Zechariah(Zakharyahu, Hebrew "The Lord remembered") - one of the twelve minor prophets. Born during the Babylonian captivity, he survived it and upon his return from captivity contributed a lot to the moral revival of the people.
The prophet belongs to a special Old Testament book bearing his name (the Book of the Prophet Zechariah) and occupying the penultimate place among the prophetic books. The time of its writing is precisely indicated at the very beginning of the book: "in the 8th month of the 2nd year of Darius was the word of the Lord to Zechariah."
Christianity. Taking into account the fact that the prophet was born during the Babylonian captivity (that is, before 539 BC), and the book was written under King Darius, it is obvious that we are talking about Darius I, and the book dates back to about 520 BC. n. e.
Judaism. According to traditional Jewish chronology, Darius's decree on the restoration of the Second Temple and the accompanying prophecy of Zechariah date back to 3408 from the creation of the world (352 BC), and the restoration of the temple was completed in 3412 from the creation of the world (348 BC). ). Based on these dates, it is most accurate to identify Darius as Darius III.
Various meanings have been assigned to the name of the prophet Zechariah; according to most of the newest researchers, the name Zechariah means: “(the one about whom) Jehovah remembers” (Keif, F. B. Meyer, Bredeukamp, Smith Farrar, etc.).
About the time and place of birth of Zechariah, in the absence of precise indications in the books of Holy Scripture, one has to be content with only more or less probable assumptions. The most accepted opinion among researchers is as follows: if during the high priesthood of Jesus 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 II the Great, was a relatively young man; and from the fact that, eighteen years later, in the second year of Darius Hystaspes (519 BC), he calls himself naar - a young man (2, 4, p. 8 Masor. vol.), 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.
Like Jeremiah (Jer. 1: 1) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1: 3), the prophet Zechariah also belonged to the priestly family. St. Cyril of Alexandria directly calls Zechariah "descended from the priestly blood, that is, from the tribe of Levi" (p. 2). most of the newest commentators believe that in Neh. 12: 4-16 Iddo and Zechariah are the same persons as Ezd. 5: 1 and Ride. 6:14 Hence the conclusion: the prophet Zechariah belonged to the priestly family - therefore, he himself was a priest. In addition, Zechariah was the head of his priestly family, which title he inherited from his grandfather Iddo under the high priest Joachim, the son of Jesus (Neh 12, 10, 12, 16).
Zechariah began to send his prophetic ministry a little later than Haggai (in the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, only two months later), when Jesus was the high priest; under Jesus Iddo, the prophet's grandfather, was still the head of a kind (Neh. 12, 4, 7, 12, 16), therefore, Zechariah began his prophetic ministry earlier than the priestly one (that is, as the head of the clan). There is some reason to suppose that the prophetic dignity was as it were hereditary in the line of Zechariah. Basil the Great, as interpreted by Isa. 1: 1, notices; “Why did the prophet add the name of the father? To show that the prophetic gift he has a fatherly inheritance. " And Cyril of Alexandria, reading in Zech. 1: 1,7: instead of -, directly calls the prophet Iddo, who was, according to the general opinion, the grandfather of Zechariah. According to Baumgartess and Kohler, who followed him, the prophetic activity of Zechariah refers primarily to the first period of his life, and the priestly activity to the later one (cit. S. 9); although this does not deny, of course, the possibility of combining responsibilities of one and the other, which we see in the example of Jeremiah.
The first recorded prophecy of Zechariah refers to the second year of Darius Hystaspes. But on the basis of Ride. 5, 1-2, it can be assumed that he spoke to the prophetic ministry earlier than this time; since the immigrants from Babylon, precisely as a result of the prophetic admonitions of Haggai and Zechariah, began to renew the temple building. But this is the evidence of the book. Ezra is actually confirmed only in relation to Haggai - the first chapter of his book; Zechariah's prophetic admonitions of the corresponding content remained, therefore, not written down. The last of the prophecies of Zechariah, with a specific indication of time, refers to the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius (7, 1). The prophecies of chapters 9-14, therefore, must be attributed to a later time; for an accurate determination of the entire period of the prophetic ministry of Zechariah, it is not possible, in the absence of reliable data. It can only be argued that this ministry of Zechariah coincides with the time of the initial dispensation of the Jewish community, upon returning from Babylon, and the time of the rebuilding of the temple, or, as Western scholars put it, the time of restoration. Compared with the prophetic activity of Haggai, the ministry of the prophet Zechariah was longer, judging by the instructions of the books of both prophets.
In the books of Holy Scripture we do not find accurate and detailed information about the circumstances of the life and work of the prophet Zechariah. From the book of his name, as well as from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we can only determine with sufficient clarity the personality of the prophet and the time of his life and work. We can say that Zechariah was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai, Zerubbabel and the high priest Jesus; 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 the Scriptures 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 absolutely no indications in Scripture.
The book written by Zechariah consists of 14 chapters. This book is the most messianic, the most apocalyptic and eschatological of all the books of the Old Testament. It is because of the clear messianic predictions (in particular, in the third chapter there is a direct mention of the name of Jesus as the supreme Judge (Zech. 3), this book is widely cited by the authors of the New Testament. It is estimated that in the New Testament there are more than 40 references and allusions to this prophet.
Prophet Zechariah and his book
Prophet Zechariah and his book
Before embarking on a discussion of the personality of the prophet Zechariah, his book and the meaning of prophecy, it will be interesting to quote the words of St. Gregory the Theologian (Tv. 44) regarding the interpretation of Old Testament prophecies:
“It is difficult for each shadow to invent a special speculation explaining all the details of the legalized concerning the tabernacle itself, measures, substance, the Levites who wore it and served with it, and concerning sacrifices, purifications and offerings. This is easily contemplated only for those who are like Moses in virtue and who are closest to him in learning. "
And a modern biblical scholar, Kittel, adds: “No historical scholarship can quite satisfactorily explain the prophecy in Israel. There will always be a remnant that we are unable to interpret historically and psychologically. "
Therefore, if something of their prophetic books is not explained through science, you need to rely on Tradition.
The era, modern life and work of the prophet Zechariah the Sickle-witted[prot. Dimitri Rozhdestvensky. The book of the prophet Zechariah].
During the life of the prophet Zechariah, there is a change of leaders in the political arena of the world. About 558 BC, when Egypt and Assyro-Babylonia still retained the power and control over the countries subordinate to them, in Persia, then dependent on the Median king, Cyrus, the son of Cambyses 1, from the Achaemenid clan, came to power. Already in 553, Cyrus began hostilities, at first unsuccessfully. Only in 550, thanks to the treason that took place in the Median troops, Cyrus managed to defeat the Median ruler Astyages.
Then Babylon, Media and Egypt united in a coalition against Cyrus and his troops, but this did not save them. In 546, Croesus of the Medes was defeated, and Babylonia was conquered in 539. Syria, Phenicia and Palestine surrendered without a fight.
In the conquered states, Cyrus led the following policy: to attract the population through attentive attitude to customs and respect for religion. Thanks to the conquests of Cyrus, the Persian Empire came to the fore in the world.
And in 529 Cyrus died (according to Tradition, on the battlefield), he was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who conquered Egypt in 525. He died in 522 BC. At the same time, unrest broke out in the Persian Empire. As a result of intrigue, the throne went to Darius 1 Hystaspes. His reign began in 521 and lasted until about 485 BC. It was with this ruler that Saint Zechariah prophesied. This era is described in the book of Ezra.
The following Persian kings: Xerxes 1 (485-465), Artaxerxes 1 Longiman (465-424), Xerxes 2 (424 - his reign lasted two months), Sogdian (424-423 - seven months), Darius Noth (423-405 ), Artaxerxes 2 Mnemon (405-358), Artaxerxes 3 Oh (358-338), Arzes (338-336), Darius 3 Kodoman (336-330). With the latter, the primacy passed to the Greco-Macedonian monarchy of Alexander the Great. Then Judea was subdued.
Returning to the era of the prophet Zechariah, it must be said that the century after the Babylonian captivity became the time when “the Jewish society was molded into the form in which it was in the days of the earthly life of the Lord, then parties arose that later turned into the sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees, this century gave life to the Samaritan schism ”(Honter).
Zechariah and other post-captive prophets talk about Judea and Israel together (Zech. 8:13), since Israel disappeared after the Assyrian captivity, and its remnant after the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity joined the Jewish community (Ezra. 6:21). The idea of the inseparability of all twelve tribes was especially clearly manifested during the consecration of the Second Temple: then 12 goats were sacrificed for the sin of all Israel (Ezra 6:17; 8:35).
In Babylonian captivity, the Jews (representatives of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi) did not get lost, because they were given a whole block, they were given the opportunity to engage in trade and agriculture, thereby achieving material well-being. According to God's economy, the Babylonian captivity was supposed to enlighten the ungrateful people, but not completely destroy; was supposed to help raise the religious and moral level of the Jews. And so it happened: the people of God lost or significantly weakened the craving for idolatry, they became more attentive to the voices of the prophets, ceased to consider themselves exceptional, which opened the way for proselytism to the Old Testament Church.
