John Trapp on Zechariah 13:7

Verſe 7. Awake O Sword againſt my Shepheard] A powerful expreſſion, containing a commiſſion given out to the ſword by way of Apoſtrophe.

Awake] or, up, as the Septuagint: up and about, thou that haſt long lain lockt up in the ſcabbard. Thus the ſword is of Gods ſending; it is bathed in heaven, Iſa. 34.5. Ezek. 14.17. Jer. 47.6, 7.] It is he that awakes it, and ſets it on work: he commands it, Am. 9.4. and ordereth it, Jer. 50.25. Let this patient us under it, as it did Job, Chap. 1.15, 17, 21. Among Philoſophies, the moſt noted ſect for patience was that of the Stoicks, who aſcribed all to deſtiny.

O ſword] Framea, which ſeems to come of [non-Latin text not transcribed] (the Septuagints word here) by putting [non-Latin text not transcribed] before [non-Latin text not transcribed], or Gl[illegible: 1 letter]die, which comes à claae from deſtruction: like as the Hebrew word Chereb, from deſolating and laying waſt. Hence the ſword is ſaid to contemn the rod, Ezek. 21.10, 13. that is all lighter and leſſer judgements, which are but its forerunners, and whereof it ſeemes to ſay, What does this ſilly rod doe here? Will not-men ſtoop? Let me come: Ile make them either bend or break; either yield, or Ile have their bloud.

againſt my ſhepheard] i.e. ſaith Calvin, againſt Magiſtrates and Miniſters, Gods underſhepheards and Aſſociates in feeding the flock, Labourers together with him, 1 Cor. 3.9. But becauſe Chriſt is the great ſhepheard, Heb. 13.20. and the good ſhepheard, John 10.11. Optimus maximus, that is, Gods fellow-mate, and yet, ſuſpending his glorie, became a man, to ſeek him out a flock in the wilderneſſe: and afterwards laid down his life for his ſheep, John 10.11. underwent the deadly dint of Gods devouring ſword put into the hands of thoſe men of Gods hand, Pſal. 17.13. who put him to many a little death all his life long, and at length to that curſed and cruel death of the croſſe: at which time the Shepheard was ſmitten and the ſheep ſcattered, as this Text is moſt fitly applyed, Matth. 26.31. therefore I underſtand it thiefly of Chriſt, the chief Shepheard and Biſhop of our ſoules,Eſay 53.5. who was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities, &c. And this not by chance, or malice of his enemies only (though they laid upon him without mercie, nailing him to the tree in the hands and feet, which in all men are the moſt ſenſible parts of the body (as being fulleſt of nerves and ſinews) but in him much more as being of the ſineſt temperature and moſt exquiſite ſenſe) but by the determinate counſel of God, as St. Peter ſhewes thoſe Kill-Chriſts, Acts 2.23. and according to the Scriptures, that went before of him, and foretold all his paſſion, even to the caſting of the dice upon his cloathes, Pſal. 22. and Iſai. 53 by the reading of which lively deſcription of Chriſts ſufferings in that Chapter,Hoc ego ingenuè confiteuor ait ille, caput illud ad fidem Chriſtime adduxiſſe. Johannes Iſaac a Jew confeſſeth that he was converted to the faith of Chriſt. He is called Gods Shepheard, becauſe God anointed and appointed him to that Office, putting a charge into his hands, John 10. and 17. that he might tend them and tender them, and at length return them up again to his heavenly Father, without loſſe of any one. He is alſo called the Man by an excellency, that matchleſſe man the chief of ten thouſand: as his mother is called hagnalma that famous Virgin, whom all generations are bound to call bleſſed. He is Man-God both in one: and is therefore alſo called Gods-fellow or Mate, as being Conſubſtantiall to the Father according to the Godhead, and very neer akinne to him according to the Man-hood, by reaſon of the hypoſtaticall union of both natures into one perſon, the Man Chriſt Jeſus.

Smite the ſhepheard] that that bleſſed Fountcin of his Bloud (mentioned verſe 1.) may be opened, and the flock of God waſhed, and healed, and ſatiated, as the people were, when the Rock was ſmitten and ſo ſet abroach: and as when God clave a hollow place in the jaw-bone of the Aſſe, ſo that there came water thereout, Sampſon drank and was revived: And as when the Alabaſter-box of ointment was broke, all the houſe was filled with a ſweet ſavour.Judg. 15.19.

And the ſheep ſhall be ſcattered] ſcattered and ſcattered; ſhifting for themſelves, and leaving Chriſt to the mercy of his enemies, who ſeized upon him, as ſo many Carrion Kites upon a ſilly Dove. Thomas (who once ſaid come, let us go dye with him) diſappeares and is loſt: Peter followes aloof off, but better he had heen farther off. John (if at leaſt it were he) flies away ſtark naked for haſt: Iudas comes nearer to him, but to betray him with a kiſſe. But is this thy kindneſſe to thy friend? Chriſt had indented with the enemie aforehand for their ſecuritie, Joh. 18.8. ſo that they needed not have retreated ſo diſorderly, and ſcattered as they did. But the fear of man bringeth a ſnare. Prov. 29.25. Howbeit mans badneſſe cannot break off the courſe of Chriſts goodneſſe. For though they thus unworthily forſake him, and leave him at the worſt (as they ſay) yet I will turn my hand, ſaith he, upon the little ones, i.e. I will recollect my diſperſed flock (how little ſoever either for number, or reſpect in the world) and bring back my baniſhed. So ſoon doth it repent the good Lord concerning his ſervants.Mich. 7.18. Pſal 136 23. He remembreth not iniquity for ever, ſaith the Prophet, becauſe mercy pleaſeth him: and again, He remembreth us in our low eſtates: for his mercy endureth for ever. He looked back upon Peter when his mouth was now big ſwoln with oathes and execrations, and ſet him a weeping bitterly. He called for Thomas after his reſurrection, and confirmed his weak faith by a wonderfull condeſcention. He ſealed up his love to them all again, reſtoring them to their miniſteriall imployment: and not ſo much as once upbraiding them with their baſe dereliction, but only with their unbelief. Lyra and others ſence the Text thus: I will turn my hand upon the little ones, that is, I will ſo ſmite the Shepheard Chriſt, that not only the ſheep ſhall be ſcattered, but the little lambs alſo, even the leaſt and loweſt Chriſtians ſhall have their ſhare of ſufferings, ſhall feel the weight of my hand, ſhall pledge the Lord Chriſt in that cup of afflictions that I have put into his hand; ſhall be conformed to the Image of Gods Son, as his co-ſufferers, that he may be the firſt born among many brethren, Rom. 8.29. And this was fulfilled in the perſecutions that followed ſoon after our Saviours death. Eccleſia haeres crucis, ſaith Luther: and Perſecutio ect Evangelij genius, ſaith Calvin. Perſecution is the black Angel that dogges the Church, the red horſe that [illegible: 1 letter]ollows the white at the heels. All the comfort is, that Gods holy hand hath a ſpeciall ſtroke in all thoſe afflictions that are laid upon his faithfull people, I will turn mine hand, &c.