In the previous chapter we saw the abundant comfort with which the Lord, through the prophet, comforted the high priest, who was the leader of the people who had returned from captivity and rebuilt the temple and the city. Likewise, we have seen how the prophet himself, on his own initiative, acted the spiritual interpretation of the visions, namely that the high priest Joshua, who was dressed in a mourning garment and an unclean garment, took off the unclean garments and was finally dressed in ceremonial garments and clean garments, meant that one day there would be a priest who, by his suffering and death, would take away the sins of all, and by his resurrection would make us glorious and joint heirs of all the Father's goods. This priest was Christ Jesus etc.
After the consolation of this first leader now follows the consolation for the other leader, namely Zerubbabel. And as I have reminded above several times, that it is a very great thing and quite incomprehensible to human reason that the heart of man can certainly grasp the divine favor, especially when
It is because it is oppressed by sin and feels the adversaries that it does not doubt that it has a favorable and gracious God that we need to be strengthened with so many words, with so many different visions and promises. Here we see that quite the same thing is done, since the prophet is again awakened to encourage and strengthen the leader, since things are so unfavorable, so that we clearly see that not everyone is so easily driven by the spirit, as some people boast in our times, who are full and puffed up by their opinion. The divine majesty holds its spirit too high to hold it in such low esteem. Therefore, one must not believe those impure people who boast about their spirit with such an insolent forehead and boastful words, which I have reminded above several times.
V. 1. And the angel that talked with me came again.
Here the prophet again begins a new sermon, which he preached at another time and on another day, after he had finished the previous one.
And woke me up like one is awakened from sleep.
The prophet does not only indicate his heart position, since he, as it were lulled to sleep, is awakened, but also that of the leader and the whole people, as if he wanted to say: You are procrastinators, lazy and cold, in that you thus, as it were sleeping and snoring, omit the work of the Lord. And this indicates that: I am awakened like a sleeping man. Therefore, in the person of the prophet, the image of the whole people is to be understood, as it was to him.
V. 2. I see, and behold, there was a lampstand all of gold.
The same device is also in Moses, 2nd book, 25, 31, where the tabernacle is described. But about the "bowl on top" (de lampade) many things have been disputed among the holy writers. We answer briefly that the prophet calls the recess or bowls 1) of the lampstand, in which the lamp is placed, "the bowls." But that he says [Vulg.]: "on its head" is a Hebrew way of speaking instead of: "on top of it", so that the opinion is: seven bowls etc.
V. 3. and two olive trees with it.
Quite badly we read [in the Vulgate] "over it" [instead of "with it."], since immediately follows: "One on the right hand of the bowl, the other on the left."
This is the second part of the face, but everything still seems inconsistent to those who do not yet understand the interpretation, which will be added immediately. Then everything will appear exceedingly sweet and pleasant.
But here are frequent questions, both from the prophet to the angel, and from the angel to the prophet, so that we may see that the prophet has not made so many words in vain, but that everything serves to encourage the sleepy minds of the people. And so he made the listeners more attentive, since he dwelt on these questions, and kept their hearts in suspense, so that they might, as it were, open their mouths and carefully consider what the Lord wanted with the vision etc.
1) The Weimar edition offers in the Zwickau manuscript: "scheffel", probably read from: schussel.
V. 6. 2) It shall not be by army or war, but by my Spirit.
This is the interpretation of the face, which does not seem to fit completely according to the appearance. For what does the spirit have in common with lamps and candlesticks, or what is there for an equal? But in fact it is fitting, and everything rhymes exceedingly well. Now it is as if he wanted to say: Serubabel, your heart is still taken by carnal thoughts, that you are almost stunned, they make your heart so staggering. For you know that the temple is to be rebuilt according to the word of the Lord, but you fear the enemy kings and nations, so that you do not continue. You do not see that you can stand up to such great power and violence of the adversaries. But the Lord says that it is not weapons, men and force that are needed, none of these things are necessary, but only light and spirit that you may have a right confidence of heart.
