16<\/strong>. cut off<\/em> ] i.e. destroyed<\/em>, or lost<\/em>. See Zec 11:9<\/span>, and comp. Exo 23:23<\/span>. “Pastores seduli requirunt siquid est perditum, vel siquid evanuit in grege: et hoc intelligit Zacharias per visitationem.” Calvin.<\/p>\n the young one<\/em> ] Rather, the scattered,<\/strong> lit. the dispersion<\/em>, , LXX. dispersum<\/em>, Jerome.<\/p>\n feed that that standeth still<\/em> ] Rather, nourish that that standeth (firm).<\/strong> . LXX. that which is sound<\/em>, R. V. Pusey compares the petition in the Litany, “that it may please Thee to strengthen such as do stand.” Another view is that they that stand, are the sheep which stand still, unable through weakness and weariness to go forward. But the word seems always to be used of standing firmly, not of coming to a stand-still through infirmity.<\/p>\n claws<\/em> ] Rather, hoofs.<\/strong> Like a voracious man, who not content with eating the flesh of the fat, tears to pieces and sucks the goodness out of the very hoofs. “Videtur diffringere ungulas<\/em> esse hominis voracis, ipsas ungulas frangentis et exsudentis.” Maurer. For a like picture both of neglect of duty and of cruelty in a shepherd see Eze 34:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n I will raise up – <\/B>God supplies the strength or wisdom which people abuse to sin. He, in His Providence, disposeth the circumstances, of which the ambitious avail themselves. antichrist, whom the Jews look for, will be as much an instrument of God for the perfecting the elect, as the Chaldees Hab 1:6<\/span> or the Assyrians Amo 6:14<\/span> whom God raised up, for the chastisement of His former people, or the Medes against Babylon Isa 13:17<\/span>.<\/P> Which shall not visit them that be cut off – <\/B>Zechariah uses the imagery, yet not the exact words of Jeremiah Jer 23:1-2<\/span> and Ezekiel Eze 34:3-4<\/span>. Neglect of every duty of a shepherd to his flock, to the sick, the broken, the sound; direct injury of them, preying upon them, make up the picture.<\/P> Which shall not visit – <\/B>Or tend, that which is cut off: fulfilling Gods judgment, that which is to be cut off let it be cut off Zec 11:9<\/span>.<\/P> Neither shall seek the young one – <\/B>Better, the scattered , dispersed, as the Good Shepherd came to seek and to save that which was lost Luk 19:10<\/span>; Mat 18:11<\/span>. Nor heal that which is broken; bound not, Ezekiel says Eze 34:4<\/span>. : The broken legs of sheep are healed no otherwise than those of people; rolled in wool impregnated with oil and wine, and then bound up with splinters placed round about it.<\/P> Nor feed that which standeth still – <\/B>Better, the whole Yet Jonathan renders as English), as the word always means, in its good estate, like our prayer, that Thou wouldest strengthen those who do stand.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 16<\/span>. I will raise up a shepherd in the land<\/B><\/I>] Some wicked king; and Newcome<\/I> supposes Hoshea<\/I> may be meant. See 2Kg 17:1-2<\/span>, and to such an abominable sovereign the prophecy may well apply.<\/P> <\/p>\n I will raise up a shepherd; <\/B>as a just punishment of their sin in refusing Christ, the wise and good Shepherd; his government they would not accept to their salvation, that they choose shall be to their ruin. <\/P> Which shall not visit those that be cut off, <\/B>or, that are hidden; it is a foolish shepherd who seeks not out those that are lost to bring them home. <\/P> Neither shall seek the young one; <\/B>which are aptest to perish through weakness. <\/P> Nor heal that that is broken; <\/B>but leaves it to die of its wounds. <\/P> Nor feed that that standeth still; <\/B>either not able to go forward, or, hungry, stops to eat, but the shepherd will not wait while this is done. <\/P> But he shall eat the flesh of the fat, <\/B>will feast on the fattest of the flock and tear their claws in pieces; and with cruelty extort all from them, tear off their skin to the very nails. In brief, a sluggish, negligent, covetous, riotous, oppressive, and cruel government, shadowed out by a foolish shepherd, is the punishment of the sins of the Jews. <\/P> <\/p>\n 16. in the land<\/B>Antichristwill probably he a Jew, or at least one in Judea. <\/P> not visit . . . neither . . .seek . . . heal . . . broken, nor feed . . . but . . . eat . . .flesh . . . tear<\/B>Compare similar language as to the unfaithfulshepherds of Israel in Eze34:2-4<\/span>. This implies, they shall be paid in kind. Such a shepherdin the worst type shall “tear” them for a limited time. <\/P> those . . . cut off<\/B>“thoseperishing” [Septuagint<\/I>], that is, those sick unto death,as if already cut off. <\/P> the young<\/B>The Hebrew<\/I>is always used of human youths, who are really referred to under theimage of the young of the flock. Ancient expositors [ChaldeeVersion,<\/I> JEROME, c.]translate, “the straying,<\/I>” “the dispersed”so GESENIUS. <\/P> broken<\/B>the wounded. <\/P> standeth still<\/B>withfaintness lagging behind. <\/P> tear . . . claws<\/B>expressingcruel voracity; tearing off the very hoofs (compare Ex10:26<\/span>), giving them excruciating pain, and disabling them fromgoing in quest of pasture.