{"id":22971,"date":"2022-09-24T09:47:48","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T14:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-zechariah-613\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T09:47:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T14:47:48","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-zechariah-613","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-zechariah-613\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 6:13"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

13<\/strong>. Even he shall build<\/em> ] The repetition of these words from the preceding verse is emphatic, as is the introduction now of the personal pronoun, He.<\/strong> It is as much as to say, you are building a temple of the Lord, but the building of the true temple is reserved for Him.<\/p>\n

bear the glory<\/em> ] i.e. the royal<\/em> majesty, as the word is used Dan 11:21 ; 1Ch 29:25<\/span>; though doubtless there lies behind such glory as is spoken of Joh 1:14<\/span>; Joh 17:5<\/span>; Heb 2:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n

the counsel of peace shall be between them both<\/em> ] This has been explained to mean, that the two offices, the sacerdotal and the regal, being merged in the one person of Him, who “shall be a priest upon His throne,” shall be exercised in perfect harmony, as though a treaty of peace were ratified between them. “The counsel of peace,” however, would seem to mean more than this, and to denote a counsel, or measure, devised by “them both,” of which the fruit would be peace to those whom it contemplated. This counsel, by which peace is procured and bestowed (Eph 2:14<\/span>; Joh 14:27<\/span>) is for its execution “between them both,” i.e. between the two offices, or rather between the Holder of them both regarded now as King and now as Priest. The view that “them both” refers to the Eternal Father and Messiah, Jehovah and the Branch, though it has been ably advocated, is scarcely warranted by the context, in which the mention of Jehovah is not sufficiently direct and prominent to sustain such a reference.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Even He – <\/B>Literally, He Himself. The repetition shows that it is a great thing, which he affirms; and He, again emphatic, He, the same who shall build the temple of the Lord, He shall bear the glory. Great must be the glory, since it is affirmed of Him as of none beside, He shall bear glory, He should build the temple of the Lord, as none beside ever built it; He should bear glory, as none beside ever bare it, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth Joh 1:14<\/span>. This word glory is almost always used of the special glory of God, and then, although seldom, of the Majesty of those, on whom God confers majesty as His representatives, as Moses, or Joshua Num 27:20<\/span>, or the glory of the kingdom given to Solomon 1Ch 29:25<\/span>. It is used also of Him, a likeness of whom these vicegerents of God bare, in a Psalm whose language belongs (as Jews too have seen,) to One more than man , although also of glory given by God, either of grace or nature .<\/P>

So in our Lords great High Priests prayer lie says, Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine ownself with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was Joh 17:5<\/span>; and prays, that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me, where I am; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me Joh 17:24<\/span>. So Paul, applying the words of the eighth Psalm, says of our Lord, We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and horror Heb 2:9<\/span>; and the angels and saints round the Throne say, Worthy is the Lamb which was slain to receive power and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, and those on earth answer, Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever Rev 5:12-13<\/span>. That glory Isaiah saw; in His miracles He manifested forth His glory Joh 12:41<\/span>, which resided in Him Joh 2:11<\/span>; in His Transfiguration, the three Apostles saw His glory Luk 9:32<\/span>, shining out from within Him; into this His glory (Luk 24:26<\/span>; add 1Pe 1:11-12<\/span>), He told the disciples at Emmaus, the prophets said, that He was to enter, having first suffered what He suffered; in this His glory He is to sit, when He judges. And He shall sit and rule on His Throne Mat 19:28<\/span>; Luk 9:26<\/span>. His rule shall be, not passing but abiding, not by human might, but in peaceful majesty, as God says, Yet have I set My king upon My holy bill of Zion Psa 2:6<\/span>, and again, Sit Thou on My Right Hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool Psa 110:1<\/span>; and the angel said to Mary, The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end Luk 1:32-33<\/span>.<\/P>

And He shall be a priest upon His Throne – <\/B>He shall be at once king and priest, as it is said, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedec. When the Christ should reign, He should not cease to be our Priest. He, having all power given to Him in heaven and earth, reigneth over His Church and His elect by His grace, and over the world by His power, yet ever liveth to make intercession for us. Rup.: Not dwellings now on what is chiefest, that by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invincible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist Col 1:16-17<\/span>, how many crowns of glory belong to Him, One and the Same, God and man, Christ Jesus! He then will bear glory and will sit upon His throne and shall be a priest on His throne.<\/P>

How just this is, it is easier to think than to express, that He should sit and rule all things, by whom all things were wade, and He should be a Priest forever, by whose Blood all things are reconciled. He shall rule then upon His throne, and He shall be a priest upon His throne, which cannot be said of any of the saints, because it is the right of none of them, to call the throne of his rule or of his priesthood his own, but of this Only Lord and Priest, whose majesty and throne are one and the same with the Majesty of God, as He saith, When the Son of Man shall come in His Majesty (Glory), then shall He sit upon the throne of His Majesty (Glory) Mat 25:31<\/span>. And what meaneth that re-duplication, and He shall rule on His Throne, but that One and the Same, of whom all this is said, should be and is King and Priest. He who is King shall rule on His Throne, because kingdom and priesthood shall meet in One Person, and One shall occupy the double throne of kingdom and priesthood. He alone should be our King; He alone our Saviour: He alone the Object of our love, obedience and adoration.<\/P>

And the counsel of peace shall be between them both – <\/B>The counsel of peace is not merely peace, as Jerome seems to interpret: He is both king and priest, and shall sit both on the royal and sacerdotal throne, and there shall be peaceful counsel between both, so that neither should the royal eminence depress the dignity of the priesthood, nor the dignity of the priesthood, the royal eminency, but both should be consistent in the glory of the One Lord Jesus. For had this been all, the simple idiom, there shall be peace between them, would have been used here, as elsewhere (Jdg 4:17<\/span>; 1Sa 7:14<\/span>; 1Ki 5:16<\/span> (12 English)). But counsel of peace, must, according to the like idioms, signify a counsel devising or procuring peace for some other than those who counsel thereon. We have the idiom itself, counsellors of peace Pro 12:20<\/span>.<\/P>

They twain – <\/B>Might be said of things : but things are naturally not said to counsel, so that the meaning should be, that the thrones of the priests and of the Branch should counsel. For the throne is in each case merely subordinate. It is not as we might say, the See of Rome, or of Constantinople, or of Canterbury, meaning the successive Bishops. It is simply the material throne, on which He sits. Nor is anything said of any throne of a priest, nor had a priest any throne. His office was to stand before the Lord, his intercessorial office to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin Heb 5:1<\/span>; Heb 9:9<\/span>. To offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the peoples Heb 7:27<\/span>, was his special office and honor.<\/P>

There are then not two thrones. One sits on His Throne, as King and Priest. It seems only to remain, that the counsel of peace should be between Jesus and the Father; as Jerome says, I read in the book of some, that this, there shall be a peaceful counsel between the two, is referred to the Father and the Son, because He came to do not His own will, but the Will of the Father Joh 5:30<\/span>; Joh 6:38<\/span>, and the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father Joh 14:10<\/span>. In Christ all is perfect harmony. There is a counsel of peace between Him and the Father whose temple He builds. The Will of the Father and the Son is one. Both had one Will of love toward us, the salvation of the world, bringing forth peace through our redemption. God the Father so loved the world, that He gave His Only-Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh 3:16<\/span>; and God the Son is our peace, who hath made both one, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross, and came and preached peace to them which were afar off and to them that were nigh Eph 2:14<\/span>, Eph 2:16-17<\/span>.<\/P>

Others seem to me less naturally to interpret it of Christ in His two offices. Rup.: There shall be the counsel of peace between them, the ruler and the priest, not that Christ is divided, but that those two princedoms, which were hitherto divided, (the priest and the king being different persons) should be united in the One Christ. Between these two princedoms, being inseparably joined in one, shall be the counsel of peace, because through that union we have peace; and through Him it pleased the Father to reconcile all things unto Himself, and that all things should be brought to peace through the Blood of His cross, whether things in earth or things in heaven Col 1:19-20<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zec 6:13<\/span><\/p>\n

He shall build the temple of the Lord, and He shall bear the glory <\/em><\/p>\n

Christ glorified as the Builder of the Church<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heaven singeth evermore.<\/p>\n

And this world is singing too. The tune to which heaven and earth are set is the same. And mark how the music of the Church is set to the same tune as that of heaven and earth, Great God, Thou art to be magnified. Is not this the unanimous song of all the redeemed below? In the text the Lord Jesus Christ is alluded to. The context runs, Behold the man whose name is the Branch–a title ever applied to Messiah.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The temple. It is the Church of God. All Christians constitute the Church. I mean all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, for these make up the one universal Church. This Church is called the temple of God, and Christ is said to be its builder. The temple was the place where God specially dwelt. It is true that God is everywhere, but in a special manner He dwelt in the temple. If you would find God, He is everywhere in creation. If you would know what is the secret place of the Most High, you must go where you find the Church of true believers, for it is here He makes His continual residence known. The temple was the place of clearest manifestation. He who would see God the best of all, must see Him in His temple. The Church is like the temple in that it is a place of worship. As there was only one temple, so there is only one Church.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>Christ is the Churchs only builder. Make a parallel between Christs building the Church, and Solomons building the first temple. In this Solomon fails to be a type of Christ. Christ builds the temple Himself. And Jesus Christ excels Solomon, for He provides all the materials.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>Glorify Christ. The glory which He shall have will be a weighty glory, an undivided glory. He shall have all <\/em>the glory. Practical application–Are we built up upon Christ? Then let us evermore honour Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Builder of the spiritual temple<\/strong><\/p>\n

This <\/em>passage relates to the dispensation of the Gospel, when it would be proved that Jesus Christ by His person and work did actually rebuild the spiritual temple, which fell into ruins by the disobedience of our first parents.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The building.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The ruinous state of the temple.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Whose temple it is. The Lords.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The builder of this temple is Christ.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>The agent employed is the Holy Ghost.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The glory of our salvation belongs unto the Lord. In redeeming us from sin; in justifying our souls; and in preserving us for glory.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The nature of His government. He rules in heaven, having accomplished His work. He rules over the world generally. He rules over the Church collectively. And over each believer in particular. He rules in the Word, in the Gospel, and in every Christian duty.<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>His priestly office. He lives as a priest to make intercession. By appearing in the presence of God for us. By presenting His sacrifice and righteousness. By declaring His will of our final glory.<\/p>\n


V. <\/strong>The nature of the counsel there spoken of. Some explain it as between the Father and the Son; or between the altar and the throne; or between Christ and His Church; or between Jew and Gentile; or between the soul and God. (T. B. Baker.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The temple<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The temple.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Because the Church is consecrated to the service of God.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Is hallowed by His residence.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Is honoured by His self-manifestation.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The builder. Because He–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Prepares the materials.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Employs the workmen.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Superintends the workmanship.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The glory.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>From the unlikelihood of the materials.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>From the magnitude of the obstacles.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>From the diversity of the workmen.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>From the perfection of the work. (G. Brooks.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ, the Builder and Ruler of the temple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of the man <\/em>here spoken of it is affirmed that His name is the Branch, and that He shall grow up out of His place. The Branch that was to grow out of the root of Jesse was to be more than man; for who could bear that wondrous name, The Lord our Righteousness, but the Lord Himself? The text refers to One who should combine in His own person the fulness of Divinity with all that is essential to the constitution of our nature.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The work here ascribed to Christ. He shall build the temple of the Lord. The prophet was commanded to make two crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua. Under the Levitical economy the high priest wore a crown, and in ancient times the crown was the badge of royalty. Joshua was thus a striking type of Him who is at once the High Priest and the King of Zion. As the person of Joshua typified that of Christ, so the work to which Joshua was called was typical of that which Christ was to accomplish. The temple Christ was to build is the Church universal, consisting of all who in every age and nation are washed and justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Why the Church is called a temple is not difficult to perceive. It is so called in allusion to the sacred edifice which, by Divine command, was erected in Jerusalem. That edifice was dedicated to the service of God, and so are all who believe in Jesus. In the Jewish temple the Lord was pleased to reveal His glory; and so He does in the Church, but more spiritually and more fully. He manifests Himself to all that love and serve Him. The Jewish temple was regarded as Gods residence, for the visible emblem of His glory dwelt between the cherubims. And is not His life-giving presence with His Church on earth? Has He not promised to be always with His people? In the one temple were observed the rites which He was pleased to institute; in the other, He is worshipped in spirit and truth. Of this temple Jesus is the builder. Before a structure can be reared the foundation must be laid; and Christ has laid the foundation of His Church, virtually, in the counsels of eternity, when He undertook to accomplish the work of our redemption; actually, in the fulness of time, when He obeyed and suffered in our stead. He is Himself the rock on which His Church is built. On Himself as foundation God rears the spiritual temple. This He does by the instrumentality of His Word, and by the agency of His Spirit. The soul, when united to the Saviour, undergoes a thorough change of character as well as of condition. Christ imparts His virtues to the soul that rests on Him as the foundation of its hope. Christ sanctifies it by His Word and Spirit, and thus it becomes a living stone, reflecting the glory of Christ Himself. Such is the way in which Christ carries on the work that is here ascribed to Him. As one sinner after another is converted, one living stone after another is added to the temple which He is building. Amid all the uproar and turmoil of this ungodly world, this work is silently but surely going on. How glorious shall the temple be, when the last living stone shall complete the harmony of its vast proportions! Then, purified from every soil, and resplendent with the beauties of righteousness and holiness, it shall stand out before the universe the noblest monument of the Divine perfections. What a signal honour to be fellow workers with Christ in speeding on this blessed consummation!<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>Christ bears the glory as the Ruler in the temple. It is to His glory in this respect that the text more especially refers. There is a very obvious and important distinction between His government of the universe, and His headship over the Church. The Church is a society of a special nature, requiring special laws and institutions for its government and guidance. It is a kingdom not of this world, though in this world. The glory which Christ bears as ruler in the temple is represented in Scripture as the fruit of His sufferings. This honour was secured to Him in the covenant of redemption, as the stipulated reward of obedience unto death. Application–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Relating to the duty of individuals. To yield submission to Christs authority.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Relating to the duty of a Church–or any particular society of professing Christians. Is it not a Churchs duty to have respect in all things to Christs authority–to regulate its procedure by the principles and the precepts of His Holy Word? (David Couper.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ, the Builder of the Church<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The person spoken of. Observe the circumstances of the prophecy, and see how undeniably they all point to Christ, the High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The work assigned Him. To build the temple of the Lord. The true and spiritual Church of God, which is spread over all ages and all nations, which consists of all believers, all faithful men and sanctified persons throughout the world, gathered out of the vast multitudes of mankind, and brought into one mystical body. It is the glory of the Son of God to be the builder of this temple. The Redeemer builds the temple of the Lord try the virtue going forth continually from His kingly and priestly offices.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>An appropriate reward. Two particulars are mentioned, possessing each a deep interest in connection with the missionary work; the one holding forth our encouragement, and the other our duty. He whom we serve is invested with the government; and He shall bear the glory. Then let us–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Beware of building without Christ.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Give all the glory to Christ.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Contribute with a self-denying liberality of our labour and our substance for the work of building the temple of the Lord. (J. Scholefield, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ the Branch, and the Builder of the spiritual temple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our text is a prophecy set forth and highly adorned with metaphor. The text–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Announces the Saviour by a singular yet significant title. Behold the man whose name is the Branch.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>It predicts–the allotment to Him, and the accomplishment by Him of a most important and magnificent work. He shall build the temple of the Lord.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>It recognises–the great Builders right to have all the praise, whilst it assigns to Him a well-deserved reward. He shall bear the glory. Two inferences–<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> The cause of real religion is in the hands of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> All success in the prosecution of any important part of the glorious work of building up the temple of the Lord must be looked for and derived from the great Master-Builder. (Josiah Redford.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The spiritual temple of Jehovah<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>Every true believer is a temple of God.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>A temple is the residence of Jehovah; and in this view every true believer is a temple of the living God. It is the prominent design of the Gospel to enthrone Jehovah in the affections, dispositions, and habits of men.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>A temple is consecrated to the service, the worship, and the glory of God. In this sense every true believer is a spiritual temple of the Lord. Christian believers are represented in Scripture as renewed in the spirit of their minds, as built up spiritual houses, as consecrated in every part to the service and glory of God.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>A temple is the scene of Divine manifestation; and in this sense also every true believer is a spiritual temple of the Lord. Every true believer exhibits in his own person, in his principles, in his habits, in his privileges, and in his bright hopes, a manifestation of God, a practical exemplification of the Saviours work, a public and accredited testimony of the truth of the doctrines of Scripture, as imprinted on his mind, as brought to bear with powerful effect on his life.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The glory of Christ in building, beautifying, and completing this temple.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Christ, by His mediatorial interposition, has paved the way for the erection of the temple of God.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The glory of building the temples by His Holy Spirit belongs also to Him. Christ, by the Holy Spirit, begins, carries forward, and completes the building of the spiritual edifice. It is the glory of the Gospel dispensation that it is complete in all its parts. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the process of sanctification is carried forward.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The glory belongs to Christ because He has provided those means <\/em>by which, under the ministry of grace, the temple is built.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>The glory belongs to Christ, inasmuch as He constantly superintends the Churches, takes a tender interest in all their concerns, sympathises with them in all their vicissitudes, and completes the purposes of God ultimately in regard to them. This subject displays<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> In a very interesting and pleasing manner the glory of our great Redeemer.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> It tends also to elevate our conceptions of the Christian character. There is something in the very idea of a temple that is associated with holy and sacred pursuits, with holy and hallowed enjoyments. (Robert Burns, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The living temple<\/strong><\/p>\n