And with these words he hits as with a needle the thoughts of Zerubbabel about the force, the weapons and the violence of the adversaries. But he tells him to be sure against all this, that nothing is necessary but faith, which does not distrust the Lord. When he will be there, he promises, he will easily drive back and break all weapons, power and authority, however great it may be, even that of the whole world. This is a very good passage about the confidence of the heart that comes through faith, by which the godly are secure and undaunted against all violence of the enemy, both physical and spiritual, just as in the outward victory of the wicked all power and the success of the victory lies in the strength of the heart, so that he seems to have said quite rightly: "The courage is mightier than the hand; all strength lies in that. I have also heard this from those who once fought in the line of battle, that one can conclude and determine which army will perish by very certain assumptions and clear signs before one would join hands. For in the one, everything indicates the downfall and points to it, since everything is in consternation, as it were.
3) This vermahl is missing in the Weimar one.
The horses also hung their heads and seemed to suspect something sad. In contrast, in the other, which will be victorious, everything promises victory: the hearts of all the men of war are lively, the horses neigh, in short, there is nothing that does not promise a certain victory. Only the courage that the Lord gives to those of whom he wants to become victors is victorious. Thus the Germans also say in a well-known word, and quite rightly: "God protect me from one who means me" etc. Therefore, since this happens to the wicked, how much more do the godly prevail and break through, encouraged by faith and the Spirit.
Then all that the Prophet saw by the vision is of gold, nothing of iron suitable for weapons, but everything is golden. For there is no use for gold in war, but it indicates peace. Then the lampstand shines as if to say, "Light and fire are needed. For the Holy Spirit shines, that is, he kindles and enlightens the heart so that it is secure and courageous and fears nothing.
So everything fits in the most suitable way in the face. Therefore, those who want to interpret Moses may learn here, since the opportunity for reflection is given, that already in the whole construction and the furnishing of the Mosaic tabernacle the Lord did not want to mean anything else than what is carried out here by the ministry of the word on the whole earth. The table means the word of God, which is clear from the Psalm [Ps. 23, 5]: He has prepared a table before me etc. Likewise [Ps. 69, 23.], "Let their table become a snare before them." For the Word is meat, and feeds us "toward the north" (for so the table was set in the tabernacle, as the text in Moses [2nd book, Cap. 26, 35.) says), that is, against the temptations of Satan. The lampstand is a sign of peace, for it is of gold. For where the word is preached, there is no violence, no war or weapons, but they dwell in peace and quiet. Therefore, the lampstand is the ministry of the Word, by which the church is instructed and nourished. The altar of incense is the right prayer, which is done in faith and the Holy Spirit, which can only be performed by those who have the Spirit.
of Christ. So others may continue to think about this matter, because it is a large and wide area. The right lampstand, which the prophet sees in this vision, stands in the middle of two oil trees, which are Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua, as if he wanted to say: There is nothing that you have to fear, the Holy Spirit is in the middle of you, he shines in the middle of you, therefore no weapons, no violence are necessary, you have me as a gracious and kind God.
The various instruments around the lampstand are the ministers of the Word, who, adorned with various gifts of the Holy Spirit, carry out the ministry of the Word, for not everyone has been given all the gifts. The apostle Paul spoke abundantly about this in the 12th chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians and in the 4th chapter of the letter to the Ephesians. "The ladles" (infusoria) mean the prophets, but "the bowls" (lances) mean the preachers, who pass on to others what they have received from the prophets 1) (for not all have been granted to penetrate into all the most hidden things of the Scriptures), which are many ornaments of light, but all is of gold etc.
V. 7. Who are you, you great mountain, which must be a plain before Zerubbabel?
This also still belongs to the face. The teaching is fulfilled, that is, the vision is laid out, now he exhorts. But he makes a sudden turn against the enemies in order to strengthen Zerubbabel, just as he had suddenly addressed Satan in the third chapter [v. 2]: "The Lord rebuke thee, thou Satan" etc. And just as in all the previous pieces of this chapter he had his attention very precisely on the thoughts of Zerubbabel, so also this part refers preferably to it. For he imagines that he had such thoughts: What shall I, a few men, be able to do against the very mighty kings and the bitterest enemies? For the Scriptures call the princes and nobles mountains and hills. And so he imagines the whole multitude of the adversaries, viz.
1) Instead of propüktieik should be read Wohl xroxüktis.
The prophet, who had seen the kings of the Persians and the very powerful peoples as a great mountain, looked at the multitude of enemies, the violence of the weapons and the strength of the armies, which frightened everyone and made him stop the work he had started. Therefore, the prophet calls him back to faith and spirit, then it will easily happen that this mountain will become a plain, however big it appears. But, to remind also this, here some divide the text in various ways. I distinguish and read simply like this: Who are you, great mountain? before Zerubbabel [you become] a plain, so that it is a rebuke of the enemy or of the great mountain, as if he wanted to say: The Lord rebuke you, you great mountain, who hinder the leader Zerubbabel, so that he cannot promote the work he has begun according to the will of the Lord. "To the plain" (in planum it says in the Vulgate]), so that here is an elliptical speech, as if he wanted to say: May you be made a plain by the Lord, so that you do not resist the leader any further, do not inspire him with more terror.
And he shall execute the first stone.
That is, even against your will, even after you are made level, when your power is destroyed, Zerubbabel will bring up the first stone, that is, he will promote and complete the work that has been started, after the foundation has already been laid by him under King Cyrus. He will complete the temple of the Lord and continue to build it up as he laid the foundation.
That one will shout, good luck, good luck!
This passage [in the Vulgate: Et exaequabit gratiam gratiae ejus] is obscure, and I cannot determine anything certain about it, because in it there is more than one Hebrew way of speaking. The sacred writers have struggled in many ways to make many graces (gratiis), but they are void things. I will indicate what I think. First of all, I translate thus according to the Hebrew: And under shouting or congratulating: Congratulations. So that the opinion is: That great mountain, which until now was a hindrance to Zerubbabel, will be made a plain. Then he will place the first stone like this,
will build up the temple already begun in such a way that there will be shouting and congratulations, not only from one man, but from all nations (which he indicates by the repetition), and so all will shout: So that completely the same opinion is there, as it is found in Haggai [Cap. 2, 10.] of the glory of the last temple: "The glory of this last house shall be greater than that of the first" etc. But according to the Hebrew way he made use of the doubling, as if he wanted to say: The peoples from all over the world will run to wish happiness because of the building of the temple, while it now lies despised. But in Scripture the word gratia means favor, as Proverbs 1:9: "For such is a beautiful ornament (gratia) to thy head." Likewise elsewhere: favor (gratia) is deceptive and beauty is vain. Here it does not mean both favor and that which looks very well and makes pleasant (gratiosum), as if to say, Moreover, much ornament will be added to this temple, "many more beautiful jewels ("kleyneth") will be hung on it." Because the peoples will compete, as it were with noise and raving, that they decorate this temple, which also happened afterwards. So such repetitions are always to be understood dis- tributive. So in Ezekiel: Homo homo de domo Israe, that is, each one of the house of Israel. And in Moses: Virgam et virgam etc. his every one a staff, Ex. 12, 11.]
V. 9. The hands of Zerubbabel founded this house.
He interprets with clearer words what he seemed to have said above with darker words, namely, about the setting up of the first stone and the building of the temple and the great glory of the last temple, namely, that many Gentiles would stream in competitively and wash away Serubabel's happiness, as Paul says of the Christians [Tit. 2, 14], that they be diligent (sectatores) to good works or eiserer (zelotes), that is, that they compete with one another in good works, that one strive to precede the other in good works. Such a competition, says
The opinion of this passage is that the temple will be completed within the lifetime of Zerubbabel, however much less is expected now that things are so favorable. etc. It is therefore the opinion of this passage: still in the lifetime of Zerubbabel the temple will be completed, as much as nothing less is expected now, since things are so unfavorable, and when the work is completed, you will finally know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you, that is, that I have preached this by command of the Lord. Only then will the will of the Lord be revealed, which is now completely neglected, since there are many things that make you endure that you do not obey the words and will of the Lord.
It is a great thing and beyond all human comprehension to know that any work is pleasing to God, which otherwise appears to be contemptible and small in the eyes of the world, as the temple was a small thing. The world judged that nothing was less pleasing to God than any such house. Therefore Satan opposed it with all his power, so that the will of God would not be obeyed, so that what the Lord wanted would not happen, as he could not help but always oppose the things that belong to godliness and worship. Such is the nature of this mischievous spirit, which can suffer everything else rather than that which concerns God. There is no doubt that many great buildings were erected all over the world when the Temple was built, but this wicked spirit did not care about all of them; only what was of God, what was intended for the glory of God, was challenged. This is what he always does. For we know his thoughts: "He is sorry that a man has eyes." In this way he always pursues not only our soul, but also our health. We have now seen this in the quite frightening example of the rebellious and stormy peasants, in whom one can clearly recognize the wickedness and power of Satan etc. But the will of God exists, and what the Lord wants will finally be carried out, no matter how much Satan and all the gates of hell resist.