<\/P><\/p>\n For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land<\/strong>,…. Not in the land of Judea, but in the Roman empire; and so not Herod, nor King Agrippa, as Kimchi; nor Antiochus Epiphanes, as others; nor those wicked priests and princes, who governed after the times of Zechariah; nor the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s times, though they are often called fools by him, and were truly foolish shepherds; nor even Titus Vespasian, who destroyed the city and temple; nor Bar Cozba, who set up for the Messiah, and was a false one; or any other of that sort. Calmet s thinks this designs the Roman emperors, successors of Tiberius, under whom Jesus Christ was crucified. Caligula succeeded Tiberius. Claudius Caligula, and Nero succeeded Claudius: everyone knows (adds he) the characters of those princes, that they were truly foolish shepherds, mad, wicked, and cruel: but rather it intends shepherd, or shepherds, not in a civil, but in an ecclesiastic sense; all such after Christ, who took upon them this office, but did not perform it aright, as heretics, false teachers, with which the first ages abounded; and especially it points at the bishop of Rome, and all under him, when he fell off from the true doctrine and discipline of the Gospel, the man of sin, or antichrist, as Jerom rightly observes; who, though his coming is according to the working of Satan, yet may be said to be raised up by the Lord, because he suffered him to rise; and by his secret providence, and wise ordination in righteous judgment, he came to the height of his power: with him agrees the name of a “shepherd”; he calls himself the vicar of Christ, the chief shepherd and bishop of souls; Peter’s successor, who was ordered to feed the sheep and lambs of Christ; and universal pastor, and a single one, that will not admit of any associate. The character of a “foolish” one belongs to him, though he would be thought to be wise; nor is he wanting in wicked craft and cunning, but ignorant of the pastoral office, and how to feed the church of God; and is a wicked or evil shepherd, as the word t used is pretty much the same in sound with our English word “evil”: he governing the flock, not with and according to the word of God, but according to his own will and laws; for his “instruments” are laws of his own making, an exercise of tyrannical power over kings and princes, unwritten traditions, pardons, indulgences, c.:<\/p>\n [which] shall not visit those that be cut off<\/strong> not that cut off themselves, or are cut off by the church; but such that go astray, wander from the fold, and are in danger of being lost; , that are perishing, as Jarchi explains the word; these he looks not after, nor has he any regard to their spiritual and eternal welfare:<\/p>\n neither shall seek the young one<\/strong>; the lamb, the tender of the flock; he will not do as the good shepherd does, carry the lambs in his arms, Isa 40:11<\/span> or, “that which wanders” u; that strays from the fold, and out of the pastures, or the right way:<\/p>\n nor heal that that is broken<\/strong>; that is of a broken and of a contrite spirit; or whose bones are broken, and consciences wounded, through falls into sin:<\/p>\n nor feed that that standeth still<\/strong>; that can not move from its place to get fresh pasture, but is obliged to stay where it is, and needs supply and support there:<\/p>\n but he shall eat the flesh of the fat<\/strong>; that is, as the Targum well explains it,<\/p>\n “shall spoil the substance of the rich;”<\/p>\n see Re 18:3<\/span>:<\/p>\n and tear their claws in pieces<\/strong>; take all their power and privileges from them; all which well agrees with the pope of Rome.<\/p>\n s Dictionary, in the word “Shepherds.” t . u “errantem”, Noldius; “quod prae ruditate evagatur”, Cocceius.