To understand this Scripture we must consider when the prediction was uttered, and to what it primarily refers. To relieve the anxious mind of Joshua, the high priest, and to animate his soul with the prospect of happier days, the prophet Zechariah is sent with a special message from the Lord, to assure Joshua that the temple should be built; that his fears were without foundation; that his prayers should be answered, and his utmost wishes accomplished. An outward sign was given. Two crowns were placed on the head of Joshua, as emblems of priesthood and royalty; and were then to be deposited in the temple, as memorials of what God had determined to accomplish in future times. Thus the Jews were led to contemplate a more durable and glorious temple than that which they were then building. In the language and symbols of prophecy, they were told that the Messiah, whose name is the Branch, would be much more to this spiritual building, than Joshua was to their external temple. He would be Priest and King, Redeemer and Lawgiver, Prince and Saviour. When He humbled Himself to appear in the nature of man, He seemed to be no more than a feeble stem from the root of Jesse. Yet this tender plant sprung up and spread forth its branches, and became a sheltering to the weary, and still flourishes with undecayed vigour; the leaves whereof are for the healing of the nations; and the fruit thereof sweet to the taste. In various passages of the New Testament, believers in Jesus are declared to be the temples of God; temples of the Holy Ghost; living temples, built up a spiritual house, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, through Christ.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>Consider every real Christian as the living temple of the Lord. Observe this dignified and distinguished character here ascribed to the righteous: each one of them is a temple of the Lord. A soul, the temple of the Lord, suggests the sublime ideas of solemn consecration to His honour of worship and sacrifice, of the Divine residence, and of peculiar manifestations; such manifestations as discover a present Deity, and render His glory in us evident to our souls.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Believers in Jesus are temples of the Lord, because they are separated from idolatry and impurity, are consecrated to sacred purposes, and are dedicated to the honour of Him whom they worship.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Believers in Christ are the temples of God, because they offer up to Him dutiful worship and acceptable sacrifice. Not sacrifices of propitiation or atonement, but sacrifices of daily thankoffering for the mercies of God, and the blessings of His great salvation. Every faculty and affection of the Christian soul may ye considered as engaged in the service of this living temple.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Believers in Christ are the temples of the Lord, because in them He resides to manifest His glory; and them He blesses with all the satisfying consolations of His presence. In every renewed person much of the image of God is displayed; the power of God in forming, from such unlikely materials, a new creature, or a new creation, the holiness of God, in stamping upon every child of the family some lineaments of their Fathers image; and the sovereign mercy of God, in rescuing from deepest ruin, and imparting the noblest hopes and happiness, to the praise of the glory of His grace. In all saints, so far as they are sanctified, we may trace some resemblance of God. God is said to dwell in His people as His temple, when He manifests His glory to them, and admits them to delightful intercourse with Himself. This honour have all the saints; but it is enjoyed by them in very different degrees, according to the measure of their faith.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>This temple is, in all respects, the workmanship of the adorable Redeemer. He who is the Branch, builds the temple–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>In His mediation between God and man.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>He lays the foundation of that living temple by bestowing that living faith which unites us to Himself, and interests us in all the blessings of His mediation.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>He not only lays the foundation of the spiritual temple, but He rears the superstructure by His grace and Spirit. Every grace and duty of religion is a living stone in that temple which every believer is rearing unto God on earth. All these graces and duties are intimately connected, and by their union the spiritual building is rendered fair and useful.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>The Almighty Builder carries on to perfection the good work which He has begun. By His dispensations He carries forward the perfections of His people. He carries on to perfection by the ordinances of His grace. By the powerful energy and gracious influences of His Holy Spirit, working in them to will and do of His good pleasure.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The cheering and animating promise, He shall bear the glory. This is now fulfilling on earth, and shall be fulfilled forever in heaven. Amidst meditations on Gods gracious ways with them, at every new survey, saints feel their hearts warmed with gratitude, and they say, Not unto us, not unto us. He hath built the temple, and He shall bear the glory. (A. Bonar.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Church the temple of God<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a prophecy of the Messiah. The prophet puts two crowns on the head of Joshua the high priest, and then speaks to him, not only as the raiser up of the desolated temple, but as a type of an enthroned Saviour, the builder of a spiritual and far more glorious structure. Behold the man whose name is the Branch, etc.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The Church is Gods temple. By the Church is meant all that the word imports in its highest and its widest sense–all Gods real servants, all His believing and pardoned and sanctified people of all ages and places. When God builds, His habitation shall have a name and character of its own–it is a temple. View the Church simply as Gods house, then we look on it as something which God dwells in, and rests in, and delights in. View it as Gods temple, then a sacredness comes over it. The house becomes–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>A consecrated place, a place appropriated and set apart for holy purposes.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The idea of worship and devotion is connected with this term. It implies not only that God designs His people to show forth His praise in heaven, but that they do show it forth there; they answer there the end for which they are taken there: God is served, and worshipped, and magnified by them.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The Lord Jesus is the Builder of this temple. Elsewhere spoken of as the foundation or chief cornerstone, He is here described as the great Builder. No one figure can suffice to set forth His importance. Therefore they apply figure after figure to Him. They do not heed what we deem incongruities and contradictions. Three things the builder of a temple has to do.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>To form the plan of it. He has to settle in his mind what its form and size shall be, and of what materials it shall consist.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>A builder has to prepare his materials. At least the builder of a temple has. He does not find them prepared for him by nature, the wrought stone in the quarry, and the carved beam in the forest. Nor can they prepare themselves. And we, brethren, are not naturally fit for heaven, nor can we make ourselves or one another fit for it.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>A builder has to join his materials together, to put each one of them into the place for which it is prepared. And this also is the work of Christ.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The text bears us out in asserting that it really is a very glorious building. It does not expressly say this, but it implies it. There is to be a glory result to Christ from it, and this glory is doubtless to proceed in part from something excellent and magnificent in the building itself. What a subject opens itself to us here! Does beauty make a building glorious, a noble plan and excellent workmanship? Oh, what so beautiful as the Church of the firstborn? Bear in mind two facts in reference to the glory of this temple.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>It is such that it satisfies Christ Himself.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>This temple has occupied the Mighty Jehovah far longer than any of His works. From this fact also we infer its gloriousness.<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>The Lord Jesus will have all glory of this temple. Two reasons why Christ is so little honoured on earth as the author of His peoples salvation. The greatness of the salvation is not known, and we do not see how entirely the work is His. Gods design in this building was His own honour. Is Christ the Builder of Gods temple? Then this text calls on all of us really to regard Him as such. And if the Church is the temple of the Lord, then we should cherish in our minds a high reverence and love for it. (C. Bradley, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zec 6:13<\/span><\/p>\n

A Priest upon His throne <\/em><\/p>\n

The Priest of the world and King of men<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is in accordance with the law of prophetic development from the beginning that the external circumstances of the nation at the moment should supply the mould into which the promise is run.<\/p>\n

Here, the kingless band of exiles are heartened for their task by the thought of the Priest-King of the nation, the Builder of an imperishable dwelling place for God.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The true hope of the world is a priest. The idea of priesthood is universal. It has been distorted and abused; it has been made the foundation of spiritual tyranny. The priest has not been the teacher nor the elevator of the people. Yet there the office stands, and wherever men go, by some strange perversity they take with them this idea, and choose from among themselves some who shall discharge for their brethren the double office of representing them before God, and of representing God to them. That is what the world means, with absolute and entire unanimity, by a priest–one who shall be Sacrificer, intercessor, representative; bearer of mans worship, channel of Gods blessing. This is the result of the universal consciousness of sin. Men feel that there is a gulf between them and God. The Jewish people, who have at all events taught the world the purest theism, and led men up to the most spiritual religion, had this same institution of a priesthood for the very centre of its worship. What is the priest whom men crave? The first requisite is oneness with those whom he represents. We have a Priest in all things made like unto His brethren. The next requisite is that the priests should possess, at all events, a symbolic purity–expression of the conviction that a priest must be cleaner and closer than his fellows. And we have a Priest; who is holy, harmless, undefiled. And again, as in nature and character, so in function, Christ corresponds to the widely expressed wants of men, as shown in their priesthoods. They sought for one who should offer gifts and sacrifices on their behalf. They sought for one who should pass into the awful Presence, and plead for them while they stood without. They sought for a man who should be the medium of Divine blessings bestowed upon the worshippers, and we know who hath gone within the veil for us. We have great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The Priest of the world is the King of men. He shall be a Priest upon His throne. In Israel these two offices were jealously kept apart. The history of the world is full of instances in which the struggles of the temporal and spiritual power have caused calamities only less intolerable than those which flowed from that alliance of priests and kings which has so often made monarchy a grinding tyranny, and religion a mere instrument of statecraft. Our Priest does rule. The kingdom of Christ is no unreal fanciful phrase. The foundation of His rule is His sacrifice. Men will do anything for him who does that <\/em>for them. His rule is wielded in gentleness. Priestly dominion has ever been fierce, suspicious, tyrannous. The sway of this merciful and faithful High Priest is full of tenderness. The end of His rule is, that His subjects may be made free in obedience.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The Priest-King of men builds among men the temple of God. Christ is Himself the true temple of God. Christ builds the temple. Christ builds this temple because He is the temple. By His incarnation and work He makes our communion with God and Gods dwelling in us possible. Christ builds the temple, and uses us as His servants in the work. Christ builds on through all the ages, and the prophecy of the text is yet unfulfilled. Its fulfilment is the meaning and end of all history. In one of the mosques of Damascus, which has been a Christian Church, and before that was a heathen temple, the portal bears, deep cut in Greek characters, the inscription, Thy kingdom, O Christ, is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. Those words are graven over the temple which Christ rears. (A. Maclaren, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ–Priest and King<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>Notice this significant designation of the Lord Jesus–The Branch. The family of David was like a decayed tree, the stump of which alone remains; but from so lowly and unlikely an origin, a shoot or scion would emanate, which would again become a noble forest tree, and perpetuate the memory and influence of the royal line. Certainly Davids race had reached a low ebb when Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, because they were of the house and lineage of David. Through a branch the fulness of the root is carried to the fruit, which swells in ruddy beauty on its extremity, and presently falls into the hand of the wayfarer: so Jesus is the blessed channel of communication between the fulness of God and the thirsty wastes of human need.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The combination in Christ of the priestly and kingly offices. He shall be a Priest upon His throne. Mans nature demands a priest. Conscious of sin and defilement, he rears an altar wherever he pitches his tent; and, selecting one of his fellows, he separates him from the ordinary duties of life, and bids him stand as mediator and priest between God and himself. It was thus that Micah addressed the young man, the Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, when he said, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and priest; and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and thine apparel, and thy victuals. If an argument were needed to prove the unity of the human family, it surely would be suggested by the universal distribution of temples and altars over the world, as though men were everywhere alike in this–that they know themselves to be sinful, and desire to find some way of propitiating and approaching the Almighty. In the Levitical system, and, above all, in Jesus Christ, God has met this universal craving of the human heart. Man also requires a king. God had designed to meet this need by Him self being Israels King, that they should not be like other nations, but a peculiar people unto Him. How remarkable it is that the Kingship of Jesus should have been so accentuated in His trial! It was the centre around which the storm raged. Pilate challenged His claims: Art Thou a king, then? and Jesus asseverated them: Thou sayest that I am–a king. The faded purple robe flung over His shoulders, the reed in His hand, the mocking bending of the knee, the crown of thorns on His brow, were but the grotesque and heartless mockery of His claims. And since He has passed into the glory, He is still the Priest-King. Not Aaron, but Melchizedek, is the true type of our Saviour now. As Aaron, He made atonement and propitiation for sin; but as Melchizedek, He has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. This Melchizedek was king of Salem, and priest of the Most High God. As priest, Jesus pleads the merit of His blood; as king, He exerts power on our behalf. As priest, He pacifies the guilty conscience; as king, He sends thrills of His own victorious life into our spirits. As priest, He brings us nigh to God; as king, He treads our enemies under His feet. It is of great importance to us all to think of our Saviour in this dual aspect. On the one hand, we get all the benefit of His cross and passion; on the other, all the benefit of His resurrection and session at the right hand of God. May it not be that the weakness of thy Christian life is due to the fact that thou hast viewed Him only in the light of Calvary, and hast not, with Stephen, seen Him seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High–a prince as well as a Saviour–a Saviour because a prince? He accounts Himself absolutely responsible to achieve the uttermost salvation of those who trust in Him. If there is some sin which defies thee, at least it shall not be too strong for Him. <\/em>And if the outflow of His delivering power towards thee seems restrained and ineffective, be sure that, in some one particular, which He will be quick to show thee, if only thou art willing to be informed, there has been a failure to yield Him the obedience which is due to Him as thy king.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>As the Priest-King, Christ builds the temple of God. Twice over this is affirmed; but what untold comfort the assurance must have brought when first addressed to that little band of exiles! Their temple site was strewn with ruins: it seemed almost hopeless to contend with those heaps of rubbish, impossible to rear a fabric worthy of the past and adequate for the future; but these words must have greatly heartened them. As the hand of inspiration drew aside the vail, they beheld another and greater than either Joshua or Zerubbabel, working with them and for them, and bearing the chief responsibility in all the toils and labours of their new erection–He; not they. They would work with new energy and courage, knowing, as they did, that they were fellow workers with God. What difficulty could daunt, what enemies thwart or frustrate, the work of His right hand? If these words should be read by any who are losing heart because of the difficulties presented by their parish, their church, or the souls of their charge, let them be reassured, as they behold the trowel in the hands of the Priest-King; and let them be sure that He will succeed. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

