THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
These events occurred in a transformative manner under Zerubbabel, yet achieved full realization through the Lord Christ. Zerubbabel was merely a governor rather than a king, and there was to be no division into two authorities or kings. And I will rescue them from all their transgressions, through which they have sinned against Me, and I will purify them so that they will be My people and I will be their God. And My servant David will be their leader, serving as one shepherd for them all. This corresponds to what the Lord Christ conveyed in the sacred Gospel: "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd" (John 10:16).
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God refers to the Lord Christ as David, emphasizing His human descent from David while being a servant in essence; although in divine form He existed as God (Phil. 2:6, 7). Therefore, to express the humanity He embraced, He is termed a servant, signifying His birth from a servant-like nature. However, the eternal Lord of all is not a slave; He is called David not in His divinity but due to His lineage from David, while recognizing His servanthood. If God, the Word incarnate, embraced this servant nature, He did so without relinquishing His true essence, elevating our human nature through His divine union. Thus, the prophetic utterance elucidates how unrighteousness and idolatry will cease, divisions among kingdoms will come to an end, and all will live under a singular authority, guided by one shepherd who will lead them to know their God and Lord. They will adhere to My commandments and uphold My regulations, and they will inhabit the land that I will bestow upon My servant Jacob, where their ancestors dwelled. They and their offspring shall reside there throughout the ages, and David, My servant, will reign over them forever. The Jews may wonder who this eternal king, referred to as David, truly is; for they acknowledge that such titles do not rightly apply to Zerubbabel. This is primarily because Zerubbabel did not hold a king's sovereignty and his governance ended with his passing. If they claim this eternal David is of David’s lineage, they must demonstrate the royal descent of David. However, if the royal lineage of David remains obscure and unrecognized, then they must conclude one of two possibilities: either the prophecy is false, or they must honor the reign of the Lord Christ, who is David in human form. The Jews would agree that the prophecy holds true. If it is indeed true, as it is, and no other Jewish kingdom is visible while the lineage of David remains hidden, yet the Son of God according to His divine nature, who came from David in the flesh, reigns as David and possesses everlasting authority, the narrow-mindedness and disbelief of the Jews alongside our knowledge of God becomes evident. This assertion is supported by the words that follow. God proclaims: