
After the restoration and consecration of the temple, the small Palestinian community took center stage in the entire Jewish diaspora. The importance of Jerusalem and the temple was strengthened by the support of the Persians. government to Sheshbatsar, then - to a greater extent - to Zerubbabel and his heirs. The beginning of the period of the Second Temple (after 515 BC) has long been considered in science as the time of the decline of the Israeli religion, the extinction of the prophetic movement, the ritualization of the cult, etc. , actively developed in the 1st half of the XX century). Studies of recent decades have shown that this period, on the contrary, was characterized by "gigantic creative activity" in the field of religion (Mason. 2003. P. 18).
presents significant difficulties for interpretation. Denouncing the scribes and Pharisees, the Lord Jesus Christ foretells that they will kill the "prophets, and the wise, and the scribes" sent by Him, and on them "will come ... all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachin ", Which they" killed between the temple and the altar "(Mt 23. 35). The words "son of Barachin" (υἱου Βαραχίου) are absent both in the parallel passage of Luke 11.51 and in the text of the Gospel of Matthew in the Codex Sinai. Numerous attempts were made to identify the murdered "between the temple and the altar" Zechariah with various characters of Sacred. stories.
1. Prophet. Zachariah, the author of Z. p. K. Obvious at first glance, the conclusion that here it is about him (cf. Zach 1.1), does not find support among researchers, primarily for the reason that neither in the OT , nor in the inter-testamental literature does it speak of his martyrdom.
2. Sacred. Zechariah, son of Jehoiada. In 2 Chronicles it is reported that he was killed with the consent of King Joash “in the court of the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 24. 20-22); a significant part of researchers believe that the words of Christ in Matthew 23. 35 and Lk 11.51 are somehow connected with this Zechariah.
3. Zechariah, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1). His murder is described in James Proto Gospel, where it is reported that during the beating of the infants, Elizabeth, John's mother, took him to the mountain, and Herod demanded his extradition from Zechariah, threatening with death. Zechariah testifies that the Lord will accept his soul, for Herod will shed his "innocent blood on the threshold of the temple" (ἀθῷον αἷμα ἐκχύνεις εἰς τὰ πρόθυρα τοῦ ναοῦ Κυρίου - Protevang. Jacob. 46). It has been suggested that the story of this murder was influenced by 2 Chronicles 24. 20-22 (Peels. 2001. p. 394).
4. Zechariah, son of Varakhin. Prop. Isaiah as one of the "witnesses" he took (Isa. 8.2). The point here is, obviously, not about the author of Z. p. K., who lived much later, but about the absence of K.-L. indications other than the name to connect this Zechariah with the words of Christ.
5. Zechariah, son of Baruch (possibly Barachia - Ζαχαρίας υἱὸς Βάρεις). Josephus Flavius tells of his murder by the zealots (Ios. Flav. De bell. IV 5). His identification with that Zechariah, about which Christ speaks, is also unlikely, since the uprising of the Zealots took place several times. decades later (nevertheless, this text of Josephus is taken into account by researchers Mt 23. 35 - Peels. 2001. S. 394).