A Priest upon His throne<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the enthroned king, Jesus reigns over His church as the vicegerent of God. He as king reigns over the intellects, the hearts, the wills, the bodies of all who yield allegiance to Him. He distributes to all His people the gifts of God according to His will. At His hand every good and perfect gift must be sought, and from His hand received. He giveth gifts to men through the power of His delegated authority received from the triune God. He is the true Joseph reigning over the kingdom of the true Pharaoh. As Pharaoh raised Joseph from his prison, and made him ruler over all the land of Egypt, so the eternal Father has raised Jesus from His cross and tomb to enthrone Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies. As Pharaohs commission to Joseph was Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled, so Christ is revealed to us as being over Gods house as its delegated king. As Pharaohs gifts were distributed by Joseph to the needy Egyptians, so Gods good gifts of grace come to us through the kingly ministry of Jesus. It is from Jesus seated on the throne of grace as the priest upon His throne that we are bidden to seek pardoning mercy and aiding grace in every time of need. This revelation of Jesus as being the giver of grace as Heavens enthroned king, is one that does not receive the recognition it demands. This is of course a necessity in all those theological systems in which the continuous priestly ministry of our ascended Lord is denied or ignored. But even where His ministry of priestly intercession is recognised He is not seen to be the priest sitting on His throne. That all the blessings of the kingdom of the incarnation come to us through His intercession is confessed. But men fall to see that these blessings are given to us by Him as the bountiful king of that kingdom. Nay, not unfrequently men shrink in dread from the statement that every good and perfect gift coming from the Father of Light is given to us not only by the hand, but according to the will, of the ascended Lord. Yet unless this truth be grasped Jesus mediatorial ministry is not fully confessed. That He is the mediator of the new covenant is a matter of faith. There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Now His mediation means that through Him, the Word made flesh, we draw nigh to God in worship and Gods gifts of grace come to us. This truth does not involve the idea that God has ceased personally to reign and to give gifts. The recognition of Jesus delegated sovereignty does not involve the denial of Gods essential sovereignty as an ever-living fact. When by Pharaohs authority Joseph ruled Egypt this was not the virtual abdication of his power by Pharaoh; nay, it was the strengthening of his dynasty and the perfecting of his rule. Between him and Joseph there was perfect oneness of conviction as to the policy to be adopted in that crisis of his nations life. In raising Joseph to his high position, and giving him liberty of action, he was but carrying out in the most effective way the policy his own wisdom approved. So the enthronement of Jesus as man, as king of the Church, is not the dethronement of God. For the sovereignty of the Son of Man is a delegated sovereignty, and its glory must exalt the throne of Him whose delegate He is. The wisdom and the love of the only Potentate is revealed in the king He has enthroned. And still more is this seen to be true when we remember the absolute union of thought and action that there is between them. What our King hears He speaks. What the Father doeth that doeth the Son likewise. In an union so close there is no place for conflict of action or variance of will. Not by constraint but by union Jesus in His delegated sovereignty rules according to the will of God. He is a throned king, and gives His gifts according to His own free will. But even in His free rule He is the minister of the Fathers pleasure because of His absolute conformity with the will of God. With full assent of mind then grasp the truth of Jesus delegated sovereignty. See Him throned by God in the Church as the giver of His supernatural gifts. See in the revelation of Jesus as enthroned in Heaven, and hence ruling over His Church in Paradise and on earth, the fulfilment of Zechariahs glorious vision. Gazing by faith on Jesus at Gods right hand, in Him, Behold the Man whose name is the Branch, who has built the temple of the Lord, and who in it bears the glory, and as a priest upon His throne sits and rules. (G. Body, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Of Christs offices in general<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are three.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The office of a prophet. He builds the Church by the Word of the Gospel, which it is His work to promulgate as a prophet.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The office of a priest. To expiate the sins of His people, to purchase peace for them, and to manage their cause with God.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>That of a king: for He has a throne, which denotes His kingly office. He is a priest upon His throne, denoting the reward of His sufferings. In Him the glory of all these offices is to meet. The text affords foundation for the following doctrine–Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of prophet, priest, and king, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation.<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The verity or reality of these offices in Christ.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>From plain scripture testimony.<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> To His having or being possessed of these offices.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> To His executing these offices.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>From His name Christ, or Messiah, the anointed one. The unction signified–<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> His being set apart to the mediatory work.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> His being fully furnished with gifts and qualifications suitable to these offices, in respect of His human nature, to which the Spirit was given, not by measure, but in fulness.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The necessity of His exercising these offices. This will be clear if we–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Consider our misery by sin, ignorance, guilt, and bondage. We were ignorant of the way of returning to God again; and therefore Christ as our prophet must teach us; our priest must make atonement for us; our king must bring us back again, leading captivity captive.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Consider the salvation which the elect were to be made partakers of.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Consider Christ as mediator of the covenant, who behoved to deal with both parties, in order to bring them together.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Consider the work of conversion; what the soul needs.<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Consider our daily necessities.<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>Consider the promises, which are the stay and staff of the Christians life, without which they could never bear up.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>When did Christ execute these offices? As He was the Redeemer of the Church in all ages so did He execute these offices in all ages of the Church. But more especially after His incarnation, and that in His twofold state of humiliation and exaltation. These three offices are not to be divided, especially when they are executed in a way that is effectual for the salvation of the subjects thereof. Wherever He executes one of these offices in a saving way, He executes them all. Inferences–<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>How great and glorious is our Lord Jesus Christ, who was meet to bear all these offices at once, and exercise them at once, so as one does not mar or clash with another!<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Let this commend Christ to you as a full and a suitable Saviour.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>You cannot take Christ as a Redeemer, if you take Him not in all His offices.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Employ this mighty Redeemer in all the offices wherewith He is invested, and which, as mediator, He exercises for the benefit of the ruined race of mankind. (T. Boston, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 13<\/span>. Even he shall build the temple<\/B><\/I>] Joshua<\/I>, not Zerubbabel<\/I>.<\/P>

<\/P>

He shall bear the glory<\/B><\/I>] Have all the honour of it; for none can do this but himself. The Messiah<\/I> is still intended.<\/P>

<\/P>

And shall sit and rule upon his throne<\/B><\/I>] For the government of the Church shall be upon his shoulder.<\/P>

<\/P>

And he shall be a priest upon his throne<\/B><\/I>] He shall, as the great high priest<\/I>, offer the only available offering<\/I> and atonement<\/I>; and so he shall be both king<\/I> and priest<\/I>, a royal king<\/I> and a royal priest<\/I>; for even the priest<\/I> is here stated to sit upon his<\/I> throne<\/I>.<\/P>

<\/P>

And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.<\/B><\/I>] Whom? Zerubbabel and Joshua? Certainly not Zerubbabel, for he is not mentioned in all this prediction; but, as the Messiah<\/I> is intended, the counsel of peace<\/I>-the purpose to establish peace<\/I> between heaven and earth, must be between the Father<\/I> and the Son<\/I>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Even he shall build:<\/B> the promise is repeated to settle the Jews in the assured expectation of the thing. <\/P>

The temple of the Lord; <\/B>your material temple as type, and the spiritual temple as antitype. <\/P>

He shall bear the glory<\/B> of both kingly office and priestly, the glory of both those crowns shall abide on him, the only person worthy of it. <\/P>