<\/p>\n Behold, he says, I will set a shepherd in the land. God had now, as we have said, renounced the office of a shepherd; but he afterwards set over them wolves, and thieves, and robbers, instead of shepherds, that is, when he executed his dreadful judgment on the Jews: and he shows at the same time what sort of shepherds they would be who in future should possess power over them. <\/p>\n They were to be such as would not look after what had been cut off. Some consider the word הנכחדות, enecachedut, as signifying the sick sheep; but they are in my judgment mistaken; for careful shepherds seek what is lost, or what has disappeared from the flock; and this is what Zechariah means, for he says, he will not visit, that is, he will look after what has been cut off from the flock. Then he says, he will not seek הנער, enor, the young. Some explain this of fat lambs; but others more correctly of those which are tender, not as yet accustomed to follow the shepherd; for sheep by long use keep from going astray, but lambs are more apt to wander from the flock, and are easily scattered here and there. This is the reason why Zechariah makes it one of the duties of a good shepherd to seek what is yet young. He adds in the third place, the sick, What is wounded, he says, he will not heal: and lastly, he will not feed what stands, that is, what is sound. The word literally is, to stand; but it means full vigor or strength. What then is vigorous and sound he will not feed. He then says, The flesh, of the fat he will devour, yea, he will break their hoofs. By these words he amplifies the cruelty of the shepherd; for he will not be satisfied with the fat flesh, without breaking also the bones and the hoofs, as though his barbarity would exceed that of wolves and wild beasts. <\/p>\n We now then see the import of this prophecy: and it seems to have been added, that the Jews might not flatter themselves with an external and evanescent form of government, after having departed from God, and after the covenant which he had made with that nation, having been also renounced by him, so that he should be no longer their Father, or Guardian, or Shepherd. Hypocrites, we know, do not easily put off their obstinacy; though God’s vengeance should be manifest, yet we see how they harden themselves, especially when they can cover their wickedness under some false pretense, a striking example of which we observe among the Papists. We now then perceive the design of the Holy Spirit, when the Prophet is bid to assume the character, and take the implements, of a foolish shepherd. <\/p>\n If any one objects, and says that this was not suitable to a true Prophet of God, the answer is plain — the Prophet deviated not from the right course of his calling, though he assumed the character of a foolish shepherd, an instance of which we have already seen in Hosea, who was commanded to take a harlot, and to beget spurious children from one who had been infamous in her character. (Hos 1:2<\/span>.) As this was a vision presented to Hosea, it does not follow that he did anything disgraceful, so as to prevent him from exercising the office of a holy teacher. So also now, God simply shows to us what would be the fixture condition of that reprobate people. <\/p>\n It must further be noticed, that when anything of a right and good government remains in the external form, there is no reason to conclude from this that God is the ruler, for, as we have already said, it is a ridiculous and senseless glorying when men are inflated and take pride in mere titles or names of distinction. Let us then take heed, that those who bear rule be rightly called by God, and let them afterwards discharge their office faithfully, otherwise they may be a hundred times called pastors, after having attained this degree of honor, and be after all no better than wolves and robbers; for no one is a true pastor whom the Lord does not rule by his Spirit, and who is not his minister, and no ungodly pastors, however they may assume the title, can be called the ministers of God, when he has already, as we see here, forsaken the people. <\/p>\n It must at the same time be observed, that it happens not except through the just judgment of God, that things grow worse and worse, and at length become wholly degenerated; and those who loudly boast and seek to be esteemed by all as pastors, are altogether senseless, for God has not appointed them, and the whole filth of the Papal clergy is at this day a manifest evidence of God’s wrath and indignation, for he thus justly punishes the contempt of his word, and that perverseness by which the world thus awfully provoked him. Though God has been graciously