Zechariah 11:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The rod is entrusted to the Good Shepherd, who sacrifices His life for the sheep—this being Christ—who uses it to tend to His flock.

Prior to the incarnation, God and Lawgiver, the Son of God (begotten), guided Israel as if wielding a single rod—education under the law—as He proclaimed through the prophet, “I will shepherd you in the wilderness” (Hosea 13:5). However, upon taking on human form, He was given two rods, shepherding His followers—those justified by faith and sanctified through the Spirit—by the tenets of both law and gospel. He encourages them not to offer bulls as sacrifices, teaching instead to fulfill the service of the Spirit in a manner akin to a bloodless offering. This shift occurs as the shadow of the law transforms into the reality of truth, and symbols evolve into the radiance of Christian and gospel goodness. The name of the first rod, “goodness,” represents the new covenant, which is exceedingly marvellous, as the Son declared in Psalm 49:3. The second rod, termed “already,” signifies a portion, illustrating the law's intent to instruct that which is set apart for God, as stated: “When the Most High divided the nations, when He dispersed the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the angels of God. But the Lord's portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). Thus, it is proclaimed that the Great Archpastor will shepherd His flock with these two rods. This declaration is unwavering, for He has united both Israel and the Gentiles into one fold, providing them a lawful and gospel-centered education, granting them spiritual sustenance and abundant nourishment.

With these two rods, He intended to guide the bound flock: He would strike down three shepherds within a month, and He would be grieved, or as the Seventy translate it, His soul would be burdened with wrath against them. It is clear that this refers to the shepherds whom He struck down in a brief period. He also provided the rationale for His intense anger towards these shepherds, explaining that their souls had altered in their disposition toward Him. The implication is that they did not love Him wholly; likewise, the shepherds, the hirelings of the True Shepherd, did not sincerely love Him, for the Good Shepherd sacrifices His life for His sheep (John 10:11). Consequently, I declared my judgement with indignation, saying to those shepherds whom I struck in my wrath, or to the rest of the people after the shepherds had faced punishment: I will no longer shepherd you; let those who choose death meet their own demise, let them consume one another, and inflict torment upon themselves through mutual destruction. This has been articulated through a simple rephrasing to pave the way for further explanation. The Creator and Shepherd, whose voice the sheep recognize and follow, took for Himself two rods, or two σκυτάλας—referred to in Hebrew as macaloth—to exemplify that He acts in the manner of shepherds. One rod was termed decency, signifying the era of Noah, during which God safeguarded humanity by His blessing, even as humanity had yet to corrupt the restored world with sin. The summoning of all nations is regarded as honorable and beautiful, for there is nothing more just than the Father of all calling forth those He has begotten in the same manner. The other rod was labeled a bond, or a surveyor's rope, illustrating the time when the Most High divided the nations and dispersed the sons of Adam, establishing boundaries according to the count of the angels of God (Deuteronomy 32:8); thus, His people Jacob became the Lord’s parcel, and Israel His chosen inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:9). He stated, I shepherded the flock, referring either to Israel or, together with Israel, to all of humanity. He mentions striking three shepherds within one month. It is noted in the writings of some that these shepherds, struck due to the Lord’s indignation, represent the priests, false prophets, and kings of Judah, with all being struck simultaneously after Christ's suffering, as Jeremiah remarks: The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? They who had the law did not know Me, and the shepherds dealt treacherously against Me, and the prophets proclaimed by Baal’s name, following after idols (Jer. 2:8). Not satisfied with this interpretation, the interpreter suggests that the three struck shepherds symbolize those who have sinned against the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, all heretics offend either one, two, or all three persons of the Holy Trinity together. Let this interpretee state their own conclusions, for he must not malign the understanding of others. However, we believe the three shepherds struck down in one month refer to Moses, Aaron, and Mariam; of whom Mariam perished in the first month known as Nisan, in the wilderness of Sin: in that same location and month, due to the waters of contention, Moses and Aaron were condemned to not enter the promised land (Num. 20:10-13). It occurred that among these three leaders, one was struck with physical death, while the other two faced divine judgment condemning them to death. And My soul was angered with them, He states, referring to the three shepherds whom He appointed over His flock, because their hearts turned away from Me, and they did not glorify Me at the waters of contention. If, however, we interpret those final words as addressing the people, meaning the hearts of the people had also shifted in regard to Me, the meaning would be: I became furious with them, for they wavered between Me and idols, rebelling against Me in myriad ways. Hence, in My indignation, I said to Moses, I will not shepherd you: depart from Me, and I will scatter you (Ex. 32:10). When He expresses anger with the words, Depart from Me, it is a call for supplication, demonstrating that His anger can indeed be restrained. Let that which dies perish; and let the slain be slain; may the bodies of all perish in the wilderness, as these men, in their conflict, wound each other like wild beasts, allowing not one to enter into the promised land. Some perceive this as a dual calling—the calling of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, the former pertaining to Israel and the latter to Christians. Yet, as the calling of Christians was destined for the future, and since God nurtured and guided the Jews, they did not remain fully attentive to Him.

This is echoed in the holy Gospel, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold." "It is essential for Me to bring them, and they will hear My voice: and there shall be one flock, and one Shepherd" (John 10:16). In this way, He has united believers from the Gentiles with those from the Jews to form a single flock.