Zechariah 12:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He who suffered is also referenced in the prophecy: ‘and they shall weep for him with lamentation, as for a beloved, and shall mourn for him with grief, as for a firstborn’ (Zechariah 12:10). The Hebrew text begins this section with ‘and they shall look upon Me.’ However, this differs from the Septuagint's tradition and translation. The Hebrew phrase, rather than ‘abused,’ states: they shall look upon him whom they pierced; for it is recorded (John 19:34) that Pilate's soldiers pierced His side, thus justifying this prophecy as applicable to Christ. The message concerning His lamentation applies to Him: ‘And they shall weep for him with lamentation, as for the beloved, and shall mourn for him with grief, as for a firstborn.’ The crucifiers, having nailed the divine Temple to the cross, surrounded Him and mocked Him cruelly. Some scoffed, saying: ‘He who destroys the Temple and rebuilds it in three days, let Him save Himself’ (Matthew 27:40). Others remarked: ‘He saved others, can He not save Himself?’ (Matthew 27:42). After He willingly surrendered His life for us (1 John 3:16), He preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19) and rose during the earthquake, causing those who were at the cross to marvel and declare, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’ (Matthew 27:54); many experienced deep remorse. When the Roman army besieged them, bringing devastation to their land, burning their cities and laying waste to their homes—including the siege of Jerusalem and a famine that ravaged them—some finally began to comprehend the transgressions committed against Christ, understanding that these tribulations stemmed from their wickedness towards Him. Consequently, having scorned Him, they ‘shall weep for Him with lamentation, as for the beloved, and shall mourn for Him with grief, as for the firstborn.’ For tears flow unrestrained from parents mourning a beloved firstborn son who lies lifeless—grieving that is profound and ceaseless, filled with overwhelming anguish that burdens the soul. The tribulations that the Jews suffered were foretold by Christ when He addressed the weeping women, saying: ‘O daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children’ (Luke 23:28).

Historically speaking, the phrase "They shall weep for Him with deep sorrow, as for the beloved (the firstborn), and shall behold Him, the only-begotten," indicates that those who cherished Judas Maccabeus would grieve when the Gentiles wounded and killed him, mourning for him as if he were the only-begotten. The prophet affirms that they will indeed weep and lament for him with anguish, similar to a mother weeping for her firstborn, and her only begotten son.

Indeed, just as the Lord aimed to seek and save the lost, He will only dismantle the nations in the aspect of their hostility. Following this, He will pour out the Spirit of grace and mercy upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

The Apostle Paul also emphasizes this grace, noting that God’s grace has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us. The book of Wisdom further highlights the significance of this Spirit: who can comprehend what is in heaven unless You grant Wisdom and send Your Holy Spirit from above, thus guiding the ways of those on earth and allowing them to understand what pleases You. Through Isaiah, God declares, "I have put My Spirit upon you," and similarly, scripture states, "I have put My Spirit upon him." This notion of outpouring conveys a vastness, as exemplified in the assertion that God’s grace has been abundantly shared within our hearts. God also promises, "I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh."

Concerning the nature of this Spirit of grace, the Apostle to the Hebrews warns about the grave consequences of disrespecting the Son of God and treating the sacrificial blood, through which sanctification comes, as impure, thereby dishonoring the Spirit of grace. The Holy Spirit's gifts are diverse, and the Apostle wishes grace and peace to be multiplied for those forgiven their sins, which leads to peace in accordance with God’s mercy. The Jewish tradition acknowledges that some of these prophecies have begun to be fulfilled and anticipate further realization at the end of days. We maintain that with the coming of Jesus Christ, this fulfillment occurs daily.

Continuing from verse 10, "And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced and shall mourn for Him as for an only son, and weep bitterly over Him as one mourns for a firstborn." The Hebrew letters dalet (D) and resh (R) are closely aligned, differentiated only by a small mark, leading to varied translations. For example, in 1 Samuel, "Samuel was clothed with a linen ephod" is sometimes misread due to the similar letters. The error arises in the translation of the Hebrew word דקרו as either "pierced" or "attacked." The Evangelist John, drawing wisdom from the Lord's message, recorded what he read in the Hebrew, claiming it was fulfilled in Jesus's sufferings. Those who reject this must provide the scriptural evidence for their stance; if they cannot, they must accept the truth.

The Jews will grieve for the Lord as though He were their only begotten and firstborn, titles that additionally signify the Lord and Savior, who embodies both. He is referred to as the only begotten due to His divine nature and as the firstborn, raised from the dead, as attested by the Apostle. The Seventy translators referred to Him similarly as the beloved, echoing the Gospel account: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." They will mourn for Him, whom they crucified, when they behold Him reigning in glory. The Greek term that suggests mockery and derision was also interspersed with notions of triumph, reflective of their jeering words against the Lord, saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross.” Such mockery reveals their frantic disdain.

What, then, will signify His coming in such a way that no opposing force would dare to imitate Him? Christ declares that the sign of the Son of Man will emerge in heaven. The genuine sign, the true emblem, is the Cross itself. This luminous symbol precedes the King, who was previously crucified, so that when the Jews, who had previously pierced Him and conspired against Him, behold it, they will all weep from every tribe, lamenting, "This is He whom they killed; this is He whose face was spat upon; this is He whom they bound; this is He whom they crucified and humbled." They will ask in despair, "Where can we flee from Your wrath?" Surrounded by angelic hosts, they will find no refuge. The sign of the Cross brings terror to the adversaries of Jesus and joy to His faithful followers, those who believe in Him, proclaim Him, or endure suffering for His name's sake.