Lit .: Robinson G. L. The Prophecies of Zechariah with Special Reference to the Origin and Date of Chapters 9-14 // AJSL. 1895/1896. Vol. 12.N 1/2. P. 1-92; Asada E. The Hebrew Text of Zechariah 1-8, Compared with the Different Ancient Versions // Ibid. 1896. Vol. 12.N 3/4. P. 173-196; Sellin E. Der Stern des Sacharja // JBL. 1931. Vol. 50. No. 4. P. 242-249; May HG A Key to the Interpretation of Zechariah "s Visions // Ibid. 1938. Vol. 57. N 2.P. 173-184; Galling K. Die Exilswende in der Sicht des Propheten Sacharja // VT. 1952. Vol. 2. Fasc. 1. P. 18-36; Roth C. The Cleansing of the Temple and Zechariah XIV 21 // NTIQ. 1960. Vol. 4. Fasc. 3. P. 174-181; Lamarche P. Zacharie IX- XIV: Structure littéraire et messianisme P., 1961; Jones DR A Fresh Interpretation of Zechariah IX-XI // VT. 1962. Vol. 12. Fasc. 3. P. 241-259; Treves M. Conjectures Concerning the Date and Authorship of Zechariah IX-XIV // Ibid. 1963. Vol. 13. Fasc. 2.P. 196-207; Otzen B. Studien über Deutero-Sacharja. Copenhagen, 1964; Saeb ø M. Sacharja 9-14. Neukirchen- Vluyn, 1969; Long BO Two Question and Answer Schemata in the Prophets // JBL. 1971. Vol. 90. N 2.P. 129-139; Hanson PD Zechariah 9 and the Recapitulation of an Ancient Ritual Pattern // Ibid. 1973 Vol. 92. No. 1. P. 37-59; idem. The Dawn of Apocalyptic. Phil. 1979; Radday YT, Wickm. an D. Unity of Zechariah Examined in Light of Statistical Analysis // ZAW. 1975. Vol. 87 S. 30-55; Mason R. The Relation of Zech 9-14 to Proto-Zechariah // Ibid. 1976. Vol. 88 S. 227-239; idem. Some Examples of Inner Biblical Exegesis in Zechariah 9-14 // Studia Evangelica. B., 1982. T. 7. P. 343-354; idem. The Use of Earlier Biblical Material in Zechariah 9-14: A Study in Inner Biblical Exegesis // Bringing Out the Treasure: Inner Biblical Allusions in Zechariah 9-14 / Ed. M. J. Boda et al. L. 2003. P. 192-208; Wilson R. R. Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel. Phil. 1980; Hill A. E. Dating Second Zechariah: A Linguistic Reexamination // Hebrew Annual Review. Columbus, 1982. Vol. 6. P. 105-134; Petersen DL Zechariah "s Visions: A Theol. Perspective // VT. 1984. Vol. 34. Fasc. 2. P. 195-206; idem. Haggai and Zechariah 1-8: A comment. L., 1985; idem. Zechariah 9-14 and Malachi: A comment. L., 1995; Portnoy SL, Petersen DL Biblical Texts and Statistical Analysis: Zechariah and Beyond // JBL. 1984. Vol. 103. N 1.P. 11-21; Craigie PC Twelve Prophets Phil. 1985. Vol. 2: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; Meyers C. L., Meyers E. M., eds. Haggai, Zechariah 1-8: A New transl. with introd. and comment. Garden City; N. Y. 1987; idem. Zechariah 9-14: A New transl. with introd. and comment. N. Y. 1993; Amsler S. Aggée. Lacocque A. Zacharie. Vuilleumier R. Malachie. Gen. 19882; Tate M. E. Satan in the Old Testament // Review & Expositor. Louisville, 1992. Vol. 89. No. 4. P. 461-474; Cook S. L. The Metamorphosis of a Shepherd: The Tradition History of Zechariah 11:17 + 13: 7-9 // CBQ. 1993. Vol. 55. P. 453-466; Menken M. J. J. The Textual Form and the Meaning of the Quotation from Zechariah 12:10 in John 19:37 // Ibid. P. 494-511; Redditt P. L. The Two Shepherds in Zechariah 11: 4-17 // Ibid. P. 676-686; idem. Nehemiah "s First Mission and the Date of Zechariah 9-14 // Ibid. 1994. Vol. 56. P. 664-678; idem. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. L .; Grand Rapids, 1995; idem. Themes in Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi // Interpretation. Richmond, 2007. Vol. 61. N 2.P. 184-197; Tollington JE Tradition and Innovation in Haggai and Zechariah 1-8. Sheffield, 1993; idem. Reading in Haggai: From the Prophet to the Completed Book, a Changing Message in Changing Times // The Crisis of Israelite Religion: Transformation of Religious Tradition in Exilic and Post-Exilic Times / Ed. B. Becking, MCA Korpel. Leiden, 1999, pp. 194-208 ; Tarazi PN Israel and the Nations (according to Zechariah 14) // SVTQ. 1994. Vol. 38. P. 181-192; Schaefer KR Zechariah 14: A Study in Allusion // CBQ. 1995. Vol. 57. N 1 P. 66-91; Floyd MH The Evil in the Ephah: Reading Zechariah 5: 5-11 in Its Literary Context // Ibid. 1996. Vol. 58. N 1. P. 51-68; idem. Zechariah and Changing Views of Second Temple Judaism in Rec ent Commentaries // Religious Studies Review. Hannover 1999. Vol. 25. P. 257-263; Fournier-Bidoz A. Des mains de Zorobabel aux yeux du Seigneur: Pour une lecture unitaire de Zacharie IV 1-14 // VT. 1997. Vol. 47. No. 4. P. 537-542; Delkurt H. Sacharjas Nachtgesichte: Zur Aufnahme und Abwandlung Prophetischer Traditionen. B .; N. Y. 2000; Leske A. M. Context and Meaning of Zechariah 9: 9 // CBQ. 2000. Vol. 62. No. 3. P. 663-678; Moseman R. D. Reading the Two Zechariahs as One // Review & Expositor. Louisville, 2000. Vol. 97. No. 4. P. 487-498; Rudman D. Zechariah 5 and the Priestly Law // Scandinavian J. of the OT. Aarhus, 2000. Vol. 14. No. 2. P. 194-206; Bruehler B. B. Seeing through the of Zechariah: Understanding Zechariah 4 // CBQ. 2001. Vol. 63. No. 3. P. 430-443; Caldwell E. F. Zechariah 8: 1-8 // Interpretation. Richmond, 2001. Vol. 55. No. 2. P. 185-187; Peels H. G. L. The Blood "from Abel to Zechariah" (Matth. 23, 35; Luc. 11, 50 f.) And the Canon of the Old Testament // ZAW. 2001. Bd. 113. No. 4. S. 583-601; Schellenberg A. One in The Bond of War: The Unity of Deutero-Zechariah // Didaskalia. Otterburne, 2001. Vol. 12. P. 101-115; Finitsis A. Zechariah 1-8 and Millennialism // GOTR. 2002. Vol. 47. P. 81-100; Boda M. J. From Fasts to Feasts: The Literary Function of Zechariah 7-8 // CBQ. 2003. Vol. 65. No. 3. P. 390-407; idem. Majoring on the Minors: Recent Research on Haggai and Zechariah // Currents in Biblical Research. L., 2003. Vol. 2. No. 1. P. 33-68; idem. Terrifying the Horns: Persia and Babylon in Zechariah 1: 7-6: 15 // CBQ. 2005. Vol. 67. No. 1. P. 22-41; Instone-Brewer D. The Two Asses of Zechariah 9: 9 in Matthew 21 // Tyndale Bull. Camb., 2003. Vol. 54. No. 1. P. 87-98; Frolov S. Is the Narrator Also Among the Prophets ?: Reading Zechariah Without Presuppositions // Biblical Interpretation. Leiden, 2005. Vol. 13. No. 1. P. 13-40; Jauhiainen M. "Behold, I am Coming": The Use of Zechariah in Revelation // Tyndale Bull., 2005. Vol. 56. No. 1. P. 157-160; Pyper H. S. Reading in the Dark: Zechariah, Daniel and the Difficulty of Scripture // JSOT. 2005. Vol. 29. No. 4. P. 485-504; Sosa C. R. La influencia de Isaías II en Zacarías II // Kairós. Guatemala, 2005. Vol. 37. P. 39-57; Runions E. Inherited Crypts of the Wife / Mother: Ang Lee "s Hulk Meets Zechariah 5: 5-11 in Contemporary Apocalyptic Discourse // Biblical Interpretation. Leiden, 2006. Vol. 14. N 1-2. P. 127-142 ; Foster R. L. Shepherds, Sticks, and Social Destabilization: A Fresh Look at Zechariah 11: 4-17 // JBL. 2007. Vol. 126. N 4. P. 735-753; Kee M. S. The Heavenly Council and Its Type-Scene // JSOT. 2007. Vol. 31. N 3.P. 259-273; Segal M. The Responsibilities and Rewards of Joshua the High Priest According to Zechariah 3: 7 // JBL. 2007. Vol 126. No. 4. P. 717-734.
A. K. Lyavdansky, E. V. Barsky
