Zechariah 13 - Introduction
_THE FOUNTAIN OF PURGATION FOR JERUSALEM FROM IDOLATRY, AND FALSE PROPHESY. THE DEATH OF CHRIST, AND THE TRIAL OF A THIRD PART._ _Before Christ 517._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FOUNTAIN OF PURGATION FOR JERUSALEM FROM IDOLATRY, AND FALSE PROPHESY. THE DEATH OF CHRIST, AND THE TRIAL OF A THIRD PART._ _Before Christ 517._... [ Continue Reading ]
A FOUNTAIN OPENED—FOR SIN AND FOR UNCLEANNESS— The blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin, (1 John 1:7.) is manifestly here intended, the Jews being, upon their repentance and conversion, to be admitted to all the privileges of the Christian covenant. The Hebrew words חטאת _chattath_ and נדה... [ Continue Reading ]
IDOLS— It has been urged, in proof that this prophesy was uttered before the Babylonish captivity, that idolatry and groundless pretensions to prophesy were common among the Jews at that time; which has not been the case since. But this argument proves nothing; for, supposing the Jews themselves to... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SPEAKEST LIES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD— We may collect from these words, that those prophets only were to be exterminated who would be esteemed prophets of the true religion, as the most dangerous and abominable of any when they prophesied lies in the name of Jehovah, and under the pretext of be... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WOUNDS— Two ancient usages are clearly alluded to here; the one, that of the idolatrous priests and prophets, who sought to engage the attention and favour of their deity by cutting and slashing themselves, as the priests of Baal did, 1 Kings 18:28.; the other, that of those who cut themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, O SWORD, &C.— The prophet here begins a prophesy concerning the suffering of Christ, and the rising church of Christians. St. Matthew, Matthew 26:31 assures us, that these words were spoken of Christ. Instead of _smite,_ Houbigant reads, _I will smite,_ conformably to the last clause; _but I... [ Continue Reading ]