John Trapp on Zechariah 4:5

Verſe 5. Knoweſt thou not what theſe be?] Thus preparation is made to the enſuing interpretation of the viſion by this dialogue; that we might give better heed to that manifold wiſdome of God made known to and by the Church:Eph. 3.10. wherein the very Angels themſelves are great ſtudents, and daily proficients. Docent proficiendo, & docendo proficiunt. The beſt of men know not ſo much as they might have known. Are ye alſo ignorant of theſe things? (ſaith our Saviour to the twelve) are ye alſo without underſtanding? Mat. 15.16. what? know you not &c. ſeven ſeveral times in one chapter 1 Cor. 6. And how doth the Apoſtle ſhent and ſhame his Hebrewes for their du[illegible: 1 letter]neſſe and doltiſhneſſe Heb. 5.12. It was expected, it ſeems, by the Angel here, that Zachary a Maſter in Iſrael ſhould have known more then he did, of the meaning of this candleſtick, by Moſes his ancient candleſtick. For the godly of thoſe times did not beleeve thoſe rites and ceremonies of the law did of themſelves pleaſe God, or that they were dumb ſhewes and inſignificant Heb. 9. But they acknowledged them to be figures: the truth and ſignification whereof was to be ſought in Chriſt. The ceremoniall law was indeed their Goſpell.

and I ſaid, No my Lord] An ingenious confeſſion of his ignorance: and this was far better then to plead for it (as many now-adayes) or to pretend more skill then he had: that he might at leaſt ſeem to be ſome body. Ignorantiam meam non ignoro, ſaith Origen. Though I know little elſe, yet this I know, that it is but little that I know. And not only in innumerable other things am I ignorant,Ep. 119. c. 21. ſaith Auſtin; but even in the very Scriptures alſo, my chief ſtudy, multò plura neſcio quam ſcio, I am to ſeek of many more things then I underſtand. Surely, ſaith Agur, I am more brutiſh then any man, and yet he had commerce with Ithiel and Ʋcal ver. 1. and have not the underſtanding of a man, ſc. of a man in Chriſt. I neither learned wiſdome (though taught it) nor have the knowledge of the holy, that is of the Angels, as Dan. 4.13, 17. and 8.13. Zachary here ſaw himſelf farr ſhort of the holy angel that [illegible: 1 letter]alked with him; and therefore deſireth to be taught by him.