Zechariah 3:1

CHAPTER III

While the Jews were rebuilding their temple, their adversaries

endeavoured to stop the work, Ezra 5:3, c.

This vision is therefore calculated to give them the strongest

encouragement that God, after plucking them as brands out of

the fire (or captivity of Babylon,) would not now give them up,

but would continue to prosper and favour them and that

notwithstanding the interruptions they should meet with, the

work should be finished under the gracious superintendence of

Providence; and their high priest, clothed in his pontifical

robes, would soon officiate in the holy of holies, 1-7.

The subject is then, by an easy transition, applied to a much

greater future deliverance and restoration, of which Joshua and

his companions, delivered now, are declared to be figures or

types; for that the Messiah or Branch, the great high priest

typified by Joshua, would be manifested; and, like the

principal stone represented in the vision, become the chief

corner stone of his Church; that the all-seeing eye of God

would constantly guard it; and that by his atonement he would

procure for it peace and pardon, 8-10.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse Zechariah 3:1. And he showed me Joshua the high priest] The Angel of the Lord is the Messiah, as we have seen before; Joshua, the high priest, may here represent the whole Jewish people; and Satan, the grand accuser of the brethren. What the subject of dispute was, we perhaps learn from Jude 1:9. Michael and Satan disputed about the body of Moses. This could not refer to the natural body of the Jewish lawgiver, which had been dead about one thousand years; it must therefore refer to that body of laws given to the Jews by Moses, for the breach of which Satan, who was their tempter to disobedience, now comes forward as their accuser; that, exciting the justice of God against them, they may be all brought to perdition. There is a paronomasia here:-

Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.] שטן Satan signifies an adversary. לשטנו lesiteno, to be his adversary, or accuser.