V. 10 For who is he that despiseth these few days?
Again, he helps their faintheartedness by leading them away from the appearance of things or from the difficulty of execution to his word, namely, that they should not imagine the greatness of the matter, the threatening dangers, the power of the neighboring heathen, but his will, as if he wanted to say: It is a great mountain that sets itself against you, strongly you are attacked on all sides; all this produces difficulty and a certain distrust in your hearts; everything seems desperate, your forces are nothing compared to the forces of your adversaries, therefore the days seem small, that is, days in which the things, the people, and the works seem small, since everything is conducted with not even happy success. But why do you care about these things, why do you not rather believe me who speak, why do you not [rather] have your eyes firmly fixed on my word than on your pusillanimity? I can soften everything exceedingly difficult and transform it into the very easiest. Thus divine goodness, according to its way, makes everything out of nothing, out of the most desperate state of all things the highest bliss, out of disgrace honor, out of ashes gold, however completely different it is before the eyes. Namely, this is how he looks at their innermost heart movements.
In that one will rejoice and see the tin measure in Serubabel's hand.
The Hebrews, which do not have impersonal verba, cannot express impersonal phrases so comfortably, as Christ also speaks in the Gospel [Luc. 6, 38. Vulg.]: "They will give into your bosom", instead of: one will give. Likewise [Matth. 13, 41. f.]: "They will gather and throw," instead of: one will gather. So here: buntur, etc., meaning, "one will rejoice." But this whole passage is ambiguous, because of the twofold sense it may have. The first is that the prophet speaks of the kingdom of Judah, that it will rejoice over the temple that has been raised, and so the tin measure becomes the temple that is made under the leader Zerubbabel, completed and excellently executed etc. But in my opinion, everything seems to be related to Christ.
For the sake of which the temple was rebuilt and the people were brought back from captivity, since Christ was promised to the Jews. He was to be born of their flesh, therefore the kingdom and the priesthood had to be preserved. In short, the whole time after the Babylonian captivity awaited Christ, and everything happened for Christ's sake. But one can see the wonderful counsel of the dear God, how he acts according to his way, that he always calls to that which is not, that it is [Rom. 4, 17.], and leads into hell before he leads into heaven etc. [Since he wanted the king Christ to come as soon as possible, as he had promised, he let the Persians gain the supremacy, after the Jewish people had been led away miserably into captivity, so that nothing was less in view, since the kingdom and the priesthood with the whole people had been transferred to a foreign country, than that the people should be brought back, the temple restored and the people reinstated to their former dignity, yes, also the kingdom should be an eternal one, as was promised. Therefore, the prophets always connect the kingdom of Christ with the present time and the last glory that would come through the King Christ, as we have also seen above, Cap. 3, 9. as he added the passage about the stone that would take away the sin of the land etc. This passage cannot be understood otherwise than by Christ. So also Haggai adds Cap. 2, 10. 8. immediately adds: "And I will give peace in this place, saith the Lord," and "there shall come then the consolation of all nations." As if he wanted to say: After the temple is built, Christ will follow immediately and set up the kingdom. And this is the first reason by which I am moved to believe that this passage is to be understood of Christ. The other reason is that he expressly distinguishes between the one stone and the other; at first he spoke of the cornerstone of the last temple, which was not to be erected without great glory, applause and the congratulations of many, as we have said, but here he mentions another stone, referring to the previous sermon, which he preached before the priest.
Joshua stopped from the delicious stone. The third reason is that he repeats the seven eyes. It is known that by the seven number he indicates the Holy Spirit and all the gifts of the Spirit.
Therefore, the summa of this saying is as if to say, "The days seem few to you, but you do not know what I will do or undertake, for I will do more wonderful and glorious things in these few days than I have ever done before. "I will cause a joy", it will be a great joy. The cause of this joy will be
[The tin measure.]
The pewter stone or the pewter lump. He calls it "pewter" to distinguish it from the first stone or cornerstone, so that the opinion is: "It will be pewter, that is, white, polished, smooth, like tin. This stone is the resurrected Christ, who is laid at the foundation of the Church through the preaching of the apostles. This sermon gave rise to the highest joy, because it proclaimed only joyful and happy things, namely grace and eternal life. And this stone will be seen, he says.