So, in 538, a decree of Cyrus was issued, allowing those wishing to return from Babylonian captivity to the fatherland and begin to restore the temple. The temple vessels were returned to the settlers, as well as material resources were given. This decree came to us in three versions:
“This is what Cyrus, king of Persia says: all the kingdoms of the earth were given to me by the Lord, the God of heaven, and He commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea. Whoever is of you, of all His people, may the Lord, his God, be with him, and let him go there ”(2 Chronicles 36:23);
- “Thus says Cyrus ... the Lord gave me all the kingdoms of the earth ... and He commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea. Whoever is of you ... may his God be with him - let him go to Jerusalem, which is in Judea, and the house of the Lord will burn up ... that God who is in Jerusalem. And all those who remained in all places, wherever he lived, let the inhabitants of that place help him with silver and gold and other property, and cattle, with a willing donation for the house of God that is in Jerusalem ”(Ezra 1: 1-4);
- “In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus gave a command about the house of God in Jerusalem: let the house be built on the place where sacrifices are made, and let solid foundations be laid for it; its height is sixty cubits; there are three rows of large stones, and one row of wood; let the expenses be issued from the royal house. And the vessels of the house of God, gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon, let them return and go to the temple in Jerusalem, each to his place, and be placed in the house of God ”(Ezra 6: 3-5).
Why did Cyrus let the Jews go? Most likely, it was just part of his usual policy: he put himself under the authority of all the gods, considered himself their authorized messenger from above, and his actions were the fulfillment of their will. Consequently, it is unlikely that he showed more mercy to the Jews, even to the other peoples he conquered. Perhaps the fact that the people of God had prophecies about Cyrus (Isa. 44:28; 45: 1), which flattered the emperor, also played a role. In particular, the historian Flavius Josephus adhered to this opinion. Other researchers were ambivalent about this assumption. Gretz, for example, argued that the Jews, who held the highest positions at the court, interceded before Cyrus, urging him to release the captives, among them was Zerubbabel.
One way or another, the decree came out and “These are the sons of the country from the captives of the resettlement, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took to Babylon, returning to Jerusalem and Judea, each to his own city ... the whole society together consisted of 42,360 people, except for their slaves and female slaves there were 7337 of them, and with them there were 200 singers and singers ”(Ezra 2: 64-65). But not all returned. Many were born already in captivity, many acquired material wealth, which it was difficult to part with, someone altogether departed from the faith of their fathers and no longer had an incentive to return to the homeland of their ancestors. Thus, only those for whom the temple and the cult were the subject of ardent aspirations returned, those in “Whom God stirred up his spirit to go to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1: 5).
According to a number of researchers, the Jews then returned in several receptions.
Above the returnees, a ruler of Jewish origin was appointed, his residence was located in Jerusalem. He did not actively intervene in the life of the people of God, although he had the right to control the government in Judea. Internal management was carried out by the Jews themselves, incl. preserving the right to court according to their laws and freedom of religion. Dependence on the Persians was expressed mainly in the payment of taxes, which the treasurers knew (Ezra 7:21).
The internal government was headed by 12 elders, among whom the leader in the civil government was Zerubbabel, and in the religious - the high priest Jesus. Since the Jews at that time were a religious community, they had a high role of the priesthood, but the high priest at first was of secondary importance, yielding to the regional leader. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah were called by God to strengthen (Ezra 5: 2) and admonish the rulers of the people, “speaking to them prophetic speeches in the name of the God of Israel” (Ezra 5: 1).
The Holy Prophet Zechariah began by calling to turn to God: "... turn to Me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will turn to you ... do not be like your fathers ..." (Zech. 1: 1-6). In addition, he consoles the people: "... the Lord spoke good words, comforting words ... I was jealous of Jerusalem and Zion ... I turn to Jerusalem with mercy ... the Lord will comfort Zion, and will choose Jerusalem again" (1: 12-17; 2: 1-12). Sometimes the prophet turns his words only to Zerubbab and Jesus: "... take from those who came from captivity ... go to the house of Josiah ... take from them silver and gold and make crowns, and put them on the head of Jesus ..." (Zech. 6: 9-11; Ch. 3-4).
Thus, at the beginning of the post-captivity period, the Jews had a non-independent national government, deciding matters in the name of the Persian king and representatives of all levels of the hierarchy, headed by the high priest. And the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were entrusted with an extraordinary ministry.
After returning, the first thing the people of God hurried to do was restore the cult: an altar was built and all legal sacrifices began to be offered. Then they started building the temple. The Samaritans interfered (2 Kings 17: 24-41) and the work was suspended until the 2nd year of King Darius. During this period, many, under the burden of everyday worries, cooled to the work of God. Relaxation began in Jewish society, so the Lord raised up from among them His chosen ones, called to inspire the people. The word of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah worked and the building was resumed. After 4, 5 years, the temple was built, consecrated, priestly ranks and holidays were resumed.