calling the whole world to himself, we yet see how his favor has been rejected, and we also see how almost all have gone on in their obstinacy. God had indeed in his great goodness borne for some ages with this great wickedness, and when he began to punish the ungrateful, he did not break out to extreme vengeance, for he added to scourges heavier scourges, but at length he was constrained to make his wrath to flow like a deluge. Hence has arisen that dreadful confusion which is seen under the Papacy; and this is what the words of the Prophet mean when God declares here that foolish pastors would be set up by his command and through his power, as he would thus execute his judgment on the ungodly. <\/p>\n Now as the Prophet enumerates here those things which are inconsistent with the duty of a good shepherd, we may hence learn, on the other hand, what it is to rule the Church rightly and according to God’s will, and also what are the attributes or marks of a good pastor. Whosoever then would be owned as a good pastor in the Church, must visit those who have been cut off, seek the young, strive to heal the wounded, and feed well the sound and the vigorous; and he must also abstain from every kind of cruelty, and he must not be given to the indulgence of his appetite, nor regard gain, nor exercise any tyranny. Whosoever will thus conduct himself, will prove that he is really a true pastor. But what can be more preposterous than for those to be called pastors who have no flock under their care? who plunder, and gather, and accumulate what they afterward spend in dissipation? <\/p>\n As then it is quite evident, that all those under the Papacy who are called bishops, seek the office for no other end but that they may live sumptuously, without any care or labor, and indulge in pleasures, and also spend in the gratification of their lust what is unjustly got, — as then they are known to be idlers and cruel tyrants, such as the Prophet here describes, do we not clearly see how childishly they boast of their hierarchy, and at the same time declare that they derive their origin from the Apostles? For what sort of successor to Peter or to Paul, is he who exercises the most barbarous tyranny, and who thinks himself not bound to take care of the flock? We then see that there is at this day under the Papacy a striking representation of what the Prophet says here; there is a certain form of government, but God is wholly separated from such a mask or phantom. But we must also bear in mind, that the world suffers merited punishment on account of its ingratitude, when it is thus cruelly and shamefully treated; for it is but just that they who will not bear the easy yoke of Christ, should be made subject to the power of the Devil, and be trodden under foot and disgracefully oppressed by tyrants. This is God’s righteous judgment. The Church, we know, would not have been turned upside down had not the greater part rejected the doctrine of salvation, and shaken off all religion; hence God is in a manner constrained by so great and by such unbridled wantonness to renounce his office of a shepherd. It then follows — <\/p>\n (16) The young one.<\/strong>Better, the scattered.<\/em> The foolish shepherd we understand to mean all the misrulers of Israel from the time of the decline of the glories of the Maccabean period to the day when they themselves declared We have no king but Csar. With the latter part of the verse comp. Dan. 7:7<\/span>; Dan. 7:19<\/span>; Dan. 7:23<\/span>, and contrast it with Eze. 34:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n Zec 11:16<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>For, lo,which shall not visit, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> For lo,who will not look after those that are perishing, nor seek the wandering one, nor heal the broken, nor carry the restive or the weary; but will eat the flesh of the fat one, and pluck off their hoofs. <\/em>The unwise and wicked shepherd, instead of being tender and gentle with his flock, is supposed to drag them about with his iron crook, or to overdrive them in rough and stony ground, so as to break their hoofs. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS.<\/strong>1st, The destruction of the Jewish temple and nation is here foretold. <\/p>\n 1. They are devoted to ruin. Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may<\/em> devour thy cedars; <\/em>which may be understood of the temple; in building which, much cedar of Lebanon was employed; or of the gates of Jerusalem, both of them being forced open, and burnt by the Roman soldiers. The fir-tree <\/em>and the cedar, the mighty <\/em>men of war, the princes and rulers, are doomed to fall, and given up to the spoil; and this, being determined of God, is spoken of as already done. The oaks of Bashan,<\/em> the mightiest, are now hewn down; and the forest of the vintage, <\/em>or the fortified forest, <\/em>Jerusalem, strong and filled with inhabitants, is destroyed; their glory is spoiled, <\/em>their treasures plundered; the pride of Jordan is spoiled, <\/em>the whole land of Judaea wasted; at which the lions, who infested the banks of this river, roar; the emblems of the princes and judges who oppressed and harassed the poor people. <\/p>\n 2. This will make a howling among the shepherds, <\/em>the great men of the nation, who will with bitterest grief behold these desolations, and be themselves terribly involved in them. They who roared over their prey, and were the terrors of others, have now in just judgment these terrors turned upon themselves. Note; <\/em>In a day of recompence, wicked and careless shepherds, whether ministers or civil rulers, will meet the heaviest doom. <\/p>\n 2nd, The people of the Jews are called the flock of the slaughter, <\/em>as being so severely treated by their shepherds, or as devoted to the sword. The prophet, as the type or representative of Christ, is commanded to feed them, ministering his Gospel to them, that the penitent poor among them might be fed with the word of God, whilst others ripened for destruction. We have, <\/p>\n 1. An account of their miserable condition. Their possessors, <\/em>who, as good shepherds, civil or religious, should have taken all care of them, slay them; <\/em>their priests, scribes, and Pharisees, by false doctrines destroyed their souls; and hold themselves not guilty, <\/em>blinded by pride in their errors; and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich, <\/em>making long prayers, though laden with the spoils of widows’ houses, and valuing themselves on their external piety and goodness, when their burnt-offerings were robbery, and their hearts abominable; shewing no pity towards the souls of the people. And sad is that church’s case, where such careless, selfish covetous pastors rule. <\/p>\n 2. For this, God gives them up to destruction. I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, <\/em>who were involved in the general guilt, and doomed to sink in one promiscuous ruin: their own intestine divisions will pave the way, and the Roman emperor, the king whom they chose, Joh 19:15<\/span> shall complete their desolations. <\/p>\n 3. Before their judgment comes, Christ undertakes to feed the flock of slaughter, the poor of the flock, <\/em>the faithful among them, chiefly poor people, who were made partakers of the Saviour’s grace, and all the blessings of his Gospel; while the rulers and great men in general rejected the counsel of the Lord against their own souls, and thereby filled up the measure of their iniquities. To execute his pastoral office, the great Shepherd takes two slaves, the one he calls Beauty, <\/em>the other Bands; <\/em>concerning the meaning of which there is great diversity of opinions. But see the critical notes. Three shepherds also <\/em>he cut off in one month; <\/em>which may refer to the punishment of the wicked shepherds in general; or to the princes, priests, and prophets; or the three sects of Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians; or perhaps it may relate to some singular judgment on three notorious offenders, of whom we have no record remaining. <\/p>\n 4. For their obstinacy and impenitence the Jews in general are rejected. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me; <\/em>they could not bear his high pretensions as the Messiah, nor endure his sharp rebukes: and while the sinner persists in his enmity against God, he must be an abomination in his sight. Then said I, I will not feed you; <\/em>will take no more care of them, nor continue his Gospel any longer among them: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is cut off, let it be cut off: <\/em>he devotes them to the ruin which they have provoked, and consigns them over to the pestilence and the sword: and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another, <\/em>through the severity of famine, or the ran-cour of their mutual animosities. And <\/em>in token of this utter rejection of them, I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, <\/em>to signify the ceasing of his pastoral office, and his abandoning them to destruction, the peculiar national covenant <\/em>being henceforth broken <\/em>and abolished; and it was broken in that day, <\/em>when Christ rejected them, (see Mat 21:43<\/span>.) or when he died; and this was evident when shortly after Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed: and the poor of the flock that waited upon me, <\/em>the disciples of Christ, who attended his ministry, and were generally of the poorer sort, the kingdom of God being chiefly composed of such, knew that it was the word of the Lord, <\/em>it being mixed with faith <\/em>in their hearts, and they fully satisfied that every tittle would come to pass as Jesus had spoken. <\/p>\n 5. We have a particular instance of their contempt of Christ. I said unto them, Give me my price; and if not, forbear; <\/em>discharge me, if you like not my service; or if you think me worth nothing, pay me nothing. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver, <\/em>the price of a servant, Exo 21:32<\/span> a goodly price, <\/em>saith he ironically, that I was prized at of them: <\/em>with disdain, therefore, he calls it to the potter, in the house of the Lord. <\/em>To what this refers we cannot be at a loss to discover; (see Mat 27:9-10<\/span>.) this being the price for which Judas sold his master; and with this sum, which in remorse the traitor had cast down in the temple, the chief priests bought the potter’s field, a waste ground where clay had been dug, to bury strangers in. <\/p>\n 6. Their whole civil state and polity are hereupon dissolved. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel, <\/em>a spirit of dissension being sowed among them, which hastened their destruction; and when destroyed by the Romans, they were separated and dispersed as captives into all lands. Thus, when ungodliness abounds, the bonds of civil society are loosed, and such a wicked people hasten their own dissolution. <\/p>\n 3rdly, Having rejected the good Shepherd Christ Jesus, the Jewish people are given up to wicked and foolish shepherds, whom the prophet is here commanded to personate, such as were the scribes and Pharisees, who deceived and deluded the people with false expositions and vain hopes, preying upon them instead of feeding them; and, far from seeking to save that which was lost, or healing the wounded, they neglected their charge, or made their proselytes sevenfold more the children of hell than they were before; for which, heavy curses are denounced upon them: and the character and woes belong to others besides them, who in the Christian church, pretending to feed the flock of the Lord, in reality betray and destroy them. We may read, 2. The curse is sure and heavy upon him. His arm shall be dried up, and his right eye darkened; <\/em>judicial blindness shall seal him up under wrath; his power to oppress the flock shall be destroyed, and the sword <\/em>of wrath overtake him. Woe therefore to the idol shepherd!<\/em> <\/p>\n Zec 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, [which] shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.<\/p>\n Ver. 16. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land<\/strong> ] Evil shepherds (that is, rulers in State and Church, see Jer 6:3 Nah 3:18<\/span> Isa 44:28 ) are set up by God for a punishment of a sinful people. See Trapp on “<\/em> Zec 11:15 “<\/em> The evil shepherd here meant was Antiochus Epiphanes, saith Theodoret; Herod, the infanticide, saith Montanus; Titus and the Romans, saith a Castro; all the perverse priests and princes that ruled over the Jews, after the time of this prophecy, saith a Lapide; as Jason, Menelaus, 2Ma 4:1-50 ; 2Ma 5:1-27 , Herod, Pilate, Annas and Caiaphas, the Scribes and Pharisees; but especially antichrist (according to Joh 5:43 ), whose forerunners all the former were. Of one Pope it is said, by those of his own side, that he entered upon the government of the Church as a fox, reigned as a wolf, died as a dog; and it is true enough of all the rest, and to them the following words do most fitly agree. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Who shall not visit those that be cut off<\/strong> ] Or, look for the thing that is lost. Illos qui erraverunt, non quaerent,<\/em> saith the ChaIdee: the word signifieth such as are hidden in thickets, hung among thorns and briers, and there likely to perish without help. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Neither shall seek the young one<\/strong> ] The tender lambs of Christ, which Peter was doubly charged to feed. Stolidam non requiret,<\/em> saith the Tigurine translation. Lambs are silly things, very apt to straggle; and least able of any creature to find their way home again. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nor heal that that is broken<\/strong> ] David, by leaping over the pale, as it were, of God’s precepts, brake his bones, Psa 51:8<\/span> , and felt the fall the longest day of his life; so may any of Christ’s flock. The good Shepherd, therefore, in pera gestat unguentum,<\/em> hath his medicines ready in scrip, to apply as need requireth. Not so the idol shepherd, who will rather break the sound than bind up the broken. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nor feed that that standeth still<\/strong> ] Or, that is well underlaid, and is full of vigour. Vatablus rendereth it, Eam quae restitat, non portabit.<\/em> He will not carry that which can go no further. Hitherto the negligence of these evil shepherds. Followeth next their cruelty, and that is more than bestial. For the ravening beasts lightly leave some foot or bone undevoured, Amo 3:12<\/span> ; but these do not only eat the flesh of the flock, and suck the fat, but barbarously tear the claws also in pieces, exercise utmost immunity; as it is here graphically and gallantly described.<\/p>\n lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6, This Looks forward to the Antichrist; for one of his titles is “the idol shepherd “of Zec 11:17. <\/p>\n those that be cut off = the perishing. <\/p>\n the young one = the straying. <\/p>\n that that is broken = the wounded. <\/p>\n feed = nourish. <\/p>\n that standeth still = the weak. <\/p>\n which: Jer 23:2, Jer 23:22, Eze 34:2-6, Eze 34:16, Mat 23:2-4, Mat 23:13-29, Luk 12:45, Luk 12:46, Joh 10:12, Joh 10:13 <\/p>\n cut off: or, hidden <\/p>\n neither: Gen 33:13, 1Sa 17:34, 1Sa 17:35, Isa 40:11 <\/p>\n feed: or, bear <\/p>\n but: Gen 31:38, Eze 34:10, Eze 34:21, Joh 10:1 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Jer 13:20 – where Eze 34:3 – eat Eze 34:4 – diseased Dan 11:6 – retain Mat 9:36 – as Joh 10:8 – came Rom 14:1 – weak Rev 3:2 – watchful<\/p>\n Zec 11:16. The terms of this verse are those that would describe the treatment of an unfaithful shepherd by his displeased master. The meaning is a prediction that Christ would not seek to restore Judaism, but would con-demn the corrupt Jewish leaders. Matthew 23 gives an extended treatment of this attitude of Christ toward them.<\/p>\n Zec 11:16. For lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land A shepherd, in the singular number, denotes a succession of such shepherds as are described in the following words. So a succession of priests is represented under the single person of Levi, Mal 2:5-6. Since the Jews had rejected the true Shepherd, God threatens to send, or permit to arise, among them, such shepherds to rule or teach them as should be notorious for their negligence and avarice, their cruelty and oppression. This may be understood either of the blind guides of whom Christ speaks, and whose character he describes at large, Mat 23:13-33; namely, the scribes and Pharisees, the priests and doctors of their law; or of the avaricious, tyrannical, and unmerciful princes, that should rule them with rigour, and make their own land as much a place of bondage to them as ever Egypt or Babylon had been. And when they had rejected him by whom princes decree justice, it was just that they should be given over into the power of those who should decree unrighteous decrees. It is probable, also, that there is a reference here to the false prophets and false Christs, which, as our Lord foretold, Mat 24:5, should arise. Many such there were, who, by their seditious practices, provoked the Romans, and hastened on the ruin of the Jewish nation: but it is very remarkable that they were never deceived by a counterfeit Messiah till they had refused and rejected the true Messiah. The prophet proceeds to describe the character of these foolish shepherds, in the following words: 1st, They should be negligent; which shall not visit those that be cut off Or, as the LXX. render it, , that which is missing, or has wandered from the flock; and it may signify that which is ready to perish. Neither shall seek the young one Which are most apt to perish through weakness; he alludes to the lambs which, on account of their tender age, are not able to follow the flock. Nor heal that which is broken Which has received some hurt, but shall leave it to die of its wounds. Nor feed that that standeth still Not able to go forward. Blayney renders the word, made to stand, or set up again after sickness. Such, says he, it is well known, require much care to nourish and support them, in order to their regaining strength; a care which the foolish shepherd will not bestow upon them. Or, as the LXX. render it, , nor shall direct that which is whole, mentioned in opposition to those that wander, or are diseased. 