In Serubabel's hand,
Although Zerubbabel was not alive when Christ was born. But this is the way of the prophets, that they speak in this way. It is also said of Christ that he will sit on the throne of David, and above, Cap. 3, 9, the Lord says that he will set up his precious stone before Joshua the priest. And it is the opinion: this government of Joshua the priest, which is now restored, this people, which is now under Joshua the priest, will see that stone. This is also how what is said here about Zerubbabel is to be understood, namely that the tin stone will be seen in the hand of Zerubbabel
With the seven, which are the eyes of the Lord,
For this is how I read and connect, that is, with the Holy Spirit. For the gospel at the same time brings Christ with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which run through the whole world, since the gospel is preached everywhere.
is preached. But he calls the Holy Spirit an eye, because the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of faith, which consists only in knowledge, as Isaiah says [Cap. 53, 11.]: "By his knowledge he, his servant, will watch many righteously" etc. This knowledge he calls an eye. This is how the prophet himself wanted to attach his spiritual interpretation to the face of the bodily things, and this is how he lays out the right temple and the right lampstand. This is the way of the prophets.
V. ii. What are the two oil trees?
Now he understands what the lampstand is, but it still grieves him that he had not seen the lampstand between two oil trees in the tabernacle of Moses. Therefore a question arises for him here.
V. 12. 1) And I answered the second time, and said unto him, What are the two branches (spicae) of the olive trees?
One has struggled with the interpretation of this passage in various ways: one interprets it from the grace, another differently. I simply follow my opinion, which I have also expressed above: that the two oil trees are the twofold regiment, that of the Mosaic law through Joshua, and that of the external world regiment through Zerubbabel. Therefore, I simply understand by these branches or oil trees the One Jewish people who had this twofold regiment, so that the opinion is: this people is in God's favor, it has the lampstand in its midst, that is, the Holy Spirit is ready to supply this twofold regiment until Christ comes. In the meantime, none of them will be unfruitful, since ears (spicae) will appear, that is, everything in this kingdom will be in bloom, so that it will bear fruit to God and His word.
Which stand by the two golden beaks
(rostra).
Rostra he calls the mouths (nares) of the lamps, "the beaks". So also Moses wants that the mouths of the lamps are opposite to each other [2 Mos. 25, 37]. So also here
1) This verse number and keyword is missing in the Weimar.
The prophet placed the beaks straight opposite each other, with one oil tree on the right and the other on the left.
V. 14. They are the two oil children.
[Children of the oil, that is, children of the splendor. 2) This is the second part of the interpreted face, that is, Joshua with his spiritual regiment, and Zerubbabel with his worldly regiment, these are the children of the oil, that is, the children of happiness and well-being. For thus the Hebrew language is wont to speak, as, in the Psalm [Ps. 80:15-I8.]: 3) ["Hold thy hand] over the child of thy right hand." In Latin this is spoken unrhymed, but it is the same, 4) which we express in Latin thus: [super vineam] quae est res dextrae tuae [over the vine, which is a work of thy right hand]. For what would be less befitting to Latin ears than to call a vine a child of the right hand? So it is also said Is. 5, 1.: In cornu filio olei ["in a fat place"]. Many psalms are full of such Hebrew idioms. Thus the prophet again admonished and encouraged the leader with many words, so that he would continue cheerfully and vigorously to build the temple that was begun according to the will of the Lord, without fearing anything, no matter how difficult it might seem to undertake it. For all the works of God are such that they go against all the thoughts and senses of human reason. They seem to be quite impossible, which is why the godly do not rush to perform them, but, trembling and fainthearted, can hardly be enticed and moved by many and exceedingly rich consolations to take upon themselves their office, that they may do what is commanded them by the Lord, which I have very abundantly said above. And therefore it is evident how one must not trust those obdurate boasters who say that they feel nothing but the Spirit, who very easily subject themselves to every thing etc.
2) Both the Erlangen and Weimar editions have drawn the explanatory word 8x>l6näori8 to the keyword.
3) Loosely based on the Vulgate. The Vulgate has virum where our text offers ülium.
4) Instead of item we have assumed iäem. This is also supported by the Zwickau handwriting: "schihr ,r68<".