As for the internal atmosphere, by that time two dominant parties had formed in the community: the Canaanite-Jewish (where pagan views sometimes prevailed) and the prophetic-Jewish). The decree of Cyrus on the return was predicted by the prophets, and the people of God pinned great hopes on the return from Babylonian captivity: since the Jews were freed from captivity, into which they fell through their sins, it means that God is no longer angry and therefore the current generation is more worthy of God's mercies than theirs. fathers. In addition, many thought that the fulfillment of one prophecy would entail the fulfillment of others, that is, the messianic time is coming, it is already very close. As Professor Tikhomirov concluded: "The construction of a new temple was a guarantee of national revival for the post-prisoners of the Jews." The Jews hoped for the restoration of David's clan, and Zerubbabel was just a representative of this clan, and all hopes turned to him. He was entrusted by the Persian government with the post of regional leader, which means the actual leadership over the community. They wanted to see in him a messianic king who would free the people. The prophets saw in the temple the focus of hopes for a change for the better, which should have prompted the building (Agg. 1: 2-11; Zech. 8: 3-6). The prophet Zechariah even identified Zerubbabel with the messianic king (4: 9). So strong were the messianic aspirations among the Jews that they even wanted to cancel the fasts in memory of the sorrowful events of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Prophet Zechariah shares this opinion (chapter 8).
At first, such expectations of a quick and complete restoration of the people and the kingdom, of course, caused a general upsurge in both the settlers and those who remained in Babylon. But soon many were disappointed. The return itself was not easy; on the land of their ancestors, the neighboring peoples met them with hostility. As a result of the drought, there were difficult times of famine and lack of material resources. When, finally, the construction of the temple was completed, those who saw the first Solomon's temple were disappointed that the second was inferior to it in splendor (Agg. 2: 3; Ezd.c. 3). And so, the temple has already been built, and the messianic times have not come. It was especially difficult for the people of God to come to terms with the fate of Zerubbabel, who was considered the chosen one of God (Hag. 2:23; Zech. 4:10; 6:13) for the role of king. Sellin even hypothesized that Zerubbabel wore a crown at one time. But in reality, his fate turned out to be the fate of an ordinary person, according to legend, who died a violent death, although his death is not known for sure.
And in such an atmosphere of general disappointment and weakening of faith in the One God, first the prophet Haggai, and then Zechariah, come to their service. They make an appeal to the people to assess their moral state, to reduce their self-esteem. He warns that God may be angry again. But at the same time, the prophets predict a better future, when the aspirations of the chosen people will come true, but on condition of their dignity. The Holy Prophet Zechariah is confident in the fulfillment of the promises, but indicates their remoteness, that first it is necessary to cleanse the people, to make him able to accept the promises, warns that there is a difficult path ahead.
The purpose of the book of the prophet Zechariah.
1) To encourage the builders of the temple and the people in the era of the restoration of the community;
2) Dispel the false opinion about the righteousness and godliness of those freed from captivity and about the immediate proximity of messianic times; why the prophet depicts the future Kingdom of the Messiah and the glorious fate of the Jews, showing the Gentiles as an instrument in the hands of God.
3) Private reasons:
6: 9-15 - the occasion was the arrival in Jerusalem of Heldai with companions from Babylon with gifts for the temple;
- Ch. 7-8 - written on the occasion of the dispute about fasts.
4) In addition, of course, the prophet Zechariah draws the attention of the freed to the punishment they were subjected to for neglecting the commandments, calls to please God through obedience and obedience, explains why the wrath of God overtook their fathers and how they were delivered from captivity (1: 1 -6).
“Those who knew about the sufferings they had undergone before, he corrected, reminding them of this, and he protected the young and those who did not know so that they would not undergo the same calamities, having fallen in love with an unclean life” (St. Cyril of Alexandria. Interpretation of the Prophet Khazaria).
The Personality of the Prophet Zechariah.
“Zechariah” is translated as “the one whom Jehovah remembers”.
Zachariah calls himself the son of Barakh, the son of Addov. The opinions of researchers differed as to who the prophet Zechariah was mentioned in 1: 1 Barachiah and Addo. Nothing is known about Varakhia. Addo was the head of the generation, the priest upon his return from captivity under the high priest Joachim (Neh. 12: 1,12,16). The word son - "ben" in translation means both son and grandson (Gen. 29: 5; 32:55; 2 Kings 19:24). [Bp. Palladium (Pyankov). Interpretation of the book of the holy prophet Zechariah].
There are many assumptions. Saint Cyril of Alexandria called Addo the father of Zechariah in spirit (since he was his tutor), and Barachia - the father in the flesh. The Right Reverend Palladius doubts whether it is reliable that Addo raised Zechariah. Blessed Jerome: “Addo could not have been Zechariah's grandfather, but was his more distant ancestor (2 Chron. 12:15 and 13:22; 1 Kings 13: 1-6). Bertholdt assumes here a levirate: the husband of the mother of the prophet Varachia died, from his brother Addo she gave birth to Zechariah. Blessed Theodorite: "the most probable opinion is that the name of the father and the name of the one by whom the father was born ... so that the identity does not harm the truth ... The prophet clearly distinguishes himself by his family, to protect himself from false prophets."
Most commentators agree that Varachia was the father of Zechariah, he died early and was unremarkable, and that Addo's grandfather was the head of the priestly family by the time he returned from captivity.
