TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Zechariah 3:8–10. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
As the promises made to David often slide insensibly into promises of the Messiah, whose kingdom David's was a type of, so the promises here made to Joshua immediately rise as far upward, and look as far forward, as to Christ, whose priesthood Joshua's was now a shadow of, not only in general, as it kept up the line of Aaron's priesthood, but especially as it was the reviving of that happy method of correspondence between heaven and earth, to which a great interruption had been given by the iniquity and captivity of Israel. Christ is a high priest, as Joshua was, for sinners and sufferers, to mediate for those that have been under guilt and wrath. And it was fit that Joshua should understand the priesthood of Christ, because all the virtue of his priesthood, its value and usefulness to the church, depended upon and was derived from the priesthood of Christ. See,
I.To whom this promise of Christ is directed (Zac 3:8):
"Hear now, O Joshua! Thou hast heard with pleasure what belongs to thyself; but, behold, a greater than Joshua is at hand. Hear now concerning him, thou and the rest of the priests, thy fellows, who sit before thee, at thy feet, as learners, but whom thou art to look upon as thy fellows, for all you are brethren; let the high priest, and all the inferior priests, take notice of this, for they are men wondered at." They are set for signs, for types and figures of Christ's priesthood. What God now did for Joshua and his fellows was a happy omen of the coming of the Messiah promised, and would be so interpreted, with a pleasing wonder, by all that had understanding of the times. Or they are men wondered at for their singularity, hooted at as strange sort of people, because they run not with others to the same excess of riot (Pe1 4:4), or for their strange afflictions and surprising deliverance out of them, as Psa 71:7, I am as a wonder unto many. They are men of wonder; they are a wonder to themselves, are amazed to think how happily their condition is altered. God's people and ministers are, upon many accounts, men wondered at. The high priest and his fellows here (as the prophet and his children, Isa 8:18) are for signs and for wonders. But men's wonder at them will cease when the Messiah comes, as the stars are eclipsed by the light of the sun; for his name shall be called Wonderful.
II.The promise itself, which consists of several parts, all designed for the comfort and encouragement of Joshua and his friends in that great good work of building the temple, which they were now engaged in. An eye to Christ, and a believing dependence upon the promises relating to him and his kingdom, would carry them through the difficulties they met with in that and their other services.
1.The Messiah shall come: Behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch. He has been long hid, but the fulness of time is now at hand, when he shall be brought forth into the world, brought forth among his people Israel. God himself undertakes to bring him forth, and therefore, no doubt, he will own him and stand by him. He is God's servant, employed in his work, obedient to his will, and entirely devoted to his honour and glory. He is the branch; so he was called Isa 4:2, The branch of the Lord. Isa 11:1, A branch out of the roots of Jesse. Jer 23:5, A righteous branch; and Jer 23:15, The branch of righteousness. His beginning was small, as a tender branch, but in time he should become a great tree and fill the earth, Isa 53:2. He is the branch from which all our fruit must be gathered.
2.Many eyes shall be upon him. He is the stone laid before Joshua, alluding to the foundation or chief corner-stone, of the temple, which probably was laid, with great solemnity, in the presence of Joshua. Christ is not only the branch, which is the beginning of a tree, but the foundation, which is the beginning of a building; and, when he shall be brought forth, seven eyes shall be upon him. The eye of his Father was upon him, to take care of him, and protect him, especially in his sufferings; when he was buried in the grave, as the foundation-stones are under ground, the eyes of Heaven were still upon him, buried out of men's sight, but not out of God's. The eyes of all the prophets and Old Testament saints were upon this one stone; Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day, and he saw it and was glad. The eyes of all believers are upon him; they look unto him and are saved, as the eyes of the stung Israelites were upon the brazen serpent. Some understand this one stone to have the seven eyes in it as the wheels had in Ezekiel's vision, and think it denotes that perfection of wisdom and knowledge which Jesus Christ was endued with, for the good of his church. His eyes run to and fro through the earth.
3.God himself will beautify him, and put honour upon him: I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts. This stone the builders refused, as rough and unsightly; but God undertakes to smooth and polish it, nay, and to carve it so that it shall be the head stone of the corner, the most beautiful in all the building. Christ was God's workmanship; and abundance of his wisdom appears in the contrivance of our redemption, which will appear when the engraving is perfected. This stone is a precious stone, though laid for a foundation; and the graving of it seems to allude to the precious stones in the breast-plate of the high priest, which had the names of the tribes graven upon them, as the engraving of a signet, Exo 28:21, Exo 28:22. In that breast-plate there were twelve stones laid before Aaron, and for aught that appears those were lost; but there shall be one worth them all laid before Joshua, and that is Christ himself. This precious stone shall sparkle as if it had seven eyes; there shall appear a perfection of wisdom and prudence in the oracles that proceed from the breast-plate of judgment. And God will engrave the engraving thereof; he will entrust Christ with all his elect, and he shall appear as their representative, and agent for them, as the high priest did when he went in before the Lord with the names of all Israel engraven in the precious stones of his breast-plate. When God gave a remnant to Christ, to be brought through grace to glory, then he engraved the graving of this precious stone.
4.By him sin shall be taken away, both the guilt and the dominion of it: I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. When the high priest had the names of Israel engraven on the precious stones he was adorned with he is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things (Exo 28:38); but the law made nothing perfect, Heb 10:1. He bore the iniquity of the land, as a type of Christ; but he could not remove it; the doing of that was reserved for Christ, that blessed Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world; and he did it in one day, that day in which he suffered and died; that was done by the sacrifice offered that day which could not be done by the sacrifices of ages before, no, not by all the days of atonement which from Moses to Christ returned every year. This agrees with the angel's prediction (Dan 9:24): He shall finish transgression and make an end of sin. And some make the engravings wherewith God engraved him to signify the wounds and stripes which were given to his blessed body, which he underwent for our transgression, for our iniquity, and by which we are healed.
5.The effect of all this shall be the sweet enjoyment which all believers shall have of themselves, and the sweet communion they shall have with one another (Zac 3:10): In that day you shall call every man his neighbour under the vine and the fig-tree, which yield most pleasant fruit, and whose leaves also afford a refreshing shade for arbours. When iniquity is taken away,
(1.)We reap precious benefits and privileges from our justification, more precious than the products of the vine or the fig-tree, Rom 5:1.
(2.)We repose in a sweet tranquillity and are quiet from the fear of evil. What should terrify us when iniquity is taken away, when nothing can hurt us? We sit down under Christ's shadow with delight, and by it are sheltered from the scorching heat of the curse of the law. We live as Israel in the peaceable reign of Solomon (Kg1 4:24, Kg1 4:25); for he is the prince of peace.
(3.)We ought to invite others to come to partake with us in the enjoyment of these privileges, to call every man his neighbour to come and sit with him, for mutual converse, under the vine and fig-tree, and to share with him in the fruits he is surrounded with. Gospel-grace, as far as it comes with power, makes men neighbourly; and those that have the comfort of acquaintance with Christ themselves, and communion with God through him, will be forward to court others to it. Let us go unto the house of the Lord.
Historical interpretation
Fourteen Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Of Him He has also spoken by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, saying, "I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even My Servant David, He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and My Servant David a Prince among them." Now king David was already dead, and therefore the true David, the truly humble, the truly meek, the true Son of God, strong of hand, is announced by this name; he also is intended in the book of the prophet Zechariah, where God the Father says, "Behold I will send my servant, the Orient is His name." Did then His being "clothed in filthy garments" deprive the Sun of righteousness of the brightness of His Godhead?