He shall sit; <\/B>which speaks both his royal magnificence and the perpetuity of it. <\/P>

And rule; <\/B>though he shall have many attendants and officers, yet he shall rule, give laws, distribute rewards, and punish offenders. <\/P>

Upon his throne; <\/B>his by birth, by donation, by purchase, and by conquest, his most undoubtedly by best right. <\/P>

He shall be a priest<\/B>; the great High Priest, to offer the great sacrifice to God, to make reconciliation, to intercede for his people: this is that meant by the crowns set on thy head, O Joshua. <\/P>

The counsel of peace shall be between them both; <\/B>the peace made for Gods people shall rest upon these two, the kingly and priestly office of Christ: by his priestly office he shall make their peace with God, by his kingly office he shall deliver them from spiritual enemies; by priestly operation he shall expiate our sin, by the power of his kingly office he shall extirpate sin; as Priest he makes, as King maintains, peace; purchase as a Priest, protect as a King. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

13. bear the glory<\/B>that is,wear the insignia of the kingly glory, “the crowns”(Psa 21:5<\/span>; Psa 102:16<\/span>;Isa 52:13<\/span>). He himself<\/I>shall bear the glory, not thou, Joshua, though thou dost bear thecrowns. The Church’s dignity is in her head alone, Christ. SoEliakim, type of Messiah, was to have “all the glory of hisfather’s house hung upon him” (Isa22:24<\/span>). <\/P>

sit<\/B>implying securityand permanence. <\/P>

priest . . . throne<\/B>(Gen 14:18<\/span>; Psa 110:4<\/span>;Heb 5:6<\/span>; Heb 5:10<\/span>;Heb 6:20<\/span>; Heb 7:1-28<\/span>).<\/P>

counsel of peace . . .between . . . both<\/B>Joshua and Zerubbabel, the religious andcivil authorities co-operating in the temple, typify the peace,<\/I>or harmonious union, between both<\/I> the kingly and priestlyoffices. The kingly majesty shall not depress the priestly dignity,nor the priestly dignity the kingly majesty [JEROME].The peace of the Church, formerly sought for in the mutual “counsels”of the kings and the priests, who had been always distinct, shall beperfectly ensured by the concurrence of the two offices in the oneMessiah, who by His mediatorial priesthood purchases it, and by Hiskingly rule maintains it. VITRINGAtakes “His<\/I> throne” to be Jehovah the Father’s. Thusit will be, “there shall be . . . peace between the Branch andJehovah” [LUDOVICUSDE DIEU].The other view is better, namely, “Messiah’s<\/I> throne.”As Priest He expiates sin; as King, extirpates it. “Counsel<\/I>of peace,” implies that it is the plan of infinite “wisdom,”whence Messiah is called “Counsellor” (Isa 9:6<\/span>;Eph 1:8<\/span>; Eph 1:11<\/span>;Heb 6:17<\/span>). Peace between thekingly and priestly attributes of Messiah implies the harmonizing ofthe conflicting claims of God’s justice as a King, and His love as aFather and Priest. Hence is produced peace to man (Luk 2:14<\/span>;Act 10:36<\/span>; Eph 2:13-17<\/span>).It is only by being pardoned through His atonement and ruled by Hislaws, that we can find “peace.” The royal “throne”was always connected with the “temple,” as is the case inthe Apocalypse (Re 7:15<\/span>),because Christ is to be a king on His throne and a priest, andbecause the people, whose “king” the Lord is, cannotapproach Him except by a priestly mediation [ROOS].Jesus shall come to effect, by His presence (Isa 11:4<\/span>;Dan 7:17<\/span>), that which in vain islooked for, in His absence, by other means. He shall exercise Hispower mediatorially as priest on His throne (Zec6:13<\/span>); therefore His reign is for a limited period, which itcould not be if it were the final and everlasting state of glory. Butbeing for a special purpose, to reconcile all things in this world,now disordered by sin, and so present it to God the Father that Hemay again for the first time since the fall come into directconnection with His creatures; therefore it is limited, forming thedispensation in the fulness of times (Eph1:10<\/span>), when God shall gather in one all things in Christ, thefinal end of which shall be, “God all in all” (1Co15:24-28<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Even he shall build the temple of the Lord<\/strong>,…. Which is repeated, as Kimchi observes, for confirmation sake:<\/p>\n

and he shall bear the glory<\/strong>; that is, of building the temple; and the phrase denotes that the glory of it shall be upon him, shall be hung upon him, as in Isa 22:24<\/span> and so shall be visible; that it would be weighty and heavy, he having many crowns on his head, put there by all the saints, who everyone of them ascribe glory to him; that it would continue, and not pass away like the glory of this world; and that he, and he alone, should bear it; not Joshua, nor Zerubbabel, nor the ministers of the word, nor members of churches, nor any other, but himself; he, and he alone, shall be exalted:<\/p>\n

and shall sit and rule upon his throne<\/strong>; in heaven, having done his work on earth, where he is at ease and rest, and exercises power and authority; he rules over the whole world, and the kings of it in general, and in particular over his saints, by his Spirit, word, and ordinates, feeding, protecting, and defending them:<\/p>\n

and he shall be a Prince upon his throne<\/strong>; he is both Priest and King, and exercises both offices at one and the same time, and even now in heaven; having offered himself as a sacrifice on earth, by which he has put away sin for ever, and perfected his people; he is set down upon his throne, as a King crowned with glory and honour; and ever lives as a Priest the throne, to make intercession for them; by appearing in the presence of God for them; by presenting his blood, sacrifice, and righteousness, to his divine Father; by offering up the prayers and praises of his people; by declaring it as his will that such and such blessings be bestowed upon them; and by applying the benefits of his death unto them:<\/p>\n

and the counsel of peace shall be between them both<\/strong>; not between Joshua and Zerubbabel, who should agree together, as they did, in the administration of government belonging to their distinct offices; rather between the priestly and kingly offices of Christ; nor the council of peace between the Father and the Son, concerning the salvation of the elect; for that was past in eternity; but better the Gospel of peace, called the whole counsel of God, which, in consequence of Christ being a Priest on his throne, was preached to both Jews and Gentiles; which brought the glad tidings of peace and salvation by Christ to both, and was the means of making peace between them both.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

He repeats the last thing which he had said, Even he shall build the temple of Jehovah. The Prophet seems here to reiterate to no purpose the same words without any additions of light: but it seems evident to me, that he meant in this way to confirm and sanction what seemed difficult to be believed. As the temple, then, begun at that time to be built, had but little splendor and glory connected with it, and could hardly be expected to become a better or more adorned building, the Prophet reiterates this promise, He, he shall build the temple of Jehovah; by which he means, “Let not your eyes remain fixed on this temple, for to look at it weakens your faith and almost disheartens you; but hope for another temple which ye see not now, for a priest and a king shall at length come to build a better and a more excellent temple.” <\/p>\n

He afterwards subjoins, Bear shall he the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne. He fully confirms what we have already referred to — that this man, who was to grow by God’s hidden power, would be made both a king and a priest, but by no earthly instrumentality. In the words, bear shall he the glory, there is no doubt an implied contrast between Joshua and Christ, the true priest. For Joshua, though he discharged in his time the office of a priest, was yet despised; but the Prophet bids his people to hope for more than what could have been conceived from the view of things at that time; for an illustrious priest was to come, full of royal dignity. And hence he adds, sit shall he and rule on his throne. This did not properly belong to the priesthood; but the Prophet affirms, that the man who was to come from above, would be a king, though he exercised the priestly office. He was then to be a priest, and yet to be on his throne and to rule as a king; and ruling is what belongs to a king and not to a priest. <\/p>\n

At length he concludes by saying, The counsel of peace shall be between the two. I do not think that the discords which had been between kings and priests are here indirectly reproved. I indeed allow that such discords had often been seen among that ancient people; but the Prophet had regard to something far different, even this — that the priesthood would be united with the kingly office. He therefore did not refer to different persons who were to be at peace together; but, on the contrary, spoke of things or of the two offices; there shall then be the counsel of peace between the two, that is, between the kingly office and the priesthood. (67) We hence learn that which I have already stated — that what is here promised had not been found under the law, and could not have been expected under it; and that the fulfillment of this prophecy is the renovation which took place at the coming of Christ. It follows — <\/p>\n

(67) There are especially two interpretations of this sentence; the one adopted by Calvin, and also by Jerome, Marckius, Drusiu s, Dathius, Scott, and Henderson; and the other is, that the “two” are Jehovah, and the Branch or Messiah, and that the “throne” mentioned is the throne of Jehovah. This is the interpretation of Vitringa, Cocceius, Henry, M‘Caul, and Adam Clarke. The objection of Dathius to the last view, that is, that Jehovah is the speaker, and therefore cannot be understood here as the third person is used, seems not to be valid, for the third person is used before in the words, “the temple of Jehovah.” But the first interpretation seems the most appropriate and significant — the concord and agreement between the two offers.— Ed. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(13) Even he<\/strong> . . . and he.<\/strong>The pronoun is most emphatic in both cases. It implies that He shall be the true builder, He the true ruler.<\/p>\n

And he shall be a priest upon his throne.<\/strong>This is the only natural translation of the words. The word priest cannot be here taken as prince (as in 2Sa. 8:8<\/span>), for the expression high priest (Zec. 6:11<\/span>) sufficiently limits its meaning. Nor can throne mean merely seat (as in 1Sa. 4:13<\/span>), because the regal<\/em> dignity of Branch must have been generally recognised from Jer. 23:5<\/span>, &c. LXX., , And there shall be a priest at his right hand, and a peaceful council shall be between them twain.<\/p>\n