There are no definite data about the birth, circumstances of the life and death of the prophet Zechariah, one can only guess about them from some hints in the text of his book and from the testimony of Tradition.
In the reign of Cyrus under Zerubbabel, Zachariah was still a young man, since already 18 years after his return from captivity, in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, i.e. around 519, he still calls himself a youth (2: 4). Most likely, the prophet was born in captivity shortly before the decree of Cyrus and arrived in Jerusalem as a boy. Professor Lopukhin, in support of this opinion, adds: "... the images of Zechariah's expression were affected by the Babylonian life." Although other researchers disagree with him, claiming that the Babylonian influence on the book of the prophet Zechariah is negligible, he could learn about customs from his compatriots.
The Holy Prophet Zechariah came from a family of priests and was himself a priest, if we agree with the opinion of most commentators that in Nehemiah 12:16 and Ezra 5: 1 and 6:14 they speak of the same people. Moreover, he was the head of the priestly family (there were 12 chapters in all). He inherited this title from Addo under the high priest Jehoiakim, the son of Jesus (Neh 12:10; 12:16). Zechariah began his prophetic ministry earlier than the priestly ministry as the head of the family.
Zechariah pronounced the first prophecy during the reign of Darius Hystaspes, in his 2nd year (1: 1). The date of the last prophecy can be deduced from the text: "In the 4th year of King Darius ..." (7: 1). Consequently, chapters 9-14 are of a later date.
Unfortunately, there is no definite data to accurately establish the entire period of Zechariah's prophetic ministry. We can say that this ministry coincided with the time of the first dispensation of the Jewish community upon their return from Babylon and the time of the rebuilding of the temple. Most likely, the prophetic activity of Saint Zechariah lasted for about 40 years [Jer. Gennady Egorov. Scripture of the Old Testament] and was longer than the prophet Haggai.
The names of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah appear in Psalms 137,145,147,148,138, possibly because they gave these psalms a form.
The book of the prophet Zechariah can be divided into two sections: visions and prophecies. Through visions and dreams, promises or revelations are given. These are followed by three prophetic speeches (ch. 7-8; ch. 9-11; ch. 12-14). The main theme of all visions is the Lord is the Guardian and Protector of Israel, external troubles do not mean that He has forgotten His people.
1st vision (1: 7-16).
The four horsemen are disembodied angelic forces: “But these intelligent beings are not numerous, but incorporeal; in accordance with the need, Vladyka gives us their visible images ”(Blessed Theodorite of Kirk, v.30);
The unequal colors of the horses meant their different actions: red, i.e. bloody colors - these horsemen were supposed to take peace from the earth and start a war (Ap.6: 4); riders on variegated horses (in the Apocalypse - on pale ones) - "the name is death" (Ap.6: 8) - they were given the power to kill with the sword, hunger and pestilence "(Ap.6: 8); on white - the color of victories and triumphs (6: 2).
The horsemen were sent to circumambulate the earth (1:10), with the result that they found out that “the whole earth is calm and inhabited” (1:11). Historically, this was the case during the time of Darius the Persian - peace reigned everywhere in the Persian Empire, only Judea was devastated, Jerusalem, standing without walls.
After the report (1: 11-12), Jehovah's angel immediately prayed (1:12) that the Lord would take pity and receive from God “good words, comforting words” (1:13). The Lord promises to grant mercy to the Jews, to the fulfillment of the grace-filled promises: Jerusalem will be restored in its former form (1:16); good will return to their cities; Jehovah will have mercy and will again choose Jerusalem for His dwelling among His people.
Myrtles are beautiful plants symbolizing theocracy, the land of the Jews, beloved to God. They grew up in the lowlands (1: 8), which symbolized the deep humiliation in which Judea and the chosen people were then.
2nd vision (1: 18-21).
The four horns and the four workers knocking them down is an image called to assure God's people of safety; that all enmity and pagan power against Israel will be destroyed;
3rd vision (2: 1-13).
A vision of a husband with a surveyor who will settle in Jerusalem. And so many nations will come to Him and become His people.
Those. the vision depicts the glorious state of the people of God and His kingdom in its gradual unfoldment until the fullness of glory comes to full perfection (2: 1-13); this promise will be fully fulfilled at His second coming in glory (John 1:14; Apt.21: 3), when the Kingdom of God will expand through the acceptance of the Gentiles seeking God (Micah 4: 2) [Arch. John (Smirnov). Prophet Zechariah].
