Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 4:5

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Then; when the prophet had inquired into the meaning of these emblems.

The angel that talked with me: see Zec 1:19.

Knowest thou not? it is not a question either to upbraid the prophet as an ignoramus, Christ doth not reproach his for not knowing deep and dark mysteries at first sight of them; nor is it the question of one that was uncertain about the thing inquired into, Christ knew the prophets ignorance though he ask the question; but it is to excite him to attend and learn.

And I said, No; Zechariah freely confesseth he knew not, he pretends not to know what indeed he did not know.

My lord: he owns the greatness and sovereignty of Christ.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

5. Knowest thou not, c.Not areproof of his ignorance, but a stimulus to reflection on themystery.

No, my lordingeniousconfession of ignorance as a little child he casts himself forinstruction at the feet of the Lord.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me,…. Either to upbraid him with his ignorance and stupidity; or rather to quicken his attention, and that of others, to the interpretation of it he was about to give him:

Knowest thou not what these be? art thou ignorant of the design of them? or knowest thou not what is meant by them?

and I said, No, my lord; he made an ingenuous confession of his ignorance, joined with great respect unto, and veneration of, the angel that conversed with him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

He calls the angel his Lord, according to the custom of the Jews; for they were wont thus to address those who were eminent in power, or in anything superior. He did not call him Lord with the intention of transferring to him the glory of God; but he thus addressed him only for the sake of honor. And here again we are reminded, that if we desire to become proficient in the mysteries of God, we must not arrogate any thing to ourselves; for here the Prophet honestly confesses his own want of knowledge. And let us not at this day be ashamed to lie down at God’s feet, that he may teach us as little children; for whosoever desires to be God’s disciple must necessarily be conscious of his own folly, that is, he must come free from a conceit of his own acumen and wisdom, and be willing to be taught by God.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

Zec 4:5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

Ver. 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 wisdom of God made known to and by the Church; wherein the very angels themselves are great students and daily proficients, Eph 3:10 . Docent proficiendo, et 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, six different times in one chapter, 1Co 6:2-3 ; 1Co 6:9 ; 1Co 6:15-16 ; 1Co 6:19 And how doth the apostle disgrace and shame his Hebrews for their dulness and doltishness, Heb 5:12 . It was expected, it seems, by the angel here, that Zechariah, a master in Israel, should have known more than he did of the meaning of this candlestick, by Moses’s ancient candlestick. For the godly of those times did not believe those rites and ceremonies of the law did of themselves please God, or that they were dumb shows and insignificant, Heb 9:1-13 , but they acknowledged them to be figures; the truth and signification whereof was to be sought in Christ. The ceremonial law was indeed their gospel.

And I said, No, my lord ] An ingenuous confession of his ignorance; and this was far better than to plead for it (as many today), or to pretend more skill than he had; that he at least might seem to be somebody. 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, saith Austin; but even in the very Scriptures also, my chief study, multo plura nescio quam scio, I am to seek many more things than I understand. Surely, saith Agur, I am more brutish than any man, and yet he had commerce with Ithiel and Ucal; Pro 30:1 , and have not the understanding of a man, sc. of a man in Christ. I neither learned wisdom (though taught it) nor have the knowledge of the holy, that is, of the angels, as Dan 4:13 ; Dan 4:17 ; Dan 8:13 . Zechariah here saw himself far short of the holy angel that talked with him; and therefore desireth to be taught by him.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Knowest: Zec 4:13, Mar 4:13

No: Gen 41:16, Psa 139:6, Dan 2:30, 1Co 2:12-15

Reciprocal: Zec 1:9 – the angel Zec 2:3 – the angel Zec 5:5 – the angel

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Zec 4:5. These questions might seem to be unnecessary, but they evidently were asked by way of focusing the attention of the prophet, and also to indicate an assurance that he would be given the desired information.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary