Zechariah 11:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord of the flock Himself reprimanded these figures through the holy prophets, proclaiming, “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and waste the sheep of my flock” (Jeremiah 23:1), and again, “Forasmuch as the shepherds are troubled, and do not seek the Lord: for this reason the whole flock does not understand, and is wasted” (Jeremiah 10:21). He also foretold that to those who placed their faith in Him, He would appoint righteous shepherds, declaring, “I will bring you into Zion, and will give you shepherds according to my heart, and will shepherd you with understanding and doctrine” (Jeremiah 3:15).

Who are these shepherds? They are the divine disciples and leaders of the churches in their time, "rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15), guiding their entrusted followers towards spiritual growth. Thus, the false shepherds mourned their diminished glory. He further illustrates this by adding, “the voice of roaring lions, that the staggering of the Jordan was embittered.” The roaring signifies the lamentations of the lions, which they emit when they suffer from hunger and thirst—this imagery is also found in Scripture. The Jewish leaders, akin to these roaring lions, were deprived and mourned their failure to receive offerings, tithes, and gifts from the nations; having lost their flock, they no longer reaped its benefits. If anyone perceives that the scribes and Pharisees also bellowed like lions at Christ, having shouted accusations against Him with envy, malice, and outright madness—calling Him a Samaritan (John 8:48), labeling Him a glutton (Matthew 11:19), and branding Him as born of fornication, demanding “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (John 19:15)—this person comprehends the situation rightly. Nevertheless, despite their roars, they found themselves significantly diminished, “for the staggering of the Jordan was embittered.”

To clarify this, I will elaborate. The Jordan flows close to Jericho, and nearby, many lions, whose fearsome roars create extreme terror for the inhabitants. Such was the nature of the scribes and Pharisees, who intimidated the flock and frightened the weak with their authoritative threats. “But the fear of lions was embittered”—this closely resonates with the phrase “the staggering of the Jordan.” The term ‘shatania’ refers to the sound emitted by horses and mules through their nostrils, coming forth with great force. It can also imply pride. The divine David remarked of those who rebelled against Christ, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot in vain?” (Psalms 2:1). Therefore, when mentioning “the staggering of the Jordan,” he signifies pride—not of the river itself, but rather of the lions that dwell nearby, as sometimes the places denote the attributes of their inhabitants.

The mention of lions evokes a deeper symbolism, illustrating the pride of the Jordan that has now been devastated, along with the tumult and splendor of the flowing waters, referred to in Hebrew as "gaon."

In this analogy, the height of the temple is likened to that of Lebanon, which stands as the tallest in the Promised Land, noted for its copious forests and shade, and he draws parallels with the Jordan River, the most significant river in Judah, known for its banks inhabited by lions. The roar of these lions is related to the roar of the waters, emphasizing the desperation arising from the arid wilderness and the vast stretches of uninhabited land filled with reeds and rushes. Thus, through the words of the prophet, it is proclaimed: "A lion comes up from Jordan" (Jeremiah 4:7), illustrating how Nebuchadnezzar approached Jerusalem like a lion emerging from its den. The roar signifies the grief of the elders, mourning the destruction of the temple, from which they once sought deliverance, and where once existed those who represented justice, valor, and strength.