Counsel of peace<\/strong>i.e.,<\/em> a counsel productive of peace. Peace denotes the perfection of all highest blessings, temporal and spiritual.<\/p>\n

Shall be between them both.<\/strong>The interpretations of this verse are variouswe will note the chief of them. Hitzig holds that the Messiah and an ideal priest are referred to in the clause counsel of peace shall be between them both. But we cannot see how the thought of some ideal priest and king, who would coincide in some unity of purpose, could have occurred to the minds of the prophets hearers. There would be, moreover, no special reason for speaking of unity as existing between a king and a priest; for, as a matter of history, the priests and kings were seldom at variance, though the prophets and kings were frequently so. Rosenmller considers that the offices<\/em> of priest and king are alluded to. But a counsel of peace could not be spoken of as existing between two abstracts. Keil takes the words as referring to the two characters<\/em> of ruler and priest combined in the person of the Messiah. But in this case the clause would be superfluous. Why should there not<\/em> be unity between two such characters combined in one such person? Koehler thinks that the reference is to the two offices of the Messiah, and that the prophecy speaks of a plan devised by the Messiah in His double character, whereby peace and salvation should be secured to His people. But this is in accord with the modes of thought of neither Old nor New Testament. Such an idea would have been incomprehensible to the prophets hearers; and in the New Testament any such unity of design for the salvation of mankind is spoken of as existing between the Father and the Messiah (not between two of the offices of the latter), e.g.,<\/em> Joh. 6:38<\/span>; Joh. 10:15-18<\/span>; Joh. 3:16-17<\/span>; Col. 1:19-20<\/span>). The expression between them both can only mean between two persons,<\/em> not between the two abstract ideas of royalty and priesthood. Nor can it mean between the king and the priest, for only one person is mentioned, who is himself a priest on a royal throne. The only two persons mentioned are Branch (the Prince of Peace: Isa. 9:6<\/span>) and the Lord Himself. It can, then, only mean between them. We must admit that the passage would have been easier of interpretation had it run, between him and the Lord. But when we, in the light of later revelation, consider the Divine nature of Branch, we can understand the fitness of the expression between them both, though to the prophets original hearers it must have sounded enigmatical.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.<\/p>\n

Ver. 13. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord<\/strong> ] The same again, for greater assurance; as Pharaoh’s dream was doubled. Or, Even he shall build it, that is, he shall both begin and finish it (it is the same word again, but in the future tense). Christ is called the author and finisher of our faith, Heb 12:2<\/span> . <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And he shall bear the glory<\/strong> ] Jesus shall, not thou, Joshua (in Greek Jesus), though now thou bear the crown. All thy glory is but figurative of his. Thus saith the Lord, Remove the diadem (or mitre), take off the crown: this shall not be the same. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him, that is, Christ, the king and priest of his Church. Particularly for his kingly office, he shall sit and rule upon his throne, as a sovereign Lord of all. And for his priestly office, <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He shall be a priest upon his throne likewise<\/strong> ] For the Church also hath her throne and jurisdiction, though distinct and severed from the civil.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And the counsel of peace shall be between them both<\/strong> ] i.e.<\/em> There shall be no clashing between these two offices in Christ; as there was sometimes between the kings and the priests of former ages, but they should, as it were, take sweet counsel together for the good of the Church; Christ having purchased all peace to his people by his priesthood, and maintaining and defending it by his kingdom.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zechariah<\/p>\n

THE PRIEST OF THE WORLD AND KING OF MEN<\/p>\n

Zec 6:13 <\/strong> .<\/p>\n

A handful of feeble exiles had come back from their Captivity. ‘The holy and beautiful house’ where their fathers praised Him was burned with fire. There was no king among them, but they still possessed a representative of the priesthood, the other great office of divine appointment. Their first care was to rear some poor copy of the Temple; and the usual difficulties that attend reconstruction of any sort, and dog every movement that rests upon religious enthusiasm, beset them -strong enemies, and half-hearted friends, and personal jealousies weakening still more their weak forces. In this time of anarchy, of toil at a great task with inadequate resources, of despondency that was rapidly fulfilling its own forebodings, the Prophet, who was the spring of the whole movement, receives a word in season from the Lord. He is bidden to take from some of the returned exiles the tribute-money which they had brought, and having made of it golden and silver crowns-the sign of kingship-to set them on the high priest’s head, thus uniting the sacerdotal and regal offices, which had always been jealously separated in Israel. This singular action is explained, by the words which he is commanded to speak, as being a symbolic prophecy of Him who is ‘the Branch’-the well-known name which older prophets had used for the Messiah-indicating that in Him were the reality which the priesthood shadowed, and the rule which was partly delegated to Israel’s king as well as the power which should rear the true temple of God among men.<\/p>\n

It is in accordance with the law of prophetic development from the beginning, that the external circumstances of the nation at the moment should supply the mould into which the promise is run. The earliest of all Messianic predictions embraced only the existence of evil, as represented by the serpent, and the conquest of it by one who was known but as a son of Eve. When the history reaches the patriarchal stage, wherein the family is the predominant conception, the prophecy proportionately advances to the assurance, ‘In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ When the mission of Moses had made the people familiar with the idea of a man who was the medium of revelation, then a further stage was reached-’a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me.’ The kingdom of David prepared the way for the prediction of the royal dignity of the Messiah, as the peaceful reign of Solomon for the expectation of one who should bring peace by righteousness. The approach of national disaster and sorrow was reflected in Isaiah’s vision of the suffering Messiah, and that prophet’s announcements of exile had for their counterpoise the proclamation of Him who should bring liberty to the captive. So, here, the kingless band of exiles, painfully striving to rear again the tabernacle which had fallen down, are heartened for their task by the thought of the priest-king of the nation, the builder of an imperishable dwelling-place for God.<\/p>\n

To-day we need these truths not less than Zechariah’s contemporaries did. And, thank God! we can believe that, for every modern perplexity, the blessed old words carry the same strength and consolation. If kings seem to have perished from among men, if authorities are dying out, and there are no names of power that can rally the world-yet there is a Sovereign. If old institutions are crumbling, and must still further decay ere the site for a noble structure be cleared, yet He shall build the Temple. If priest be on some lips a name of superstitious folly, and on others a synonym for all that is despised as effete in religion, yet this Priest abideth for ever, the guide and the hope for the history of humanity and for the individual spirit. Let us, then, put ourselves under the Prophet’s guidance, and consider the eternal truths which he preaches to us too.<\/p>\n

I. The true hope of the world is a priest.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> The idea of priesthood is universal. It has been distorted and abused; it has been made the foundation of spiritual tyranny. The priest has not been the teacher nor the elevator of the people. All over the world he has been the ally of oppression and darkness, he has hindered and cramped social and intellectual progress. And yet, in spite of all this, there the office stands, and wherever men go, by some strange perversity they take with them this idea, and choose from among themselves those who, being endowed with some sort of ceremonial and symbolic purity, shall discharge for their brethren the double office of representing them before God, of representing God to them. That is what the world means, with absolute and entire unanimity, by a priest-one who shall be sacrificer, intercessor, representative; bearer of man’s worship, channel of God’s blessing. How comes it, that, in spite of all the cruelties and lies that have gathered round the office, it lives, indestructible, among the families of men? Why, because it springs from, and corresponds to, real and universal wants in their nature. It is the result of the universal consciousness of sin. Men feel that there is a gulf betwixt them and God. They know themselves to be all foul. True, as their knowledge of God dims and darkens, their conscience hardens and their sense of sin lessens; but, as long as there is any notion of God at all, there will be a parallel and corresponding conviction of moral evil. And so, feeling that, and feeling it, as I believe, not because they are rude and barbarous, but because, though rude and barbarous, they still preserve some trace of their true relation to God, they lay hold upon some of their fellows, and say, ‘Here! be thou for us this thing which we cannot be for ourselves-stand thou there in front of us, and be at once the expression of our knowledge that we dare not come before our gods, and likewise, if it may be, the medium by which their gifts may come on us, unworthy.’<\/p>\n

That is a wide-spread and all but universally expressed instinct of human nature. Argue about it as you like, explain it away how you choose, charge the notions of priesthood and sacrifice with exaggeration, immorality, barbarism, if you will-still the thing remains. And I believe for my part that, so far from that want being one which will be left behind, with other rude and savage desires, as men advance in civilisation-it is as real and as permanent as the craving of the understanding for truth, and of the heart for love. When men lose it, it is because they are barbarised, not civilised, into forgetting it. On that rock all systems of religion and eminently all theories of Christianity, that leave out priest and sacrifice, will strike and split. The Gospel for the world must be one which will meet all the facts of man’s condition. Chief among these facts is this necessity of the conscience, as expressed by the forms in which for thousands of years the worship of mankind has been embodied all but everywhere-an altar, and a priest standing by its side.<\/p>\n

I need not pause to remind you how this Jewish people, who have at all events taught the world the purest Theism, and led men up to the most spiritual religion, had this same institution of a priesthood for the very centre of its worship. Nor need I dwell at length on the fact that the New Testament gives-in its full adhesion to the same idea. We are told that all these sacerdotal allusions in it are only putting pure spiritual truth in the guise of the existing stage of religious development-the husk, not the kernel. It seems to me much rather that the Old Testament ceremonial-Temple, priesthood, sacrifice-was established for this along with other purposes, to be a shadow of things to come. Christ’s office is not metaphorically illustrated by reference to the Jewish ritual; but the Jewish ritual is the metaphor, and Christ’s office the reality. He is the Priest.<\/p>\n

And what is the priest whom men crave?<\/p>\n

The first requisite is oneness with those whom he represents. Men have ever felt that one of themselves must fill this office, and have taken from among their brethren their medium of communication with God. And we have a Priest who, ‘in all things, is made like unto His brethren,’ having taken part of their flesh and blood, and being ‘in all points tempted like as we are.’ The next requisite is that these men, who minister at earth’s altars, should, by some lustration, or abstinence, or white robe, or other external sign, be separated from the profane crowd, and possess, at all events, a symbolic purity-expression of the conviction that a priest must be cleaner and closer to God than his fellows. And we have a Priest who is holy, harmless, undefiled, radiant in perfect purity, lustrous with the light of constant union with God.<\/p>\n

And again, as in nature and character, so in function, Christ corresponds to the widely expressed wants of men, as shown in their priesthoods. They sought for one who should offer gifts and sacrifices on their behalf, and we have One who is ‘a merciful and faithful High Priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.’ They sought for a man who should pass into the awful presence, and plead for them while they stood without, and we lift hopeful eyes of love to the heavens, ‘whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever.’ They sought for a man who should be the medium of divine blessings bestowed upon the worshippers, and we know who hath gone within the veil, having ascended up on high, that He might give gifts unto men.<\/p>\n

The world needs a priest. Its many attempts to find such show how deep is the sense of need, and what he must be who shall satisfy them. We have the Priest that the world and ourselves require. I believe that modern Englishmen, with the latest results of civilisation colouring their minds and moulding their characters, stand upon the very same level, so far as this matter is concerned, as the veriest savage in African wilds, who has darkened even the fragment of truth which he possesses, till it has become a lie and the parent of lies. You and I, and all our brethren, alike need a brother who shall be holy and close to God, who shall offer sacrifices for us, and bring God to us. For you and me, and all our brethren alike, the good news is true, ‘we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.’ That message quenches the fire on every other altar, and strips the mitre from every other head. It, and it alone, meets fully and for ever that strange craving, which, though it has been productive of so many miseries and so many errors, though it has led to grinding tyranny and dark superstitions, though it has never anywhere found what it longs for, remains deep in the soul, indestructible and hungry, till it is vindicated and enlightened and satisfied by the coming of the true Priest,’ made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.’<\/p>\n

II. Our text tells us, secondly, that ‘the priest of the world is the king of men.’ ‘He shall be a Priest upon His throne.’<\/p>\n

<\/strong> In Israel these two offices were jealously kept apart, and when one monarch, in a fit of overweening self-importance, tried to unite in his own person the kingly and the priestly functions, ‘the leprosy rose up in his forehead,’ even as he stood with the censer in his hand, and ‘Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death.’ And the history of the world is full of instances, in which the struggles of the temporal and spiritual power have caused calamities only less intolerable than those which flowed from that alliance of priests and kings which has so often made monarchy a grinding tyranny, and religion a mere instrument of statecraft. History being witness, it would seem to be a very doubtful blessing for the world that one man should wield both forms of control without check or limitation, and be at once king and priest. If the words before us refer to any one but to Christ, the prophet had an altogether mistaken notion about what would be good for men, politically and ecclesiastically, and we may be thankful that his dream has never come true. But if they point to the Son of David who has died for us, and declare that because He is Priest, He is therefore King-oh! then they are full of blessed truth concerning the basis and the nature and the purpose of His dominion, which may well make us lift up our heads and rejoice that in the midst of tyranny and anarchy, of sovereignties whose ultimate resort is force, there is another kingdom-the most absolute of despotisms and yet the most perfect democracy, whose law is love, whose subjects are every one the children of a King, the kingdom of that Priest-ruler on whose head is Aaron’s mitre, and more than David’s crown.<\/p>\n

He does rule. ‘The kingdom of Christ’ is no unreal fanciful phrase. Take the lowest ground. Who is it that, by the words He spoke, by the deeds He did, by the life He lived, has shaped the whole form of moral and religious thought and life in the civilised world? Is there One among the great of old, the dead yet sceptred sovereigns, who still rule our spirits from their urns, whose living power over thought and heart and deed among the dominant races of the earth is to be compared with His? And beyond that, we believe that, as the result of His mighty work on earth, the dominion of the whole creation is His, and He is King of kings, and Lord of lords, that His will is sovereign and His voice is absolute law, to which all the powers of nature, all the confusions of earth’s politics, all the unruly wills of men, all the pale kingdoms of the dead, and all the glorious companies of the heavens, do bow in real though it be sometimes unconscious and sometimes reluctant obedience.<\/p>\n

The foundation of His rule is His sacrifice; or in other words-no truer though a little more modern in their sound-men will do anything for Him who does that<\/em> for them. Men will yield their whole souls to the warmth and light that stream from the Cross, as the sunflower turns itself to the sun. He that can give an anodyne which is not an opiate, to my conscience-He that can appeal to my heart and will, and say, ‘I have given Myself for thee,’ will never speak in vain to those who accept His gift, when He says, ‘Now give thyself to Me.’<\/p>\n

Brethren! it is not the thinker who is the true king of men, as we sometimes hear it proudly said. We need One who will not only show but be the Truth; who will not only point, but open and be, the Way; who will not only communicate thought, but give, because He is, the Life. Not the rabbi’s pulpit, nor the teacher’s desk, still less the gilded chairs of earthly monarchs, least of all the tents of conquerors, are the throne of the true King. He rules from the Cross. The one dominion worth naming, that over men’s inmost spirits, springs from the one sacrifice which alone calms and quickens men’s inmost spirits. ‘Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ,’ for Thou art ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’<\/p>\n

His rule is wielded In gentleness. Priestly dominion has ever been fierce, suspicious, tyrannous. ‘His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.’ But the sway of this merciful and faithful High Priest is full of tenderness. His sceptre is not the warrior’s mace, nor the jewelled rod of gold, but the reed-emblem of the lowliness of His heart, and of authority guided by love. And all His rule is for the blessing of His subjects, and the end of it is that they may be made free by obedience, emancipated in and for service, crowned as kings by submission to the King of kings, consecrated as priests by their reliance on the only Priest over the house of God, whose loving will rests not until it has made all His people like Himself.<\/p>\n

Then, dear brethren! amid all the anarchic chaos of this day, when old institutions are crumbling or crashing into decay, when the whole civilised world seems slowly and painfully parting from its old moorings, and like some unwieldy raft, is creaking and straining at its chains as it feels the impulse of the swift current that is bearing it to an unknown sea, when venerable names cease to have power, when old truths are flouted as antiquated, and the new ones seem so long in making their appearance, when a perfect Babel of voices stuns us, and on every side are pretenders to the throne which they fancy vacant, let us joyfully welcome all change, and hopefully anticipate the future. Lifting our eyes from the world, let us fix them on the likeness of a throne above the firmament that is above the cherubs, and rejoice since there we behold ‘the likeness as the appearance of a man upon it.’ ‘Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee.’<\/p>\n

III. Our text still further reminds us that the Priest-King of men builds among men the Temple of God.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> The Prophet and his companions had become familiar in their captivity with the gigantic palaces and temples which Assyrian and Babylonian monarchs had a passion for rearing. They had learned to regard the king as equally magnified by his conquests and by his buildings. Zechariah foretells that the true King shall rear a temple more lasting than Solomon’s, more magnificent than those which towered on their marble-faced platforms over the Chaldean plain.<\/p>\n

Christ is Himself the true Temple of God. Whatsoever that shadowed Christ is or gives. In Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead. ‘The glory’ which once dwelt between the cherubim, ‘tabernacled among us’ in His flesh. As the place of sacrifice, as the place where men meet God, as the seat of revelation of the divine will, the true tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched is the Manhood of our Lord.<\/p>\n

Christ builds the temple. By faith, the individual soul becomes the abode of God, and into our desecrated spirits there comes the King of Glory. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temples of God?’ By faith, the whole body of believing men ‘are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.’<\/p>\n

Christ builds this temple because He is the Temple. By His incarnation and work, He makes our communion with God and God’s dwelling in us possible. By His death and sacrifice He draws men to Himself, and blends them in a living unity. By the gift of His Spirit and His life, He hallows their wills, and makes them partakers of His own likeness; so that ‘coming to Him, we also are built up a spiritual house.’<\/p>\n

Christ builds the temple, and uses us as His servants in the work. Our prophecy was given to encourage faint-hearted toilers, not to supply an excuse for indolence. Underlying all our poor labours, and blessing them all, is the power of Christ. We may well work diligently who work in the line of His purposes, after the pattern of His labours, in the strength of His power, under the watchfulness of His eye. The little band may be few and feeble; let them not be fearful, for He, the throned Priest, even He<\/em> , and not they with their inadequate resources, shall build the temple.<\/p>\n

Christ builds on through all the ages, and the prophecy of our text is yet unfulfilled. Its fulfilment is the meaning and end of all history. For the present, there has to be much destructive as well as constructive work done. Many a wretched hovel, the abode of sorrow and want, many a den of infamy, many a palace of pride, many a temple of idols, will have to be pulled down yet, and men’s eyes will be blinded by the dust, and their hearts will ache as they look at the ruins. Be it so. The finished structure will obliterate the remembrance of poor buildings that cumbered its site. This Emperor of ours may indeed say, that He found the city of brick and made it marble. Have patience if His work is slow; mourn not if it is destructive; doubt not, though the unfinished walls, and corridors that seem to lead nowhere, and all the confusion of unfinished toils puzzle you, when you try to make out the plan. See to it, my brother, that you lend a hand and help to rear the true temple, which is rising slowly through the ages, at which successive generations toil, and from whose unfinished glories they dying depart, but which shall be completed, because the true Builder ‘ever liveth,’ and is ‘a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’ Above all, brethren! take heed that you are yourselves builded in that temple. Travellers sometimes find in lonely quarries long abandoned or once worked by a vanished race, great blocks squared and dressed, that seem to have been meant for palace or shrine. But there they lie, neglected and forgotten, and the building for which they were hewn has been reared without them. Beware lest God’s grand temple should be built up without you, and you be left to desolation and decay. Trust your souls to Christ, and He will set you in the spiritual house which the King greater than Solomon is building still.<\/p>\n