4th vision (3: 6-7) to be understood in such a way that the proper fulfillment of the high priestly duties guarantees Jesus' safety and God's protection;
In addition, in the Old Testament, the character of the entire sacred class of the Israelite people was concentrated in the high priest as the center, and in this class the character of the people as a holy man (Ex. 19: 6), the kingdom of priests. But through the fall of the people, the character of holiness was defiled. In order to restore Israel to its former dignity, through this to make it capable of assimilating the Divine promises, it is necessary to cleanse the people. The captivity did not completely eradicate sin, idolatry became more refined: self-justification, self-love ... This vision shows that the Lord restores the high priest in his dignity (3: 2 ...) as a holy person. God grants the promise of the high priesthood to the people of God (3: 7) and in a representative sense - the promise of the future Kingdom. This promise contains something that is not given in the Old Testament (3: 8-10): “Behold, I bring my servant, a Branch ...” - God leads the Branch, Which He promised David (Jer. 23: 5; 33:10); Ps. 11: 1) - from the clan of David, who fell into the lowest little-known state [archbishop. John (Smirnov). Prophet Zechariah].
In the 5th vision(3: 8-9) The prophet contemplates Jesus Christ Himself (Mic. 4:14). The appearance of the stone was signified by the Crucifixion;
6th vision (4: 1-14).
The two olives are Zerubbabel and the high priest Jesus, who performed the main ministry for the revival of Israel (4: 9), uniting the high priestly and royal ministries, which typified the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.
Regarding 4: 9 (“The hands of Zerubbabel laid the foundation for this house; his hands will also finish it, and you will know that the Lord of hosts sent Me to you”) the holy fathers said:
“If God says this about Zerubbabel, then, considering historically, you can attribute these words to him, and in the spiritual sense you can understand them in Christ, for He became our foundation, and we are all spiritually built for Him into a holy temple” ( St. Cyril of Alexandria).
"If Zerubbabel here represents the Son of God, then the temple is a man created by God and restored after the Fall" (St. Maximus the Confessor).
About the eyes in the stone (3: 9) bl. Theodorite suggests the following: “One should not understand the eyes under the eyes and take the number seven for a definite one, because with the eyes the efficacy of God's grace, seven is the number denoting abundance and greatness. Moreover, Zerubbabel was the image of the Lord Christ, Who in many places of the Holy Scriptures is called a stone ... This stone, carrying within itself, Zerubbabel (since the Savior came from him) is justly and himself, shining with many different gifts, is called a stone. "
7th vision (5: 1-4).
A vision of a scroll or sickle with curses on the tatey. The words "scroll" and "sickle" are spelled the same in Hebrew. In the translation of the Seventy, there is the word "sickle." The main meaning does not depend on these values. Perhaps the scroll was simply bent in the shape of a sickle.
8th vision (5: 5-10).
The meaning of the prophecy is that returning people should leave all the inherent vices of other nations and not bring them into their land.
“Lead makes it possible to understand the severity of sin, for there is nothing heavier and more burdensome than sin ... and which casts those who are captive by it into the bottom of hell. And measure means the end of longsuffering towards those who have sinned and the beginning of punishment. Because it is not without measure and it will not always be permissible to sin, but only until the time when those who sin will not suffer the most severe punishments ”(St. Isidore Pelusiot).
9th vision (6: 1-7).
The four chariots represent the connection with the first vision. These chariots are designed to protect Judah from enemies and dangers.
10th vision.
Continuation of the fourth vision. “We have stated from the very beginning that Christ is portrayed in Zerubbabel and Jesus, both in each separately and in both together, as a single Person; for in Him both the King of Israel and the High Priest are combined ”(St. Cyril of Alexandria).
That. all visions make up a single messianic revelation, the result of which is the words: “And they will come from afar and take part in the building of the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord of hosts sent me to you, and this will be if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God ”(6:15). This is both about the then temple and about the Church of God from among people [Jer. Gennady Egorov].
Prophetic speeches.
General thought: resettlement to Jerusalem does not make the people righteous and does not guarantee all the mercies of God, regardless of the moral state.
1- speech.
The Jews of those times had four fasts established in commemoration of the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem, the beginning of the destruction of the walls, the burning of the city and temple, and the murder of Godoliah. When the people got rid of the captivity of Babylon, they were so jubilant and full of bright hopes for the future. So they wondered if it was worth keeping these fasts.
To which the prophet replies that if you live in Jerusalem and the city is holy, then these fasts are a feast (8: 21,23).
2nd speech.
The prophet announces troubles to the Gentiles and the safety of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be saved, because the King will enter it: “Rejoice with joy, daughter of Zion, ... behold, your King is coming to you ...” (9: 9-10).
The crushing of weapons among the Israelites did not mean victory over them, but equated to the absence of the need for them, because the Lord would provide them with peace.
Zechariah calls himself a type of Christ: a rejected shepherd who asks, since he was rejected, to give a payment for his labors (11: 12-13). This passage of Scripture is read as a parimia in the temple on Great Friday.
“And I will take my rod of good pleasure and break it in order to destroy the covenant that I have made with all the nations ... And I will say to them: if you will, then give me my payment: if not, don’t give it ... And I broke my other rod - "bonds" to dissolve the brotherhood between Judah and Israel ... ", (11: 10-14).
