Zechariah 3:4

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. AND HE ANSWERED AND SPAKE UNTO THOSE THAT STOOD BEFORE HIM - the ministering angels (cf. for the phrase, "stood before Him" - namely, as those who are admitted to the high honours of "standing continually before" an Oriental king, 1 Kings 10:8; Daniel 1:5). TAKE AWAY THE FILTHY GARMENTS FROM HIM. In Zechariah 3:9 it is "remove the iniquity of that land;" therefore Joshua represents the Jewish land. From hi...

We now see that he who is often said to be Jehovah is called an angel: the name therefore of Angel as well as of Jehovah, I doubt not, ought to be applied to the person of Christ, who is truly and really God, and at the same time a Mediator between the Father and the faithful: and hence he authoritatively commanded the angels who were present; for Christ was there, but with his hosts. While therefore the angels were standing by, ready to obey, he is said to have bidden them to strip the high priest of his mean garments. Afterwards the angel addresses Joshua himself, _See, I slave made to pass from thee thine iniquity, and now I will clothe thee with new or other garments _(38) When the angel said that he had _taken away iniquity_, he justly reminded them of the filthiness contracted by the priest as well as by the people; for they had denuded themselves of all glory by their iniquities....

1-5 The angel showed Joshua, the high priest, to Zechariah, in a vision. Guilt and corruption are great discouragements when we stand before God. By the guilt of the sins committed by us, we are liable to the justice of God; by the power of sin that dwells in us, we are hateful to the holiness of God. Even God's Israel are in danger on these accounts; but they have relief from Jesus Christ, who is made of God to us both righteousness and sanctification. Joshua, the high priest, is accused as a criminal, but is justified. When we stand before God, to minister to him, or stand up for God, we must expect to meet all the resistance Satan's subtlety and malice can give. Satan is checked by one that has conquered him, and many times silenced him. Those who belong to Christ, will find him ready to appear for them, when Satan appears most strongly against them. A converted soul is a brand pluck...

Verse Zechariah 3:4. _TAKE AWAY THE FILTHY GARMENTS_] The Jews wore _sackcloth_ in times of public calamity; probably the _filthy garments_ refer to this. Let their clothing be changed. I have turned again their captivity; I will fully restore them, and blot out all their iniquities....

AND HE SPAKE TO THOSE WHO STOOD BEFORE HIM - the ministering angels who had waited on the Angel of the Lord to do His bidding. SEE, I HAVE CAUSED THINE INIQUITY TO PASS FROM THEE - The pardoning words of the Lord to David by Nathan, “The Lord too hath put away thy sin” 2 Samuel 12:13. “And clothe thee with change of raiment, that is, such as were taken off and reserved for great occasions. As the filthy garments were not necessarily other than the high priest’s vesture, symbolically defiled through the sins of the people, so neither need these be other than the priestly garments in their purity and freshness. The words imply the condition, not the nature of the vestment. (Cyril: “The high priest having been thus taken to represent the whole people, the filthy garments would be no unclear symbol of the wickedness o

EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 3:1 _§ 6. The fourth vision: Joshua the high priest before the angel._ ZECHARIAH 3:1 HE SHOWED ME. The Septuagint and Vulgate give, "The Lord showed me." Some suppose that it was the interpreting angel who showed this vision; but his duty was to explain, not to present, the visions. So in Zechariah 1:20 it is the Lord who shows the "four craftsmen." This vision is closely connected with the last. In that it was declared that the Lord would again dwell in Jerusalem, and visit his people with blessings. But to fit them for the presence and favour of Jehovah they must be pure. To this end they must have a hol

AND HE ANSWERED, AND SPAKE,.... That is, the Angel of the Lord, before whom Joshua stood, answered to the accusations of Satan, and the entreaties of Joshua: and spake UNTO THOSE THAT STOOD BEFORE HIM; not the fellows that sat before Joshua, Zechariah 3:8 for the priests, who were Joshua's fellows, could not take away sin; nor indeed can ministers of the Gospel, only ministerially or declaratively, as instruments, in bringing the good news of pardon to the comfort of distressed minds; whom the ministering angels may here represent, that stood before Christ the Archangel, the Head of all principalities and powers, and who are ministering spirits to him; and so the Targum paraphrases it, "and he said to them who ministered before him;'' who, though they can not expiate sin, or make atonement for it, may bring the tidings of pardon to a poor fallen

CLOTHE (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 3:21). _...

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The fourth night vision (Zechariah 3:1) _ 2. The message of the vision (Zechariah 3:6) Zechariah 3:1. The fourth vision is like the first and second, closely connected with the foregoing one. It gives the crowning event of Israel's restoration. The prophet recognizes in the figure, which is seen by him, Joshua the high priest, who is standing before the angel of the Lord, while at his right hand stands Satan to oppose him. Joshua was not clothed with his clean, priestly robes, but he wears filthy garments. Jehovah rebukes Satan and terms Jerusalem a brand plucked from the fire. After the accuser is rebuked, the filthy garments of the high-priest are removed, his iniquity is fo

THE TRIAL OF JOSHUA. Several corrections are necessary in this paragraph, some of which are confirmed by the LXX. In Zechariah 3:2 read, And the angel of the Lord said. In Zechariah 3:4 f. read with LXX, Take the filthy garments from off him (And he said unto him, Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee); and clothe him with rich apparel, and set a fair mitre, etc. In Zechariah 3:8 we should probably read, Thou and thy fellows which sit before thee are men which, etc. Among the Hebrews any disaster was regarded as a sign of Divine displeasure or, to use a common Heb. figure of speech, a sign that the Lord was bringing a charge against the person afflicted. The satan or opponent for here, as in Job, the word i