(Verse 8, 9.) Listen, great priest Jesus, and your friends who dwell before you, for they are men who foresee. Behold, I will bring my servant the East, for behold, the stone which I placed before Jesus, upon it are seven eyes. LXX: Listen, therefore, great priest Jesus, and your neighbors who sit before your face, for they are men who observe wonders, that is, spectators of miracles, for behold, I will bring my servant the East, for the stone which I placed before Jesus, upon it are seven eyes. Our people in this place are being hindered by the Jews, because according to the context and the wording of the discourse, they should understand Jesus the priest as the son of Josedech, rather than the Lord and Savior. For if the discourse is about the Lord, and it is said about Christ: 'Hear, O great Jesus the priest', who is it referring to: 'Behold, I will bring forth my servant the East, who is called by another name, and he has been given before Jesus, and upon this stone there are seven eyes?' On the contrary, our opponents strive to assert that Jesus is the great High Priest, and the East, and the Stone, according to different understandings, are called Christ. But how this can be said of himself is very difficult to explain. Therefore, those who want Jesus to be the son of Josedech, the great High Priest, interpret his friends who dwell or sit before him, and who are men bearing signs, as his disciples and prophets. For prophets are placed as signs of future events. So what is it that Jesus and his friends are compelled to hear: I will bring my servant, the East, and the rest? Above, God had promised (or permitted) Jesus, the great high priest, that if he walked in his ways and kept his commandments, he would judge his house, guard his courts, and give him ministers of angelic dignity. Now he says the same to him and his friends, full felicity and perfect blessedness that will come when the East arrives, of whom it is written: Behold, a man named the East (Zach. VI, 12). And in Malachi: The sun of justice shall arise to you that fear my name, and health in his wings (Mal. IV, 2). And in Numbers: A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a man shall spring up of Israel (Num. XXIV, 17). In the Gospel also we read very clearly about Christ: In whom the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace (Luke I, 78). He himself is called the Rising Sun and the Cornerstone, because he unites both peoples and joins two walls into one house: He is the stumbling stone for unbelievers, of whom it is said in the Psalms: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone: This is from the Lord. On this stone, there are seven eyes, of which Isaiah speaks: A shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and reverence for the Lord, and his delight will be in the fear of the Lord. Those who want to understand the great High Priest, and his friends the Lord Savior, and his disciples, interpret them as men of miracles, and predictors, in such a way that they refer to the apostles (or disciples who have seen his mystical signs and have known the future from the present), while in the case of the man blind from birth (John 9), they interpret the restored eyes as referring to the Gentile people, and in the case of the woman with the flowing blood (Matthew 9), they explain that the Church is freed through the works of blood. Now, what follows is understood by lovers of history about Christ, that after Jesus, the son of Josedech, they say that Christ will come. For this is what it means to be before Jesus, that is, in His presence, and to be called a stone for strength and power, by which He will shatter all kingdoms, which we also read about in Daniel, when the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands (Dan. II).
Portending men: That is, men, who by words and actions are to foreshew wonders that are to come.-- Ibid.
My servant the Orient: Christ, who according to his humanity is the servant of God, is called the Orient from his rising like the sun in the east to enlighten the world.
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Summary
Zechariah 3:8 is a profound prophetic declaration within the vision of Joshua the High Priest's cleansing, revealing God's future plan for redemption through a divinely appointed figure. It addresses Joshua and his priestly companions, designating them as symbolic "men wondered at" who foreshadow the ultimate arrival of God's chosen "servant," identified by the messianic title "the BRANCH." This verse serves as a pivotal point, shifting from the immediate restoration of the high priesthood to the grander, ultimate restoration brought by the coming Messiah.
Context
Literary Context
This verse immediately follows the dramatic vision in Zechariah 3:1-7, where Joshua the High Priest stands before the Angel of the Lord, accused by Satan. The Lord rebukes Satan, declares Joshua a "brand plucked out of the fire," and commands the removal of his filthy garments, replacing them with rich robes and a clean turban. This powerful act symbolizes God's cleansing of Israel from sin and the restoration of the priesthood, making them fit for service. Zechariah 3:8 then transitions from this immediate, symbolic cleansing to a future, ultimate cleansing and leadership, indicating that Joshua's experience is a type, pointing to a greater reality to come in the person of the Branch. The subsequent verses in Zechariah 3:9-10 continue to elaborate on the Branch's work, linking it to the removal of iniquity and the establishment of peace.
Historical & Cultural Context
Zechariah prophesied during the post-exilic period (circa 520-518 BC), alongside Haggai, to the returned Jewish community in Jerusalem. This community faced immense challenges: the temple lay in ruins, their land was under Persian rule, and their hopes for a glorious restoration seemed distant. Joshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel the governor were key leaders in the rebuilding efforts. In this context of national despondency and spiritual apathy, Zechariah's visions aimed to encourage the people, assure them of God's continued covenant faithfulness, and motivate them to complete the temple. The role of the high priest was crucial for the spiritual life of the community, representing their access to God. The cleansing of Joshua would have been a powerful visual affirmation of God's willingness to restore His people despite their past failures, setting the stage for the even greater hope of the Messiah.