The breaking of the first rod, which the Lord used to feed the sheep, a pre-image of throwing 30 pieces of silver, which meant the end of the Old Testament. The breaking of the second rod marked the final separation between the righteous and sinful, who believed and did not [Jer. Gennady Egorov].
3rd speech.
The meaning is the victory of Israel over the enemies and the accession of the rejected Messiah.
“And on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem I will pour out a spirit of grace and tenderness, and they will look upon Him, whom they pierced, and they will mourn for Him as they mourn for their only-begotten son, and mourn as they mourn for their firstborn” (12:10) - the way of the accession of the Messiah is through the Cross.
“On that day, a fountain will be revealed to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the washing away of sin and uncleanness” (13: 1) - through the perforation of the rib and the outflow of blood and water, the fountain of washing away of sin and uncleanness was revealed.
“Oh, sword! Rise up on my shepherd and on my neighbor, says the Lord ... smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered ... ”(13: 7) - a prophecy about the scattering of the Apostles.
“Because he said: they will look at Me, His heart, then, in order not to give thoughts as if He endured without will, He teaches through the prophet that he voluntarily came ...” (Blessed Theodorite of Cyrus). That is why the prophetic word depicts Divine permission and shows that the sword hears first the permission of the Father, then rushes to Patsyr, and then to citizens ... after Vladyka it rushed to the priests and apostles and the preachers who succeeded them ”(St. Theodoret of Cyrus).
“And I will bring this third part into the fire, and I will melt them as they melt silver, and I will cleanse them as they melt silver, and I will cleanse them as they cleanse gold: they will call on My name, and I will hear them and say:“ This is My people "And they will say:" The Lord is my God! "(13: 9). “This was foretold by God through the mouth of the wise Zechariah, that two parts would be destroyed for unbelief, the third would be burnt out in temptations and would become good, called His people, calling Him Lord ...” (Blessed Theodoret).
“And His feet will stand on that day on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem to the east; and the Mount of Olives will bifurcate from east to west in a very large valley, and half of the mountain will move to the north, and half of it to the south ”(14: 4) - this passage is a paremia for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.
And verses 3-9 of chapter fourteen are a prophecy about Good Friday. The division of the mountain (14: 4) is a type of the earthquake on the day of the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ (Blessed Theodoret).
“Then all the rest of all the nations who came against Jerusalem will come from year to year to worship the King, the Lord ...” (14:16) - this will happen after the victory of Christ, that is, a new service to the Lord in Jerusalem will appear, those who do not come to the feast will be punished. Then an abundant fountain of grace will open and entail the coming of all nations to celebrate in Jerusalem [Jer. Gennady Egorov].
The book of the prophet Zechariah is difficult to interpret, because it speaks about the mysteries of the Church of Christ, about the future through the historical events of the Jewish people after the captivity of Babylon, about Jerusalem, earthly and heavenly. Only the prophet Ezekiel uses such an abundance of mystical images in his book.
Interpretations on the book of the prophet Zechariah.
Patristic interpretations: St. Ephraim the Syrian (for chapters 3-14); St. Cyril of Alexandria, bl. Theodorite of Kirsky and blzh. Jerome. All of them are available in Russian translation;
In a later period, the comments of Irenaeus (Klementyevsky), archbishop. Pskov; Bp. Palladium of Sarapul (Interpretation on the books of the holy prophets Zechariah and Malachi); prot. Dimitri Rozhdestvensky (Book of the Prophet Zechariah. Isagogical research. Master's thesis); hier. Gennady Egorov (Holy Scripture of the Old Testament); Archbishop John (Smirnov) (Prophet Zechariah).
A small study by D. Bogorodsky is devoted to the question of the authenticity of the second part (chapters 9-14).
The holy prophet Zechariah and the holy righteous Elizabeth were the parents of Saint John the Baptist. They came from the Aaron family. Saint Zechariah was a priest in the Jerusalem temple. Saint Elizabeth was the sister of Saint Anna. The righteous spouses, "walking in all the commandments of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1: 5-25), suffered infertility, which was considered in the Old Testament times a great punishment of God. Once, while serving in the temple, Saint Zechariah received a message from an angel that his aged wife would give him a son, who “will be great before the Lord” (Luke 1:15) and “stand before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1 , 17). Zachariah doubted the possibility of fulfilling this prediction and was punished with dumbness for lack of faith. When the righteous Elizabeth had a son, she, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, announced that she would call the baby John, although no one had been given such a name before in their family. They asked the righteous Zechariah, and he also wrote the name John on the tablet. Immediately, the gift of speech returned to him, and he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, began to prophesy about his son as the Forerunner of the Lord.
Thus, the now-known memories of the acquisition and transfer of the relics of Saint Zechariah, the Father of the Forerunner, do not in fact refer to him.
Troparion, voice 4
The priesthood is clothed with wisdom, / according to the law of God, the burnt offering is pleasing to God, Zachariah, / and there was a luminary and bearer of mystic prophecies, / revelations in the temple of God. The Forerunner pray for our souls to be saved.