2d, These shepherds would be luxurious; he shall eat the flesh of the fat That is, instead of preserving the best of his flock, in order to increase it, he kills them to indulge his own appetite: or, enriches himself by oppressing, or otherwise taking from those that are persons of property: like that wicked servant that said, My lord delays his coming, he eats and drinks with the drunken, serving his own belly. 3d, They are tyrannical and cruel to the flock. And tear their claws [or, as it ought to be rendered, break their hoofs] in pieces This implies the same as when it is said (Eze 34:4) of such shepherds, With force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. The unwise shepherd, instead of being tender and gentle with his flock, is supposed to drag them about with his iron crook, or to over-drive them in rough and stony ground, so as to break their hoofs. Or, he imposes burdens and hardships upon them that they are unable to bear. Upon the whole, a sluggish, negligent, covetous, riotous, oppressive, and cruel government, priesthood, or ministry, is here shadowed out by a foolish shepherd.<\/p>\n 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, [who] shall not visit those that are cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which {s} standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.<\/p>\n (s) And is in health and sound.<\/p>\n In his new role Zechariah represented one who would fail to do for the sheep all that a good shepherd would do. Instead he would be self-serving. Israel’s preference for Barabbas over Jesus showed her willingness in the past to accept a bad individual in place of a good one.<\/p>\n "When one removes ’not’ from the sentence, he has an enlightening description of a truly effective pastoral ministry in the church today. (1) ’care for the lost . . .’ or . . . ’care for those in the process of being ruined or destroyed’; (2) ’seek the young . . . [or] ’the scattered’; (3) ’heal the injured,’ and (4) ’feed the healthy.’" [Note: Barker, p. 679.] <\/span><\/p>\n Tearing off the hoofs of the sheep probably represents the avaricious shepherd searching for the last edible morsel that he can extract from his charges whom he has consumed. [Note: Unger, p. 204.] <\/span><\/p>\n For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, [which] shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. 16. cut … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 11:16”<\/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-23055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23055","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=23055"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23055\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
1. The character of every foolish idol shepherd. (1.) He leaveth the flock: <\/em>he neglects the duty of his ministry, resides not among the people committed to his care, and for some poor pittance, gets a hireling to supply his place. (2.) He doth not visit those that be cut off, <\/em>takes no pains to recover lost souls, nor ever goes round his parish or district to admonish and exhort the people. (3.) He doth not seek the young ones, <\/em>by catechising and early instruction desiring to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (4.) He doth not heal that that is broken, <\/em>but, if a poor sinner applies to him under conviction of sin, with a bleeding heart, he is a physician of no value; he knows not what advice to give, and wickedly and ignorantly heals the hurt slightly, crying peace, peace, where there is no peace; thus making the evil worse. (5.) He doth not feed that that standeth still, <\/em>and through weakness and hunger is ready to faint; the famished flock look up and are not fed; the husks of dry morality, or the hemlock of false doctrines, such as man’s natural dignity, justification by works, and self-sufficient endeavours, are laid before them to their ruin. (6.) He eats the flesh of the fat, and tears their claws in pieces: <\/em>though he hates the work of the ministry, yet he is rapacious in exacting the wages of it; and in luxury and ease devours the flesh as well as the fleece of the poor flock. <\/p>\nFuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"