Zechariah 13:7

Awake, O sword We have a similar apostrophe in Jeremiah 47:6.

my shepherd This may refer primarily to any Jewish king or ruler, for even a heathen king raised up by God to befriend His people is called by Him "My shepherd," Isaiah 44:28. But it is at the same time a distinct prophecy of Christ. See chap. Zechariah 11:4, note.

my fellow The word occurs only here and in Leviticus, where it is frequently found (e.g. Leviticus 6:2 [Heb., 5:21]; Leviticus 19:15; Leviticus 19:17), and is usually rendered, "neighbour," ὁ πλησίον, LXX. In its highest sense it belongs exclusively to the Shepherd who could say, "I and my Father are one." John 10:26-30.

True to the sound canon of interpretation which he always adopts, Calvin, while fully acknowledging the reference of this passage to Christ and its complete fulfilment in Him, contends that just as the prediction of "a prophet" in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 18:15) embraces the whole prophetical order, as well as "the Prophet" to whom they all gave witness, so here, while the Chief Shepherd is distinctly pointed at, the shepherds of God's people generally are included, and called His "fellows," because they are associated with Him in the work of government. "Sicuti ergo Christus primatum obtinet inter prophetas, et ideo bene aptatur ad illum locus Mosis; ita etiam quoniam pastorum est princeps et caput, merito hoc competit in ejus personam. Sed generalis tamen est prophetæ doctrina.… Hæc ratio est cur vocentur socii Dei, propter conjunctionem scilicet, quia sunt co-operarii Dei, quemadmodum Paulus etiam docet (1 Corinthians 3:9). Denique eodem sensu vocat propheta pastores Dei socios, quo Paulus vocat ipsos συνεργούς." In applying this canon, however, to the prophecies of the O. T. it must be borne in mind that, as the stars grow pale before the rising sun, so as the coming of Christ draws near, typical persons and offices fade more and more out of sight, and the terms and reference of the promises belong more immediately and exclusively to Him.

the sheep shall be scattered In interpreting this prophecy of His own death and its consequences, our Lord seems to restrict the "sheep" here to the Apostles, of whom we are told that, when He was apprehended, they all "forsook Him and fled" (Matthew 26:31; Matthew 26:56). We may say, with Bengel, that "the disciples were the representatives of the whole flock (instar totius gregis) which should afterwards be gathered by them." But with Zechariah the flock is the JewishChurch, and it is better therefore to regard our Lord's words as intimating the completeness of the dispersion which the prophet had foretold. Not only the flock at large, which had rejected Him as their shepherd, but even His own sheep, the faithful poor ("the poor of the flock," chap. Zechariah 11:11; the "little ones" of this verse) shall be scandalized at first and flee away from the Cross.

I will turn mine hand upon For correction, but in mercy, Zechariah 13:8-9. Comp. Isaiah 1:25, where the phrase is used in the same sense. Stier has some interesting remarks on the reference to this part of the prophecy in our Lord's promise to His disciples in Matthew 26:32. "The hand and power of God in the risenShepherd returned from death is turned upon them and gathers them together."