Key Themes
The overarching themes in Zechariah 3 and the broader book include Divine Restoration and Cleansing, evident in Joshua's purification, which foreshadows the spiritual cleansing of God's people. The concept of Messianic Hope is central, particularly with the introduction of "the Branch" as the ultimate deliverer and temple-builder, a theme further developed in Zechariah 6:12-13. The idea of Typology and Foreshadowing is also prominent, as Joshua and his companions serve as living symbols or "men wondered at," whose experiences point to the greater work of the Messiah. Finally, the theme of God's Sovereignty and Faithfulness undergirds the entire prophecy, assuring the struggling community that God's plans for their future, including the coming of the Branch, will surely be fulfilled.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This name, meaning "Jehovah-saved" or "the Lord is salvation," is highly significant. In this context, Joshua the High Priest serves as a type, his very name pointing to the ultimate salvation that will come through the promised "Branch." His cleansing and reinstatement, despite his "filthy garments," underscore God's initiative in providing salvation and foreshadow the greater salvation brought by the true "Jehovah-saved" one.
This word signifies a "miracle," "sign," or "omen." When applied to Joshua and his fellows, it means they are not merely ordinary men but are divinely appointed as prophetic illustrations or types. Their experiences, particularly Joshua's dramatic cleansing, are meant to be observed and understood as a divine sign, pointing beyond themselves to a future, greater reality—the coming of the Branch. They are living parables, embodying God's redemptive plan.
This is a crucial messianic title, meaning "sprout," "shoot," or "branch." It denotes new growth, vitality, and a righteous descendant, specifically from the line of David. Its use here points to a future, divinely appointed figure who will bring forth righteousness and fulfill God's redemptive purposes. The term emphasizes organic growth and the emergence of a new, vital leader from a seemingly barren or diminished line, signifying hope and restoration.
Verse Breakdown
"Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee:"
This opening command calls for attentive listening from Joshua, the central figure in the preceding vision, and his companions. These "fellows" are likely other priests or key leaders involved in the post-exilic rebuilding, who "sit before" Joshua, indicating their subordinate yet significant roles in the priestly order or the leadership council. The address emphasizes the importance of the divine revelation that follows, intended not just for Joshua personally, but for the entire priestly and leadership community.
"for they [are] men wondered at:"
This clause explains the significance of Joshua and his companions. The Hebrew term for "wondered at" (מֹפֵת, môwphêth) denotes a "sign," "omen," or "wonder." This means Joshua and his fellows are not merely recipients of a prophecy but are themselves living prophetic signs or types. Their experiences, particularly Joshua's dramatic cleansing and reinstatement, are divinely orchestrated to serve as a foreshadowing or illustration of a greater spiritual reality yet to unfold, specifically concerning the coming Messiah.
"for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH."
This is the climactic declaration of the verse, introducing the central figure of the prophecy. The phrase "behold" (הִנֵּה, hinnēh) draws immediate attention to a momentous revelation. God Himself declares His intention to "bring forth" (יָצָא, yatsa') this figure, emphasizing divine initiative and sovereignty. The figure is identified by two significant titles: "my servant," highlighting humility, obedience, and divine appointment, and "the BRANCH," a specific messianic title pointing to a future, righteous descendant of David who will bring about ultimate salvation and restoration. This statement transitions from the symbolic present to the eschatological future.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 3:8 employs several potent literary devices. Symbolism is paramount, with Joshua the High Priest and his "fellows" serving as living symbols or "men wondered at" (môwphêth). Their roles and experiences, particularly Joshua's cleansing, are not merely historical events but prophetic types foreshadowing the greater work of the Messiah. The title "the BRANCH" is a powerful Metaphor and a Messianic Title, representing new life, growth, and the righteous descendant of David who will emerge to fulfill God's promises. The phrase "bring forth" (H935, bôwʼ) implies a divine act of Revelation and Sovereignty, emphasizing that the coming of the Branch is entirely God's initiative. The entire passage functions as a Prophetic Oracle, delivering a direct divine message about future events and figures, designed to instill hope and understanding in the post-exilic community.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 3:8 profoundly connects the immediate post-exilic restoration with God's ultimate eschatological plan, centering on the Messiah. The cleansing of Joshua the High Priest, a representative of Israel, sets the stage for the greater, complete cleansing and restoration that only the "Branch" can accomplish. This verse underscores God's commitment to His covenant promises, demonstrating that even when His people are in a state of spiritual and national weakness, His redemptive purposes are actively unfolding towards a glorious fulfillment. It highlights the necessity of a divine figure to bring about true righteousness and establish God's kingdom, moving beyond the limitations of human leaders and rituals. The "men wondered at" serve as a bridge between the present reality and the future hope, assuring the people that their current struggles are part of a larger, divinely ordained narrative culminating in the Messiah.
Reflection and Application
Zechariah 3:8 offers a powerful message of hope and divine intentionality for believers today. Just as Joshua and his companions were "men wondered at," serving as living signs, so too are believers called to live as witnesses, reflecting God's redemptive work in their lives. This verse reminds us that God's plans are grander and more far-reaching than our immediate circumstances. It encourages us to look beyond our present challenges and anxieties to the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ, the promised Branch. His coming brings true cleansing from sin, establishes righteousness, and ensures the building of God's eternal kingdom. Our own experiences of forgiveness and spiritual renewal are a testament to His work, mirroring Joshua's cleansing. This should inspire us to live with confident hope, knowing that God is faithfully bringing forth His purposes, and that we are part of His unfolding story of redemption.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is Joshua the high priest mentioned in this verse?
Joshua (Hebrew: Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ) was the actual high priest during the post-exilic period, serving alongside Zerubbabel the governor. He played a crucial role in the spiritual leadership of the returned Jewish community and in the rebuilding of the Second Temple. In Zechariah 3, he is presented not only as a historical figure but also as a symbolic representative of Israel and a prophetic type, foreshadowing the coming Messiah. His cleansing in the preceding verses symbolizes God's forgiveness and restoration of His people.
What is the meaning of "men wondered at"?
The phrase "men wondered at" translates the Hebrew word môwphêth (H4159), which means "sign," "omen," or "wonder." It signifies that Joshua and his companions were not merely ordinary individuals but were divinely appointed as prophetic illustrations. Their lives and experiences, particularly Joshua's dramatic cleansing from sin and reinstatement as high priest, served as living parables or visible signs pointing to a greater future reality—the ultimate work of the Messiah, the "Branch." They were meant to be observed as evidence of God's unfolding redemptive plan.
What does "my servant the BRANCH" refer to?
"My servant the BRANCH" is a significant messianic title in the Old Testament. "My servant" emphasizes the Messiah's humble obedience and divine appointment to fulfill God's will, a theme echoed in Isaiah's "Servant Songs" (e.g., Isaiah 53). "The BRANCH" (Hebrew: tsemach, H6780) signifies a new shoot or sprout, representing new life, vitality, and a righteous descendant, specifically from the royal line of David. This title points to the coming Messiah who would emerge as the true King and High Priest, bringing forth righteousness, building God's spiritual temple, and establishing His eternal kingdom. It is a direct prophecy of Jesus Christ.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 3:8 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the preeminent "Servant" of the Lord, whose life of perfect obedience and sacrificial death perfectly embodied the divine will, as prophesied in passages like Isaiah 53:11. More explicitly, Jesus is the promised "BRANCH," the righteous descendant of David (as affirmed in Jeremiah 23:5 and Isaiah 11:1). Just as Joshua the High Priest was cleansed and re-clothed, Jesus, our true and eternal High Priest, offers a perfect and final cleansing from sin through His blood, making us righteous before God (Hebrews 9:14). The "men wondered at" in Zechariah's time were but faint shadows; Jesus is the one truly "wondered at" for His miraculous birth, life, death, and resurrection, and for His unparalleled work of salvation (1 Peter 1:12). He is not only the High Priest who mediates for us but also the King who builds God's spiritual temple, the Church (Ephesians 2:20-22), and establishes an everlasting kingdom of righteousness and peace (Luke 1:32-33). Thus, Zechariah 3:8 points directly to Christ as the one who brings ultimate redemption, fulfilling all the hopes and types of the Old Testament.