This chapter is also easy and clear from the previous one. For I have said that it is necessary to observe how the prophet describes two times: the one in which the people were brought back from captivity, and also the temple and the city were rebuilt, that the Lord, though from very small remnants, as it were from the ashes, stirred up a conflagration in the whole world, for in this some were preserved for the sake of the promises; the other, in which he describes the already present and reigning Christ. In this chapter, the prophet repeats, as it were in a recapitulation, all that he has dealt with in many parables and many visions. Here he repeats the same thing with completely open words, so that one can not unjustly call this chapter a gloss and interpretation of everything that has gone before.
V. 2. I was almost very jealous over Zion.
Above I have explained in detail what zeal is. In summa he says this: Hitherto have I been very angry with Zion, I have destroyed it by the Chaldeans, and have afflicted it severely, but yet have not utterly rejected it, but as a husband out of love scolds his wife when he sees her lacking in any thing, so also I etc. For I will not further
anger, since I have already returned to Jerusalem, now follow mercy and peace, not revenge or hatred.
V. 3. Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts a mountain of holiness.
The "mountain of the Lord" he calls Mount Moriah, which is in the middle of the city of Jerusalem. These titles are very high, and very great the price of the city and the mountain. But this holiness and truth he does not ascribe to the inhabitants of the city, that they are holy or true, but because he himself will dwell in Jerusalem, who is holy, yea, holiness itself and all truth. Otherwise, looking at the people, they are unholy and godless, since they kill the prophets and Christ Himself. But by the word of God preached there, the city becomes holy and the mountain true, and then the people also become holy, who have God's word. For this means that God dwells in a place when He dwells there through His holy Word and through the Holy Spirit. This took place in Jerusalem, so that they could not doubt God's will, since He had promised in all certainty that He would be in that place and answer the prayers. In short, they had in the Temple what we call
in Christ. Thus, by an outward sign, God always wants to guide the consciences and make them certain, so that they will not doubt His will, nor wander about uncertainly as to what God approves, and be hurled, as it were, as blind men to an uncertain goal. Just as we are therefore quite certain that we will be heard in Christ, that we understand the will of God over us, so they were also quite certain, when they worshipped in the Temple 1) that God was present and would hear them etc. In sum, therefore, the prophet says this: They will be faithful, I will again establish the right service, they will have the pure word of God, through which I will always be present.
V. 4. There shall yet dwell in the streets of Jerusalem old men and women.
This must be related to the heart movements of those to whom it is said. At that time, they were in such a state of distress: as things were going, nothing was going well, nothing was going out well for them, the fruits did not prosper well, everything corresponded to the desires in a bad way. Then they were surrounded by enemies who attacked them and prevented them from continuing to build the temple. Thus the Persian king Cambyses with his godless rulers stopped them, so that they could not complete the building begun under Cyrus. In short, there were almost nothing but rebellions, wars, and treachery, so that they could see nothing but that all things were in despair, and they thought that it was all over for them and the kingdom. To these and similar heartbreaks that they had, the Lord here comforts and consoles them, so that they may not doubt that the kingdom will be unharmed and glorious and populous. For such comforts were first held out under Haggai and Zechariah, as if to say: All will be pacified; no more will be heard of disturbances or movements in the land, the city of Jerusalem will be populous, the babes and maidens will play safely in the streets etc. But this seems to be quite impossible for you; but be confident, I will bring it about very easily.
1) Instead of tsmplum we have assumed: in templo.
