Zechariah 11:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Tragically, the Jewish people, instead of holding the hired shepherds accountable, derided the true Shepherd who sacrificed His life for all, subjecting Him to stoning, mockery, and countless other insults. Joined by their leaders, they shouted to Pilate, "Take him, take him, crucify him" (John 19:15), bringing the righteous blood upon themselves, as they pronounced, "His blood be on us and on our children" (Matthew 27:25). For this reason, He declared that He would not spare those who reside on earth. They became undeserving of divine mercy and were surrendered into the power of their neighbors and their rulers, for they crucified Immanuel and became murderers of the Lord, filled with evil. However, God called them to repentance and refrained from pouring out His wrath upon them immediately. Indeed, thirty years after the Savior's crucifixion, the world turned away from the land of the Jews, leading to widespread conflict, with towns at war against one another, and the citizens of each city consumed by hatred and violence, causing their self-inflicted suffering to mirror that of war's devastation. Brave Roman generals seized the Jewish territories, burning cities and enslaving the people. Those who managed to escape sought refuge in pagan lands, a reality that persists to this day. This is likely demonstrated by the words, "I will send the sheep of the slaughter into the land of Canaan," referring to the land of the Canaanites. These Canaanites are indeed the Gentiles among whom, even today, the sheep of the law are seemingly tended by God, for they continue to observe certain laws and have not entirely abandoned their ancient traditions. They practice circumcision and honor the Sabbath, along with various other customs with diligence. This concept was proclaimed by the prophet, who said, "I will be to them a sanctification in the countries, and they shall enter into them" (Ezekiel 11:16). The internal conflicts that emerged throughout Judea, particularly in Jerusalem and every city, were vividly chronicled by a scholar named Joseph, who tragically depicted the misfortunes of the Jewish people.

They will divide the territory due to the sins of the populace, and I will not reclaim it from those who despoil it. The Greek rulers ravaged the land of the Jews, and the Romans fulfilled this devastation by dispossessing it of its people and transforming it into a wasteland.

This relates specifically to the land mentioned earlier, not the entire earth, despite the misinterpretations of the Jews who wish to consider God's judgment in a different light. After the destruction of the temple—an outcome of their own wrongdoing since they refused to repent during the forty-two years following the Lord's suffering—I will raise every man against his neighbor, leading to mutual destruction. During the siege when the Roman army encircles Jerusalem, strife and division will arise among the Jewish people, who will be split into three factions. Historical accounts, like those of Josephus, demonstrate that this prophecy has indeed come to pass. "And they shall smite the earth," indicates the Romans, who laid waste to the entire land and its cities. I will not rescue them from their power. O Judah, do not delude yourselves with empty hopes; listen to the Lord’s clear words: I will not deliver you from their hand, as your captivity by the Romans will be perpetual. I will tend to the sheep destined for slaughter, ensuring that the Jews remain ever-ready for death; for this is God's decree. O you, the true sheep of the flock, the righteous among the Israelites who have embraced the Lord Jesus and received the Son of God, pay attention to this message and grasp the mystery within. The phrase from the Septuagint, "And I will feed the sheep for slaughter in the land of Canaan," can be understood as indicating that the people of Judah, marked for destruction, are dispersed throughout the earth, both in the land of Canaan and in Gentile territories; the Lord will nurture them even as sacrificial offerings.