Zechariah 10:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The divine apostles, scattered among the Greeks, became like powerful steeds, vociferously challenging their empty chatter and countering the lies detested by God. This is evident when Christ refers to the blessed Paul through Ananias, saying, ‘Go, as this vessel is chosen unto me, to bear my name before the tongues and kings and sons of Israel’ (Acts 9:15).

Moreover, Habakkuk proclaimed to our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘thou shalt teach thy horses, and thy cavalry salvation’ (Abb. 3:8). He states, ‘teacheth also as a horse honourable in battle, and from him shall he look’ (Abb. 3:8). It implies that as God, He recognized those equipped for the task of preaching the Gospel, selecting from the lineage of Judah to fulfill this calling; He appointed them to execute His will, aid, and serve as mediators of the grace emanating from Him. He also asserts that ‘out of him,’ indicating that Judas, in his fury, shot arrows at his foes. He again affirms ‘he that goeth forth, and he that casteth out,’ which likely refers to him who brings destruction and captivity. This mirrors what the divine apostles accomplished when they brought the children of the Greeks to the great King, that is, Christ, to ensure their submission to Him after they had arduously shaken off the yoke of the devil's reign. Thus, the divine disciples emerged victorious over the Hellenic sages, seemingly trouncing the very dust they scattered; the Lord was with them, ‘who worketh great things, and things which are not traceable, glorious things, and exceeding great, which are not numbered’ (Job 5:9).

Christ also assured those who followed Him, ‘I give unto you power to tread upon the serpent, and upon the scorpion, and upon all the power of the enemy’ (Luke 10:19). It is essential to recognize that we emphasize this point, highlighting the spiritual interpretation of the words we are elucidating. However, the Jews refuse to perceive them this way; instead, they adopt a historical interpretation, arguing that following the period of captivity, Antiochus, known as Epiphanes, waged war against them, rallying numerous soldiers from the Greek territories and boasting the support of foreign armies. Yet, they affirm that Israel triumphed and achieved glory despite his brutality; it was during this period that the Maccabees, as martyrs, were adorned with a crown of glory (1 Macc. 6:7). To bolster their claim, they reference prior statements, including: ‘Wherefore I will strain thee as a bow, and I will fulfil Ephraim, and I will raise up thy children, O Zion, against the children of the Hellenes, and I will shew thee as a sword of a soldier: and the Lord shall be upon them, and his arrow shall come forth as lightning: and the Lord God Almighty shall sound the trumpet, and shall go forth in the noise of his praise. The Lord Almighty shall defend them’ (Zechariah 9:13-14).

From Him comes the gaze, from Him comes the foundation, from Him springs forth the furious bow, and from Him shall all emerge together, manifesting as warriors who crush their enemies like dirt in battle, ready, for the Lord is with them.

The Jewish interpreters have offered two perspectives on this passage; some believe that all these events will be fulfilled upon Christ's arrival, while others assert that these occurrences were realized during the Maccabean era. Nevertheless, the essence of the Lord's promise is this: He was displeased with the shepherds, leaders, and priests, as well as the goats, and visited His people as recorded in Jeremiah, "My people have become a lost flock; the shepherds have cast them out" (Jer. 50:6). Therefore, in response to the wrongdoings of the instructors, the students would face consequences, not in the unjust manner of a judge punishing children for their parents' transgressions, but because when they erred, the people supported their actions. In this way, the Lord turned His attention to the goats, or the fat lambs, leading them to wither and experience drought.

After this, the Lord returned to His flock in the house of Judah: He raised up Judah Maccabeus and other leaders of his time against the rulers of Antiochus, appointing them as His glorious horse, signifying those from his generation who had long oppressed the Macedonians. The phrases "From Him is the cornerstone, from Him the pillar, from Him the war-bow, and from Him shall come every ruler together" should be understood metaphorically. The cornerstone represents royal authority as it supports the structure; the pillar signifies the priesthood, as exemplified in Isaiah where Eliakim is metaphorically described as a pillar in the temple (Isaiah 22:20-24). The war-bow represents strength for battle; from Him will arise all rulers, as indicated in Hebrew by the term noges, translated by Aquila as εἰςπράσσων, suggesting that leaders will be both valiant and some less worthy of their lineage. Indeed, Judas Maccabeus and his contemporaries were also the cornerstone, for they led the people with royal vigor; they served as the pillar, being both leaders and priests; they also embodied the bow of war, being the fiercest of warriors, leading the charge into combat.

As for the words, "from Him shall come every ruler together," instead of the LXX rendering, "from Him shall come every one that bringeth forth together," we can interpret this to mean that there will be no commander in the army who will not act according to His desire. They will be exceedingly strong, trampling down the Macedonians in battle like dust from a roadway, and they shall fight valiantly because the Lord is with them. Our scholars relate this text to the time of persecution, highlighting how the people's vices often lead to their being handed over to their adversaries. Yet afterward, the Lord Almighty will come to His flock in the house of Judah, who confess the Lord with both their lips and hearts, and He will equip them for battle as His magnificent steed. As the saints proclaim, "Thou shalt mount His horses, and thy ascent is salvation" (Hab. 3:8). He Himself shall be the bow of divine wrath, as He states, "I will make My arrows drunk with blood" (Deut. 32:42), and again, "My arrows shall slay them."

Regarding this bow and these arrows, we read in the seventh Psalm (Psalm 7:13-14): "He has bent and readied His bow, preparing instruments of death; His arrows ignite with fire." Those who receive the crown of martyrdom shall trample over their foes, proclaiming, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life; whom shall I dread?" When adversaries rise against me to devour my flesh, those who oppose me and trouble me will falter and fall. Even if armies are assembled against me, my heart shall not fear; if war arises against me, I will trust in Him (Psalm 26:1-4). Then shall the promise be fulfilled: "One of you shall pursue a thousand, and two shall put to flight many thousands" (Deuteronomy 32:30).