The words of Zechariah, although at first sight it can seem a little bit strange, permits us to understand, what is the spiritual Tradition in the original sense of the word. It would seem that what the prophet says is far enough from what we usually understand by Tradition...
The words of Zechariah, although at first sight it can seem a little bit strange, permits us to understand, what is the spiritual Tradition in the original sense of the word. It would seem that what the prophet says is far enough from what we usually understand by Tradition. And Zechariah however reminds his listeners: on the basis of the real Tradition always lies the history of Revelation.
Not the history of religious tradition, not the history of how man searched God, but the history of how God revealed Himself to man, search for man, held out to him His hand. And also how man reacted to this extended hand: accepted it or rejected it, answered "yes" or "no" to God. And the problem here is not in concrete people, not in prophets who witness to the people about that will of God, which was revealed to them in a concrete historical moment in a concrete historical situation, but in the general plan of God, part of which are separate people and entire generations. Here is, this God's plan is the Revelation, and concrete revelations given to concrete people are only its elements, which had to be revealed to the people in any stage of its history. For the people of God, which was initially conceived by God, as people-community, such revelations had a decisive meaning: because they particularly indicated to the people their spiritual way, the way of their future, as people-community. And this fact that the contemporaries of the prophet calling the people to make this or that spiritual choice, did not see the consequences of their choice, says only that God's plan is too much big for the life of a generation. But indeed, the Tradition supposes not only the succession of the revelation, but also the succession of the spiritual experience, connected with its perception of the community.
This succession, which the people demonstrated during the captivity and at the period of after captivity, when all the history of before captivity was reinterpreted in the context of what the prophets said (the books of the Old Testament called historic for Christians, and for the Jews - early prophets, represent thus the fruit of this understanding). Here is this logic of the understanding of the history of the perception of revelation by the community is the second part of the Tradition. And it is not surprising: because the real Tradition always means, first of all, the relationship between God and man. And all the rest only as long as it is connected to these relationships.
1 A call to repentance, Zec 1:1-6.
The vision of the horses, Zec 1:7-11.
The prayer of the angel for Jerusalem answered, Zec 1:12-17.
The vision of the four carpenters, Zec 1:18-21.
1:1 In the eighth month - Two months after Haggai began to encourage the Jews to build the temple. Zechariah - Probably this is that Zechariah whom the Jews slew between the temple and the altar, Mat 23:35.
1:5 Where are they - But where are your disobedient fathers?Were they not consumed with famine and sword, as I threatened them?Do they live - The prophets died as others; they must not live always to warn you.
1:6 My words - The dreadful menaces which I spake. My statutes - The decreed judgments which I resolved to execute on them, which by my prophets I proclaimed. Take hold - Overtake as a pursuing enemy overtakes, and seizeth on his enemy. They returned - By this it should seem that Zechariah gave them time to consider what answer to give. So hath he dealt - It is true, as God said he would do, so he hath done against us.
1:8 A man - Christ Jesus in the shape of a man. Riding - In a posture of readiness. A red horse - This colour is a symbol of his coming to avenge himself on his enemies. The myrtle - trees - He posted himself in a convenient place to observe and be ready, among verdant, fragrant trees, emblems of the saints of God. In the bottom - This bottom or valley in which the myrtles grew, is an emblem of the church in a low, afflicted state. Behind him - Christ was, as becomes a captain, at the head, the rest, as his soldiers, are behind attending on him.Red horses - Horses and horsemen, and those are angels, ver. Zec 1:10.And the colour of these horses is red, probably denoting the bloody condition of states and kingdoms, by wars one against another when God punisheth his church, or when he avengeth himself. Speckled - Of a mixt colour; perhaps an emblem of affairs, not all dark, nor all light, such as those during the last seventy prophetic weeks.White - An emblem of the best days of the church.
1:9 O my Lord - This was Christ, the Lord of hosts.What are these - What is the meaning of these appearances.The angel - Christ, the angel of the covenant.
1:10 These - Horsemen, are angels, who are ministers of the Divine Providence in the government of the world.
1:11 Is at rest - All men sit still to take their ease. All is peaceable. This was the state of the empire which at that time ruled all.
1:12 Angel of the Lord - The angel, the Lord Christ.
1:14 Cry thou - Now publish what thou hearest, and assure my poor captive church, that God will do good for her.
1:15 A little displeased - With mine own people, that is, in comparison of the anger I bear against the Heathen.Helped forward - Attempted to destroy whom I would but correct.
1:16 A line - The builder's measuring line shall be stretched out, to mark out the walls, gates, streets, and houses in Jerusalem.
1:17 Through prosperity - Through increase of families, they shall send forth colonies, and plant new cities, and thro' increase of wealth, and cattle, be able to build their cities, and stock their colonies.
1:18 Four horns - Emblems of the enemies of the Jews.
1:19 The horns - Powers, states, and kingdoms, which have from all sides pushed at, broken and tossed my people. Judah - The two tribes.Israel - The ten tribes.
1:21 He - Christ. These - He first points to the four horns.But these - These carpenters are emblems of those instruments God will employ in breaking those destroyers. Who lift up - Who employed their arms and strength against the kingdom of Judah, to drive them out of God's inheritance.