Zechariah 11:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I contend that the three shepherds represent the priests as stipulated in the law, the appointed judges of the people, and the scribes or legal scholars who collectively served as guardians of Israel. The priestly order was derived from the tribe of Levi, as Malachi states, “The mouth of the priest shall keep his knowledge, and the law shall be sought from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7). Judges, although chosen from various tribes, had a sacred duty to the community. (Malachi 2:7). Likewise, the scribes, or legalists, were affiliated with those serving in judicial capacities, often confirming their decisions with citations from the law. The notion that the ministers of divine truth originated from Levi requires no further evidence. However, the blessed Moses asserted that judges and scribes were appointed from every tribe, instructing the Israelites in Deuteronomy to “set for yourselves judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you by your tribes: and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous” (Deuteronomy 16:18-19). Hence, the three shepherds consist of priests, judges, and those skilled in the law.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, too, lamented specifically over the Pharisees and lawyers. Thus, He declared, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees” (Luke 11:44). In response to this, a lawyer approached Him, saying, “Teacher, you speak these things and reproach us.” To which Christ responded, affirming, “Woe to you, lawyers, for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (Luke 11:45-46).

Furthermore, even the rulers of the tribe of Judah who governed Jerusalem at the time fulfilled their duties as shepherds concerning the subordinate nations. However, with the birth of Christ, the royal lineage had either faded or lost its prominence, as Herod, the son of Antipater of Ascalon, and Pontius Pilate governed Judea. Thus, it became necessary to refrain from mentioning the kings from Judah. The disappearance of this royal line at Christ's birth is substantiated by the declaration, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:10). Therefore, as the awaited one, Christ's arrival meant the end of the princes from Judah.

Consequently, the three shepherds—namely the priests, judges, and teachers of the law—maintained their positions until the time of Christ's coming. Their destruction is assured and just within a month, for they were responsible for the death of the Prince of Life. Thus, they faced judgment as if in the same month that Immanuel was crucified for our sake. It is indeed true that post the Savior's death on the cross, there were still leaders in Israel, but God Almighty, in His patience, called them to repentance. Nonetheless, regarding God's decree, it is evident that their demise coincided precisely with the moment they crucified the Savior and Redeemer of all. Thus, their downfall occurred within that same month.

These words encapsulate the fate of the shepherds. The statement, “I will not be their shepherd,” and “If they dare to devour one another” rightly describes them, for they relentlessly consumed each other and became easy targets for those who sought to exploit them. He proclaimed, justly, concerning those three shepherds who fell within a month, that “my soul is distressed within me,” indicating that He would inflict a severe punishment upon them, and “their souls cry out against me,” for like wild beasts, they relentlessly pursued Christ and ultimately delivered Him to Pilate, clamoring, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Jeremiah reflects this lament, stating, “I have forsaken my house; I have abandoned my heritage; I have given the beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies. My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; it has lifted up its voice against me; therefore, I hate it” (Jeremiah 12:7-8).

In another interpretation, the phrase regarding the destruction of the three shepherds signifies that on the day of His crucifixion, the Lord abolished, alongside the old covenant, the royal, priestly, and prophetic status from among His people. And my spirit was burdened within me; for their souls cried out against me; in other words, their spirits protested, perceiving that I was harming them rather than guiding them.

For the Creator of all and God unveils the mysteries of His creation, stating that He possessed two rods, one termed Decency or Goodness, representing a time of blessing akin to that of Noah, during which He protected humanity before they sullied the restored world with sin. The second rod, called Bonds, serves to illustrate the time when the Most High dispersed the nations and established boundaries aligned with the number of the angels (Deuteronomy 32:8). During this, His people, Jacob, became His chosen inheritance, and Israel His allotted portion (Deuteronomy 32:9).

I tended the flock, meaning I tended either this Israel or the entirety of humankind. When I mention striking down three shepherds in a month, some interpretations suggest this refers to the priests, the false prophets, and the kings of Judah, all of whom felt the Lord's wrath post-Christ’s suffering. Jeremiah testifies that the priests failed to seek the Lord, and the shepherds acted treacherously (Jeremiah 2:8). Others propose that these three shepherds symbolize those who have sinned against the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is acknowledged that heretics may trespass against one, two, or all three persons of the Holy Trinity.

However, it seems that the three struck down are Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; Miriam died in the month of Nisan in the wilderness of Sin, and in that same month, Moses and Aaron were barred from entering the Promised Land due to the waters of contention (Numbers 20:10-13). Consequently, while one of these leaders suffered actual death, the other two were sentenced to death by divine decree. My soul was displeased with the three shepherds appointed over My flock, for their hearts had shifted towards Me, failing to honor Me at the waters of contention.

If these words refer to the people instead, indicating their change of heart towards Me, it suggests that I grew angry because they vacillated between loyalty to Me and idolatry, rebelling against Me in numerous ways. In my wrath, I told Moses that I would not shepherd him; I urged him to leave and foretold scattering (Exodus 32:10). Even in His anger, when He calls for departure, He indicates the possibility of mercy and restraint. Let that which dies perish; let the slain be slain; let their corpses lie in the wilderness, and let those in conflict wound one another, ensuring that none enter the Promised Land.

Some perceive a dual calling—one for the Jews and the other for the Gentiles, with the former focusing on Israel and the latter on Christians. However, since the Christian call was delayed and the Jews were nurtured by God, they became less vigilant in their attentiveness to Him.