Matthew Poole and continuators on Zechariah 3

1 AND he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan f standing at his right hand to resist him .

The Lord of hosts, whose Servant Zechariah was, and in whose name he spake.

In vision represented to me Zechariah.

For that office was by hereditary right descended on him, and how mean so ever his state was, yet still he was that great Officer of the Church,

Either as accused, and to make his defence; or rather Ministring in his office, according to his Duty.

This Angel was Christ, whose Minister, or Servant the High Priest was, as well as Type of him.

Either because the accusation was true, or to hold his working hand from its work.

Ioshua.

That Adversary, as we might render the word, either Satan the Devil, or some instrument of his stirr'd up by him, Sanballat, or &c.

Marginal references: Hag. 1.[illegible: 1 letter].; That is, an adversary.; Heb. be his adversary.

2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan: even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire ?

i. e. Christ the great Redeemer, Restorer, Lord and Mediator of the Church.

The Great God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ▪ who as Mediator rather chooseth to rebuke him in his Fathers Name, then in his own; though this he could have done.

He who was accused, was Gods High Priest, and to minister in the Temple at Ierusalem the City which God had chosen, in which respect it was sure that God would take cognisance of the Matter and Judge aright. He would prohibit Satan's attempts.

This man, this Ioshua.

Like a brand half burnt, or all smutty with long lying in the fire of Affliction? Reject him not for this

Marginal references: Jude 9.

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel .

At the time Zechariah saw this Vision he saw also in what a mean▪ dirty, and totter'd garb he was, who represented the High Priest.

It was the Hieroglyphick of Ioshua, not Ioshua himself.

Emblem of a poor or sinful state, or both.

Vid. ver. 1. let. d.

The Lord Christ called, The Angel.

4 And he answered , and spake unto those that stood before him , saying, Take away the filthy garments from him . And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee , and I will clothe thee with change of raiment .

The Lord Christ who purifieth his Church, who purgeth away her sin, and clothes her with rich and clean garments.

So the Heb. and so this Prophet speaks, though no question went before. It is an Idiom of that Language.

Commanded.

Some of the attendants, those Ministerial Angels, who were Christs Servants, and as such are represented standing before him.

Remove, or cause them to be removed, from him as altogether unbeseeming his Person, Office and employment; These filthy Garments those Angels took away, but another hand takes away what is signified by this Emblem.

From this High-priest Ioshua.

Christ the Lamb of God.

What Angels could not take away, Christ did, he removed the filth of Sin, the guilt and stain of it.

Adorn and beautifie.

O Ioshua.

Clean and Rich, Emblem of Graces, and spiritual Excellencies given to him.

5 And I said Let them set a fair mitre upon his head: So they set a fair mitre on his head and clothed him with garments, And the angel of the LORD stood by.

Zechariah takes the boldness to desire that for Ioshua, which might adde to his Veneration, and Authority, and he asks the thing of Christ, or rather Christ commandeth this be done.

Who Minister before Christ.

A rich and beautiful ornament for the head of the High Priest, not a Crown, which is for Royal heads, but a Tire, a Pontifical Ensign.

As they were commanded by Christ at the request of the Prophet.

All the Garments which did appertain to the High Priest, of which you read Exod. 28.4. which probably were put on though they are not expresly mention'd here.

The Angel who is the Lord Christ himself.

Withdrew not till all this was done.

Marginal references: chap. [illegible: 1 letter] ▪

6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying.

The Lord Christ.

Solemnly declared, and averr'd it, gave him to know.

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts , If thou wilt walk in my wayes , and if thou wilt keep my charge , then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

The Father whose will Christ reveals to us.

Io[illegible: 1 letter]hua.

Obey the Precepts and holy commands of the Law.

The special charge, and office of the High Priest.

Be chief, and Ruler in the Temple, and in the things that pertain to the worship of God there.

Not as a door-keeper or Servant, but as the Chief, on whom others may wait, and give attendance, and at last shalt have place among glorious Angels, Heb. 12.22

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word]; He[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word]

8 Hear now , O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows , that sit before thee: for they are men wondred at : for behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Hitherto thou hast been entertained with Emblems and Hieroglyphicks, but now O Ioshua, hear what these mean

The other Priests, thy Associates in the Priestly Office, tho' inferiour to thee.

As Assessors or Coadjutors in a Council, or Assembly, the High Priest as President, the other as Members of the Council sate with him, to let them know what these Types mean.

The worldly, prophane, unbelieving and ignorant sort of Iewes wonder at them, and their hopes; at their labour and expences in attempting to build such a house, with so little helps to raise such a Structure out of Rubbish.

God the Father

will bring forth a much more wonderful work.

Christ Messiah, the Branch, Isa. 4.2. and 11.1. Ier. 33.15.

Marginal references: Ps[illegible: 2 letters] [illegible: 1 span] Isa. [illegible: 1 letter].1[illegible: 1 letter]; Heb. [illegible: 1 span]; Isa. 42.1[illegible: 1 letter] 52.13▪; Jer. [illegible: 1 span] chap. 6.[illegible: 2 letters] Luk. 1.[illegible: 2 letters]

9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon one stone shall be seven eyes, behold, I will engrave the graving thereof; saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Here is an Ellipsis, and to make it up we must repeat that of the 8th. ve[illegible: 1 letter]se, Hear now, &c. For behold, (pointing to a particular stone) that stone which I have laid, saith God, in the sight of Ioshua, or which he saw laid in the building of the Temple.

On that one stone are seven eyes, and Ioshua and his fellows are commanded to observe it, the meaning of which the Angel will suggest to them presently, it is not improbable this one stone might be a corner stone, and a principal corner stone, and the Eyes Engraven on it, so placed, that they might look many wayes; so 'twill be a more exact Emblem of Christ the chief corner stone, and of his perfect knowledge and wisdom, fitting him to govern his Church, and provide for it.

The Engraving Engraved, i. e. most artificially, lively, and with excellent contrivance.

Or, and I have removed, I have pardoned the iniquity of this Land at once. Thus the Emblem or Type, which I shall once more set before you in plainer words, then those of our Version. Hear now, O Ioshua, thou and thy fellowes, for behold there is one stone, and on that stone seven eyes, most curiously Engraved, and this laid in thy sight, and in the sight of thy fellowes; This learn by it, that the Temple, founded on such a corner stone, built by the wisdom of the chief Builder, guarded and watcht over by all-seeing Providence, is the blessing and honour of that people, whose sins are all forgiven. The farther spiritual meaning discovers the Messiah, the chief corner stone, the Gospel Church founded thereon, guided by perfect Wisdom, and preserved by never erring Providence, and blest with the pardon of all her sins, taken away in one day, by the Meritorious death of her Redeemer.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span] Isa. 2[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 2 letters]; chap. [illegible: 2 letters] Rev. 5.[illegible: 1 letter].

10 In that day saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine , and under the fig-tree.

Of Building my Temple, when 'tis finisht, and in the day of removing the sins of my people, literally referring to the returned captive Iewes, Mystically, to the whole Church in Gospel dayes, when Christ the chief corner stone, shall have purged away sin, and establisht his Church.

Invite with love and peace, such as becomes Neighbours, who are partakers of the same Grace of God, and Blessings of a Redeemer.

To feast or refresh themselves under the pleasing shadow, and with the sweet delicious fruit of the Vine and Fig-tree, of both which there were ever greatest store, and of choicest taste, when the people of God; the Iewes did obey, worship and fear the Lord, and long for the Messiah, and loved each other.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 4.4.