3<\/strong>. filthy garments<\/em> ] There is no allusion to the Roman custom of accused persons wearing sordid attire at their trials ( reus sordidatus<\/em>, Liv. ii. 54, vi. 20). Nor is there any ground for the idea that “an accusation had been lodged against” Joshua “in the Persian Court;” and that “the splendid attire of the High Priest, studded with jewels, had been detained at Babylon, or, at least, could not be worn without the special permission of the king; and until the accusations had been cleared away this became still more impossible” (Stanley, after Ewald, Jewish Church<\/em>, iii. 103). The promise of the vision is not that “the soiled and worn clothing of the suffering exile shall be replaced, by the old magnificence of Aaron and of Zadok;” but that in accordance with the constant imagery of Holy Scripture and with the express statement of Zec 3:4<\/span>, “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee,” the guilt and pollution of sin shall be replaced by spotless purity and holiness (Lev 16:4<\/span>; Isa 64:6<\/span>; Rev 7:14<\/span>; Rev 19:8<\/span>).<\/p>\n Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments – <\/B>Such, it is expressed, was his habitual condition; he was one so clothed. The filthy garment, as defilement generally, is, in Scripture, the symbol of sin. We are all as the unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa 64:6<\/span>. He that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy – when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion Isa 4:3-4<\/span>. There is a generation, pure in its own eyes, and it is not washed from its filthiness Pro 30:12<\/span>. The same is expressed by different words, signifying pollution, defilement by sin; Woe unto her that is filthy and polluted Zep 3:1<\/span>; The land was defiled with blood Psa 106:38<\/span>; they were defiled with their own works. It is symbolized also by the divers washings Heb 9:10<\/span> of the law, representing restored purity; and the use of the word by Psalmists and prophets; Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity Psa 51:4<\/span>; wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes Isa 1:16<\/span>; O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness Jer 4:14<\/span>. In later times at least, the accused were clothed in black , not in defiled garments.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 3<\/span>. Joshua was clothed with filthy garments<\/B><\/I>] The Jewish people were in a most forlorn, destitute, and to all human appearance despicable, condition; and besides all, they were sinful, and the priesthood defiled by idolatry; and nothing but the mercy of God could save them.<\/P> <\/p>\n At the time Zechariah saw this vision he saw also in what a mean, dirty, and tattered garb he was who represented the high priest. It was the hieroglyphic of Joshua, not Joshua himself. <\/P> Filthy garments; <\/B>emblem of a poor or sinful state, or both. <\/P> Stood:<\/B> see Zec 3:1<\/span>. <\/P> Before the angel; <\/B>the Lord Christ, called the Angel. <\/P> <\/p>\n 3. filthy garments<\/B>symbol ofsin (Pro 30:12<\/span>; Isa 4:4<\/span>;Isa 64:6<\/span>); proving that it is noton the ground of His people’s righteousness that He accepts them.Here primarily the “filthy garments” represent the abjectstate temporally of the priesthood and people at the return fromBabylon. Yet he “stood before the angel.” Abject as he was,he was before Jehovah’s eye,<\/I> who graciously accepts Hispeople’s services, though mixed with sin and infirmity.<\/P><\/p>\n Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments<\/strong>,…. Having fallen into sin. The Jewish writers z interpret this of the sin of his children in marrying strange wives, Ezr 10:18<\/span> or he had married one himself, as Jerom from the Jews, on the place; or a whore, as Justin Martyr a suggests; or had been slothful and sluggish in rebuilding the temple; and, be it what it will, Satan had aggravated it, and represented him as a most filthy creature, covered with sin, and as it were clothed with it: sins may well be called filthy garments, since righteousnesses are as filthy rags, Isa 64:6<\/span>. It may also denote the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, and the pollutions in it, at least in those who officiated therein, and especially under the second temple; as well as may represent the defilements of the Lord’s people by sins they fall into:<\/p>\n and stood before the angel<\/strong>: as an accused person, charged with sin, and waiting the issue of the process against him: he stood under an humble sense of his iniquities, looking to the blood and righteousness of Christ for pardon and justification; praying and entreating that these filthy garments might be took away from him, and he be clothed with fine linen, suitable to his character as a priest. Such a sordid dress was the habit of persons arraigned for crimes. It was usual, especially among the Romans, when a man was accused of, and charged with, capital crimes, and during his arraignment, to let down his hair, suffer his beard to grow long, to wear filthy ragged garments, and appear in a very dirty and sordid habit; hence such were called “sordidati” b: nay, it was not only customary for the accused person, when he was brought into court before the people to be tried, to be in such a filthy dress; but even his near relations, friends, and acquaintance, before the court went to voting, used to appear in like manner, with their hair dishevelled, and clothed with garments foul and out of fashion, weeping and crying, and deprecating punishment; thinking, by such a filthy and deformed habit, to move the pity of the people c. It is said of the ambassadors of the Rhodians at Rome, upon a certain victory obtained, that they appeared at first in white garments, suitable to a congratulation; but when they were told that the Rhodians had not so well deserved to be reckoned among the friends and allies of the Romans, they immediately put on sordid garments, and went about to the houses of the principal men, with prayers and tears entreating that cognizance might first be taken of their cause, before they were condemned d: though, on the contrary, some, when arraigned, as defying their accusers, and as a token of their innocence, and to show the fortitude of their minds, and even, if they could, to terrify the court itself, would dress out in the most splendid manner; or, however, would not follow the above custom. It is reported of Scipio Africanus, that when he was arraigned in court, he would not omit shaving his beard, nor put off his white garments, nor appear in the common dress of arraigned persons e: and when Manlius Capitolinus was arraigned in court, none of his relations would change their clothes; and Appius Claudius, when he was tried by the tribunes of the common people, behaved with such spirit, and put on such a bold countenance, as thinking that by his ferocity he might strike terror into the tribunes; and so Herod, when he was accused before Hyrcanus, went into the court clothed in purple, and attended with a guard of armed men f: whether the above custom obtained in Judea, and so early as the times of this prophet, is not so evident; though Josephus ben Gorion says it was a custom for a guilty person to stand before the judges clothed in black, and his head covered with dust g; however, it is certain that with the Jews a distinction was made in the dress of priests, who, by the sanhedrim, were found guilty or not; such as were, were clothed and veiled in “black”; and such as were not, but were found right and perfect, were clothed in white; and went in, and ministered with their brethren the priests h.<\/p>\n z T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 93. 1. a Dialog. cum Trypho, p. 344. b Salmuth. in Paneirol. Memorab. par. 1. tit. 44. p. 187. c Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 5. d Liv. Hist. l. 45. c. 20. e A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 3. c. 4. f Alex. ab Alex. ut supra. (Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 5) g Hist. Heb. c. 44. apud Drusium in Amos ii. 7. h Misn. Middot, c. 5. sect. 3. T. Bab. Yoma fol. 19. 1. Maimon. Biath Hamikdash, c. 6. sect. 11.<\/p>\n Zechariah adds here another thing, — that Joshua had on mean garments, but that new garments were given him by the angel’s command. And by this he means, that though the priesthood had been for a time contemptible, it would yet recover whatever dignity it had lost. But he ever leads the minds of the faithful to this point, — to look for what they did not then see, nor could conjecture from the state of things at that time. It is certain that the sacerdotal vestments, after the return from exile, were not such as they were before; for they were not sumptuously woven, nor had attached to them so many precious stones. Though Cyrus had bountifully supplied great abundance of gold and silver for the worship of God, yet the chief priest did not so shine with precious stones and the work of the Phrygians as before the exile. Hence, what was shown to Zechariah was then well known to all. But we ought to notice the latter clause, — that the angel commanded a change of garments. The Prophet then bids the faithful to be of good cheer, though the appearance of the priesthood was vile and mean, because God would not overlook its contemptible state; but the time of restoration had not yet come; when it came, the ancient dignity of the priesthood would again appear. <\/p>\n With regard to the words, the first thing to be observed is the fact, that Joshua stood before the angel, having on sordid or torn garments (37) The repetition seems to be without reason; for he had said before that Joshua stood before the angel of God. Why then does he now repeat that he stood before the angel? That the faithful might take courage; because it was God’s evident purpose that the chief priest should remain there in his sordid garments; for we think that God forgets us when he does not immediately succor us, or when things are in a confused state. Hence Zechariah meets his doubt by saying, that Joshua stood before the angel. He further reminded them, that though the whole world should despise the priesthood, it was yet under the eyes of God. Conspicuous were other priests in the eyes of men, and attracted the admiring observation of all, as it is well known; but all heathen priesthoods, we know, were of no account before God. Hence though heathen priesthoods shone before men, they were yet abominations only in the sight of God; but the priesthood of Joshua, however abject and vile it may have been, was yet, as Zechariah testifies, esteemed before God. <\/p>\n (37) The word, [ צואים ], does not mean what is shabby, mean, or tattered, but what is filthy,dirty, as opposed to what is clean. Our version, “filthy,” adopted by Newcome and Henderson, is the most suitable. — Ed. <\/p>\n (3) Filthy garments.<\/strong>Such as would render him unfit to appear before God as priest. They are a symbol of the guilt and defilement of sin. (Isa. 64:5<\/span>.)<\/p>\n And stood before.<\/strong>See Note on Zec. 3:1<\/span>.<\/p>\n “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n This is a most striking verse. It was the command, under the Levitical dispensation, that the high priests should appear before the Lord in holy garments, for glory and for beauty, see Exo 28:2<\/span> . And so to human observation they did appear. Had the Prophet Zechariah not seen these things in vision, by which the Lord gave him a spirit of discernment, he would not have beheld the filthiness of Joshua.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Reader! I beseech you to attend to the doctrine contained in this view of things. Here we see what the law, and what the priesthood was, in their best dress. No doubt Joshua, like all the other priests under the law were what the world would call good men, set apart to the sacred office. Yet, when looked at under the spirit of prophecy, behold, amidst the ephod, and breast-plate, what filthiness they appeared in. Well might the Prophet Isaiah, under a sense of it, when he had once seen the vision of God, cry out, all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isa 64:6<\/span> . Reader! and do all the ministrations of fallen sinful men, as they are in themselves, and without an eye to Christ, thus appear? Do the most upright of men, like this Joshua, come before God polluted and defiled? Oh! then think of the preciousness of Him, who taketh away the iniquity of our holy things, and whose blood, and righteousness, and everlasting priesthood, become the only safety for our persons, and for the acceptation of both persons and offerings before God!<\/p>\n Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.<\/p>\n Ver. 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments<\/strong> ] The tattered rags of the old Adam, the nasty filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness that yet remained in him (though in part regenerate), and intermingled with his best works. Sin is the devil’s excrement; it defiles the soul worse than any jakes can do the body (as the Hebrew word here signifieth, and as our Saviour shows, Mar 7:20 ), or than the sanies of plague sore doth a garment. Hence that of the Church, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags,” Isa 64:6<\/span> . And that of Job, “If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean, shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall make me to be abhorred,” Job 9:30-31<\/span> . This is the same in effect with that of Paul, “I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord,” 1Co 4:5<\/span> ; who, when he comes to turn up the bottom of the bag, as the steward did Benjamin’s ( Sacco solute apparuit argentum.<\/em> Ambr.), he will manifest the hidden things of darkness, find out our thefts that we dream not of, open all fardles on that great fair day, the day of judgment. As in the mean while, should the Lord but break open that filthy sink of sin that is in the very best of us, we should not only be loathsome to God, Zec 11:8<\/span> , and to good men, Pro 29:27<\/span> , but even to our own selves also, as Job was, Job 42:6<\/span> . Judas was not able to abide his own stench, Mat 27:4-5<\/span> . Yea, and some holy men (as Mr Lever, for one), when they have desired to see their utmost uncleanness, their corruptions in the most ugly colours, God hath heard them. But yet his hand therewith was so heavy upon them, that they went always mourning to their graves; and thought it fitter to leave it to God’s wisdom to give them a sight of their sins, and to mingle the potion of sorrow, than to be their own choosers. See that excellent text, Job 15:14-16<\/span> , and then stand aloof with the leper and say, I am unclean, I am unclean: yet, Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And stood before the angel<\/strong> ] His filthy garments notwithstanding: though we cannot say our hearts are pure, and our performances perfect; yet if we wallow not in sin, allow it not; if, with the daughters of Zion, we look upon our former neatness as nastiness, and fineness as filthiness; if we be in any measure purged from the love and liking of sin by the “spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning,” Isa 4:4<\/span> , Christ will neither abhor our presence nor reject our services. Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings, Exo 28:38<\/span> . Christ is this Aaron. And though there be an inequality of expressions in duty, quoad nos,<\/em> in us; yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ, propter nos,<\/em> for us.<\/p>\n was = had come to be. Compare Gen 1:2. <\/p>\n filthy. A symbol of the defiling nature of sin. Compare Pro 30:12. Isa 4:4, &c. <\/p>\n clothed See, Isa 64:6 Contra: Php 3:1-9. <\/p>\n angel (See Scofield “Heb 1:4”). <\/p>\n 2Ch 30:18-20, Ezr 9:15, Isa 64:6, Dan 9:18, Mat 22:11-13, Rev 7:13, Rev 7:14, Rev 19:8 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Exo 19:10 – wash Exo 28:2 – holy garments Ezr 2:2 – Jeshua Isa 4:4 – washed away Jer 13:7 – it was Jer 15:1 – stood Eze 22:6 – the princes Luk 15:22 – the best Rom 4:5 – ungodly Jam 2:2 – in vile Rev 3:4 – which<\/p>\n Zec 3:3. It was true that the service had been corrupted by the mixture with heathenism, and the priests had been guilty of the abomination.<\/p>\n 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with {e} filthy garments, and stood before the angel.<\/p>\n (e) With regard to the glorious garments and precious stones that the priests wore before the captivity: and by this contemptible state the Prophet signifies, that these small beginnings would be made excellent when Christ will make the full restitution of his Church.<\/p>\n Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord dressed in excrement bespattered garments (cf. Isa 4:4). He was ministering to the Lord in this extremely filthy and ceremonially unclean condition. This represented the unclean state in which Israel stood in Zechariah’s day as she ministered before Him as a kingdom of priests in the world.<\/p>\n Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 3. filthy garments ] There is no allusion to the Roman custom of accused persons wearing sordid attire at their trials ( reus sordidatus, Liv. ii. 54, vi. 20). Nor is there any ground for the idea that “an accusation had been lodged … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 3:3”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22926\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"