In one of the mosques of Damascus, which has been a Christian church, and before that was a heathen temple, the portal bears, deep cut in Greek characters, the inscription, ‘Thy kingdom, O Christ, is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.’ The confident words seem contradicted by the twelve centuries of Mohammedanism on which they have looked down. But though their silent prophecy is unheeded and unheard by the worshippers below, it shall be proved true one day, and the crescent shall wane before the steady light of the Sun of Righteousness. The words are carven deep over the portals of the temple which Christ rears; and though men may not be able to read them, and may not believe them if they do, though for centuries traffickers have defiled its courts, and base-born usurpers have set up their petty thrones, yet the writing stands sure, a dumb witness against the transient lies, a patient prophet of the eternal truth. And when all false faiths, and their priests who have oppressed men and traduced God, have vanished; and when kings that have prostituted their great and godlike office to personal advancement and dynastic ambition are forgotten; and when every shrine reared for obscene and bloody rites, or for superficial and formal worship, has been cast to the ground, then from out of the confusion and desolation shall gleam the temple of God, which is the refuge of men, and on the one throne of the universe shall sit the Eternal Priest-our Brother, Jesus the Christ.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Even = Yea. Omitted in some codices; in which case, note the Figure of speech Anadiplosis (App-6). Note the emphatic pronouns (= He, even He, and none other), pointing to the Messiah, and typical character of the whole proceeding, viz. exiles bringing their gifts to restore Jehovah’s house. Their crowns were to be kept as a token of this future hope. Compare Zec 6:14. <\/p>\n

shall build. Compare verses: Zec 6:12, Zec 6:13 (“T”) with Zec 6:15 (“T”), above. <\/p>\n

shall bear, &c.: i.e. the glory and majesty of royalty. Compare Mat 16:27; Mat 24:30; Mat 25:31. <\/p>\n

be = become. <\/p>\n

both: i.e. two offices, priest and king, will be combined in one person, Messiah. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

bear: Psa 21:5, Psa 45:3, Psa 45:4, Psa 72:17-19, Isa 9:6, Isa 11:10, Isa 22:24, Isa 49:5, Isa 49:6, Jer 23:6, Dan 7:13, Dan 7:14, Joh 13:31, Joh 13:32, Joh 17:1-5, Eph 1:20-23, Phi 2:7-11, Heb 2:7-9, 1Pe 3:22, Rev 3:21, Rev 5:9-13, Rev 19:11-16 <\/p>\n

a priest: Zec 6:11, Gen 14:18, Psa 110:4, Heb 3:1, Heb 4:14-16, Heb 6:20, Heb 7:1, Heb 7:24, Heb 7:25-28, Heb 10:12, Heb 10:13 <\/p>\n

and the: Zec 4:14, Psa 85:9-11, Isa 54:10, Dan 9:25-27, Mic 5:4, Act 10:36-43, Rom 5:1, Eph 2:13-18, Col 1:2, Col 1:18-20, Heb 7:1-3 <\/p>\n

Reciprocal: Exo 28:12 – the shoulders Exo 28:30 – bear the judgment Num 11:14 – General Deu 18:18 – like unto 2Sa 7:13 – He shall 1Ki 5:5 – as the Lord 1Ki 6:1 – build 1Ki 6:38 – finished 1Ch 17:12 – He shall 1Ch 22:10 – He shall build 1Ch 28:6 – he shall Pro 12:20 – but Isa 28:5 – shall the Jer 23:5 – Branch Jer 30:21 – and I Jer 33:15 – the Branch Eze 1:26 – the likeness of a Eze 17:22 – highest Eze 21:27 – until Eze 34:25 – I will make Eze 37:25 – and my Eze 41:1 – to the temple Eze 44:3 – the prince Zec 4:9 – his hands Mat 16:18 – I will Mat 21:5 – thy King Luk 2:14 – and Joh 1:49 – the King Joh 14:27 – Peace I leave Act 5:24 – this Act 7:47 – General 1Co 3:9 – ye are God’s building Eph 1:11 – the counsel Eph 2:14 – our 2Th 3:16 – the Lord of Heb 3:3 – who<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zec 6:13. Priest upon his throne. Christ was to unite in himseif the two offices of priest and king. That was never permitted in the Mosaic system; the two were not even from the same tribe. The kings were from the tribe of Judah and the priests were from the tribe of Levi. In 2Ch 26:16 is an account of a king who tried to assume the office of priest but got into serious trouble with the Lord over it. Not only was Christ lo be both king and priest, but his followers are said to be, likewise. (See 1Co 4:8; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 5:10 Rev 19:16.) However, we should understand that Christians rank second in these positions compared with Christ. Counsel of peace shall be between them both. The first word is defined by advice and plan” in the lexicon, and it has been rendered “purpose in the A.V. The thought is that the two functions will cooperate in complete harmony.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Zec 6:13. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord Here we have a sentence omitted by the LXX., Syriac, Arabic, and one MS., and which Archbishop Newcome proposes to expunge, as being only a different reading of the foregoing clause. But, in arrest of judgment, says Dr. Blayney, I would beg leave to plead, that, in my opinion, the clause is not superfluous, but highly emphatic, implying that EVEN HE, the self-same person, who should build the temple of Jehovah, , EVEN HE, should have the honour of governing and presiding in it, as both king and priest, in both capacities advancing the peace and prosperity of his people. Or, perhaps, the prediction is repeated, chiefly in order to confirm the Jews in the assured expectation of what is promised. And he shall bear the glory The glory of the priesthood and royalty had been divided between the house of Aaron and that of David: but now, he alone shall bear the glory of both. Glory, in general, is a burden, and this double glory would be a double burden; but not too heavy for him to bear who upholdeth all things. He bore the cross, which was his glory, and he bears the crown, an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. They shall hang on him all the glory of his Fathers house, &c., Isa 22:24. He shall bear such glory that the glory of the latter house shall be greater than that of the former. Thus he shall raise, or lift up (Hebrew, ) the glory. The glory of Israel hath been thrown down and depressed, but he shall raise it out of the dust. And shall sit and rule upon his throne He shall have a throne: the government shall be on his shoulders; which denotes both dignity and dominion, exalted honour and extensive power: he hath a name above every name; all power is his in heaven and on earth. And this throne is his: by birth-right; by donation of his Father; by purchase; by conquest: it is his most undoubted right. And its being said that he shall sit and rule upon his throne, signifies at once his royal magnificence, the perpetuity thereof, and the ease with which he shall rule, namely, the world, by his providence, judging and punishing, or sparing and pardoning nations, families, or individuals; or the church, and all the members of it, by his word, especially his laws, his Spirit, and the exercise of discipline. Observe well, reader, Christ, who is ordained to offer sacrifice for us, is authorized to give law to us. He will not save us, unless we be willing he should govern us, Heb 5:9. God has prepared him a throne in the heavens, and if we would have any benefit by that, we must prepare him one in our hearts, and be willing and glad that he should sit and rule there, and to him must every thought be brought into subjection. And he shall be a priest upon his throne With the majesty and power of a king, he has the tenderness and sympathy of a priest, who, being taken from among men, is ordained for men, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for men; who can have compassion on the ignorant, &c., Heb 5:1-2. In all the acts of his government as a king, he prosecutes his intentions as a priest. Let not those, then, that believe in, and are subject to him, look on his throne, though a throne of glory and of judgment, with terror and amazement. For as there is a rainbow round about the throne, so there is a priest upon the throne. And his office as a priest is no diminution to his dignity as a king. But his dignity as a king gives efficacy to his intercessions and services as a priest. The counsel of peace shall be between them both Between Jehovah on the one hand, and the man, whose name is the Branch, on the other. That is, the counsel concerning the peace to be made between God and man, by the mediation of the Messiah, shall be, or rather, shall appear to have been, concerted by infinite wisdom, in the covenant of redemption; and that the Father and the Son understood each other perfectly in that matter. So some interpret the words. But it seems more probable that the kingly and priestly offices of Christ are here referred to, and that the meaning is, that the peace made for Gods people shall rest on these two offices; that Christ, by his priestly office, should make peace for them with God, and by his kingly office should deliver them from their spiritual enemies: that by the former he should expiate sin, and by the latter extirpate it; that as a priest he should make, and as a king maintain peace.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the {q} glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between {r} them both.<\/p>\n

(q) Of which Joshua had but a shadow.<\/p>\n

(r) The two offices of the kingdom and priesthood, will be joined together in such a way, that they will no longer be separated.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Indeed He (emphatic in the Hebrew text) would build the Lord’s temple. The Lord repeated this assurance for emphasis. The Branch would bear the honor of royal majesty (cf. Dan 11:21; 1Ch 29:25), sit enthroned-Israel’s priests never sat while ministering-and rule on David’s throne (cf. 2Sa 7:16; Isa 9:7; Luk 1:32). He would be a priest ruling as a king, and peace (Heb. shalom<\/span>) would mark his dual offices.<\/p>\n

Along with Psalms 110, this verse is one of the clearest statements in the Old Testament that the coming Davidic king would also be a priest (cf. Heb 5:1-10; Heb 7:1-25). Chisholm favored the view that Zechariah’s audience would have understood that "the Davidic ruler, though not a priest as such, will enjoy the full support of the priesthood." [Note: Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," p. 425.] <\/span><\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 13. Even he shall build ] The repetition of these words from the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 6:13”<\/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-22971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22971","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=22971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22971\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}