V. 7. Behold, I will redeem my people from the land against the going forth.
This passage, with those that follow, is drawn by some to Christ, and not at all inconsistently; if someone wants to hold on to the emphasis ["I will redeem"], he can keep it up. But I would rather deal with and refer to Christ those sayings [of Christ] which actually go to Christ, and which in fact hold the kingdom of Christ in them, setting aside those which can be rejected in one way or the other. Therefore, let us remain in the context of the foregoing. He says that the city will be full of people, that all the streets will be filled with old men, maidens and boys, however few they may be, however hopeless and weak all things now seem, as can be seen in Nehemiah, that at that time barely the tenth part of the city had been rebuilt, while the remaining parts were desolate and devastated by fire. Nothing less seemed to be able to happen than that the deserted and miserably devastated city should be transformed into a populous, respectable and lovely place. But God has a way of making everything out of nothing, so that we boast nothing of our powers. So he immediately adds: "I will redeem my people from the land against the going out and from the land against the going down of the sun", that is, I will bring back both those of Judah and those of Israel from Babylon and from other parts of the whole world, wherever they may be, so that Jerusalem may be inhabited.
V. 8. 2) In dignity and righteousness.
That is, my worship will be a right, true and pure one, namely because of the Word and the godly people who are in my people. Otherwise, idolatry has never ceased among this people, but for the sake of the Word and the Holy Spirit, which was in some godly people, he says, he will spare them, so that they will not fear destruction again etc.
2) This verse number is missing in Weimar's.
V. 10. 1) For before those days the labor of men was in vain etc.
He depicts the miserable state of the community that existed before this prophecy, namely, the prosperity of all things was not happy: the fields had not returned the seed entrusted to them with usury, the greatest poverty had prevailed and the fear of attacks, as can be seen from the first chapter of Haggai. Thus they were ruled by rage and cruelty and the highest misfortune in all things, not peace, not truth and justice. But it is a way of speaking of the Scripture, since it says: merces hominum non erat [the people had no wages.] We simply give this way of speaking negatively like this: "What the people worked, that was lost, it carried nothing", everything was thrown into a sack full of holes etc. So we see how the Scriptures speak of the merit of men, namely of what follows works, not of merits.
V. 12. But they shall be seeds of peace.
This is again a Hebrew way of speaking, as if he wanted to say: From these very small remnants I will raise up for myself an innumerable people, I will kindle a great conflagration from a little spark, they shall be to me a seed of peace, that is, it shall be happy and well with them, they shall be multiplied like the seed, as he then adds many things.
V. 13. 1) And it shall come to pass, as ye of the house of Judah and of the house of Israel have been a curse among the heathen.
He also includes Israel in the promise, although it was prophesied that Israel should never be brought back. But I have said that this must be understood in this way: there is no doubt that many were also brought back from Israel, but that the kingdom and the name were never restored, but the name and the kingdom were never restored.
1) This verse number is missing in Weimar's.
The kingdom of Judah, the government and the priesthood were restored. Israel was led away to Media and never regained a leader, a worship or any secular government after that. Therefore, those who were brought back from Israel were counted as Judah. But that they were a curse or a blessing to the Gentiles, that is, that they were an example to them, as the Latins also say. They were an example of the curse, because the one desired such a miserable rejection and captivity from the other, as it had been given to them from God's wrath etc.
V. 14: How I intended to afflict you.
He always looks at the troubled consciences, which were quite miserably depressed before. Therefore, the feeling of the past misfortune was still left. He always distracts the consciences from these troubles and terrors caused by the past misfortune and strengthens them again by exceedingly great and rich promises and consolations. But this required great faith that could grasp this. To reason, everything seemed quite hopeless.
V. 16. Speak one with the other truth.
He does not insist on ceremonies or sacrifices, which they held in high esteem, but demands the very good works of love, as we have said quite extensively in the previous chapter, as if to say: As I am righteous and true, so shall you also be.
And judge rightly, and make peace.
[Veritatem et judicium pacis judicate,] this is a strange set of words. But the opinion is: Let every man be true and sincere toward his neighbor; let him do what he speaks, let him speak what he does. He shall not present himself as a friend, and prove himself as an enemy; neither shall he show bread with one hand, and offer a stone with the other. Then judge rightly, do not hold unjust judgment, because from unjust judgment arises hatred, from hatred reenactment, from reenactment rebellion and wars; and so I interpret judicium pacis [judgment for peace].