Kontakion, voice 3(Similar: Virgo today :)
The prophet of the day and the priest of the Vyshnyago, / Zachariah propose, the Forerunner parent, / a meal of his memory, / faithful food, / drinking of the truth is all dissolved, / this blessed blessing is divine, // thaiΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ (Bishop of Phanaria Agathangel, "Synaxarium of the Orthodox Church")
Garitte, Calendrier, p. 227, 232, 400. Reference to "Memory of the transfer of the relics of the holy apostle James, brother of the Lord and saints Simeon and Zechariah" / Sinaxar. Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. The author-compiler is Hieromonk Makariy Simonopetrsky. Adapted translation from French. In 6 vols. - M .: Publishing house of the Sretensky Monastery, 2011. - T. II. - S. 417.
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Prophet Zechariah in Orthodoxy refers to the famous 12 minor prophets. He came from the Levin family. In the book of Nehemiah, he was described as the head of a sacred family. The Prophet was called from birth to serve the Lord God. In Orthodoxy, they bow down to the saint and offer prayers with various requests. Most of all, the faithful gathers in his face on the day of Zechariah the Prophet, which falls on February 21.
Saint Zecharius, as mentioned above, was the son of Barachia. Together with another prophet, he urged the prince to speed up the issue of building a temple. But this is not the main thing in his biography. From his youth, Zacharias was gifted with the ability to see visions. In his book, more than one knowledge is described, which predicted and warned the population and all of humanity about impending troubles.
Unfortunately, accurate information about his life has not been saved, except for his works and descriptions of prophecies. His book contains information:
The fact that the prophet was nicknamed the Sickle-Eye is due to the fact that in one of his revelations he described a whistle flying through the air. During the flight, it was bent in the shape of a sickle.
He did not die of his own death. He was killed by a violent death by the Jews for his agility and preaching.
Zachariah was the son of Varahiel, and his wife Elizabeth was the sister of Saint Anna (mother of the Mother of God). The Holy Prophet Zechariah and Elizabeth lived righteously and fulfilled all the commandments of God. But despite this, they did not have children for a long time. Once during the liturgy, Zacharias had a vision that in the near future they would have a child. The Prophet did not believe it. But that is how it all happened.
Despite the fact that his wife was already in old age, she nevertheless bore him a son .. After his birth, Zachariah began to read sermons about his son as the great Forerunner of the Lord. When the Jews heard about this, they began to persecute the family. But despite this, Elizabeth managed to hide with the child from enemies. She prayed to the Lord for salvation. And while the Jews began to attack her in order to take away her son, the mountains parted and covered her with the baby.
On these days, the saint performed his prayer services. Then, after prolonged torture, Zachary was killed. His wife passed away forty days after the death of her husband. And the son John was in the wilderness under the protection of the Most High until he was revealed to the people of Israel.
The icons of the holy prophet have been preserved since ancient times. There are also paintings of Zechariah and Elizabeth, which are often used to decorate the walls of temples and churches. They are protective symbols of holy places and not only. The married couple played a huge role in the history of the decree of the Orthodox faith. Today, the faithful read the akathist to the prophet Zechariah.
Its text must be recited for forty days at the same time, but only after you receive a blessing from a priest. Akathist serves as such a prayer petition that helps to save the family from hardships and troubles. The saint helps Orthodox Christians in the following situations:
They also ask the saint for health to the family and children. The face of the prophet Zechariah and the angel at the seven-branched candlestick is a real symbol of the revival of the Orthodox faith.
You can address the saint both within the walls of your home in front of his icon, and in the temple. Remember that the place of address is not the main one, but the words that are addressed to the saints and monks. After all, the result depends on their sincerity and faith.
Prayer:
Holy God and rest in the saints, with a trisacred voice in heaven from an angel praised, praised on earth from a man in his saints, given by your Holy Spirit any grace according to the bestowal of Christ, and by that he appointed the Church of Your Holy One ovy apostles, oy prophets, oy evangelists , ovs are shepherds and teachers, by their same word of preaching, to You Himself who acts, all in all, many are holy in every kind and kind, by various benefactors who have pleased You, and to You, we have left the image of our good deeds, having passed away in joy, prepare, in it the temptations themselves were, and help us who are being attacked. Remembering these saints of all and the holy prophet Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth and their godly praise of life, I praise You Samago, who has acted in them, and one of Your goodness for the gift of being believing, I diligently pray to You, Holy of Holies, grant them my sinful teaching, love, faith, longsuffering, and their prayerful help, moreover, through your omnipotent grace, to be honored with heavenly glory, praising your holy name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
[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 also belonged to the number of 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. 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 protagonists of Zerubbabel.On the basis of 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). Research in recent decades has 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 him 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 revolt 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).
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A. K. Lyavdansky, E. V. Barsky