V. 17: And let no man think evil in his heart against his neighbor.
Thus the Scriptures everywhere demand mercy and not sacrifice, that we should do good to one another, that one should help the other with counsel and action. In particular, God wants us to take care of the oppressed and the afflicted, on whom He looks, as He says, as Scripture teaches everywhere: The eyes of the Lord look on the afflicted [Is. 66, 2].
And do not love false oaths.
This can be understood by false worship and religion, when we misuse the name of God for our statutes and invented services, as I have interpreted above in the fifth chapter. But everyone may follow what he wants.
V. 19. The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months.
Here the question of fasting is solved, which was raised above and has been abundantly interpreted by us. He dismisses all those human statutes, as if he wanted to say: I do not want you to be afflicted, not that you are hungry, because what do I have to do with your fasting? but I want to change your sorrow into joy, so that as you were sorrowful before in those days, now you can eat and drink all the more freely and be joyful. But in our [Latin] Bible this is badly translated: in solemnitates praeclaras. For so it should have been translated: at sweet or good feasts. This may have given the ungodly preachers of the Mass the occasion to misuse this passage for the confirmation of their ungodly statutes, so that they thought that these fasts must be holidays, and that they were worthy of being generally spread and held up to the people, that they should follow this way, while the prophet expressly denies that one should follow them any further. But he so carefully inculcates the works of love, because that is the way of hypocrisy and human statutes, that they turn away from the truth and the consideration of the neighbor, which still today the godless sects of the monks are doing.
teach quite clearly, especially those that are considered the holiest, as the Carthusians etc.
V. 20. Many nations and citizens of many cities are yet to come.
This passage has also been referred to Christ. Although this is not contrary to opinion, the whole passage cannot be referred to it, so we will stick to the previous view. He says, the inhabitants of many cities will come together here, not only you, but the inhabitants of many cities (for so (habitatores instead of habitent] must be read), and
[The inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, "Let us go to pray before the Lord." Then it is added a little further on [v. 22], "To seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem." If this piece were not added, I too would have referred this passage to Christ. Therefore we will interpret it from the literal and legal service of God, and it will be the opinion which Lucas sets forth in Acts Cap. 2, 1) 5. "Now there were Jews dwelling at Jerusalem, who were godly men out of all the people that are under heaven." The temple was finally so honored that even princes and queens from distant lands adorned it with their gifts, as Josephus relates.
We also want to go with you. 2)
Jerome holds that this is not said in the person of God, as some want, but in the person of the people. The passage is ambiguous, and which opinion is the better, I leave undecided. If it is said in the person of God, this will be the opinion: I will be in the midst of them, and will be their God, as is said elsewhere. And so it must be understood not only by the Jews, but by all the godly from all peoples of the whole world, who came together there because of the service etc.
1) In our prelims: ^etor. 1.
2) Vulgate: VuNam etiaw eZo, I also will go. This is what the interpretation refers to.
V.23. At that time ten men from all the languages of the Gentiles will take a Jewish man by the scruff of his neck.
He ties the time when the captives have been brought back to the time of Christ's kingdom. He says that ten men from all the languages of the Gentiles in the whole world will take hold of the corner of a Jew to go with him. This passage the Jews whimsically press, saying this has never been fulfilled. But there is a great inconsistency in their interpretation, so that it cannot be understood as they dream. Therefore, it cannot be referred to the outward and bodily tip of a garment, but to the preaching of the gospel, as if to say, There shall be the gospel
lium will be preached throughout the world, and will bear such great fruit that one apostle (or, as others would have it, Christ) will convert many thousands of people to godliness through his preaching. They will follow of their own free will, not forced by the law, but guided by the Holy Spirit. Thus the number ten, because it is the circle of the whole count, means the totality of all who are to be converted to the faith in any language. Then the prophet also indicates this secretly, that they will not come into this kingdom, because they were chosen and determined according to a certain number. This certain number stands alone with God, who calls and chooses according to his will, whom he wills, and nothing lies in our powers or our presumption, but in his mercy.