Zechariah 12:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Some rulers from the tribe of Judah, seated upon royal thrones, were near the height of glory. Others from the tribe of Levi, adorned with the high priesthood, were equally esteemed. What can be said about the judges and learned men who wore other honors? However, due to their defiance against Christ, they were turned over to their adversaries; as Vespasian and Titus ravaged their land and besieged Jerusalem, famine swept through all who remained, leading to universal grief and wailing. This is also attested to by Josephus, who remarked in his writings on the exile that in Jerusalem, ‘Wailing was everywhere in the city, the cry resounded far and wide, and the lamentation was contagious.' He referred to it as Lebanon and a forest, imploring, ‘Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars; let the pines weep, for the cedar has fallen, for the nobles have been devastated; weep for the oaks of the Bashan, for the oak that was planted is cut down,’ even calling it a garden destined for destruction. The divine Matthew corroborates this message as well, declaring to the people of Judea, ‘Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire’ (Matthew 3:10). Hence, he proclaims that sorrow will abound, akin to the despair surrounding a bountiful pomegranate orchard that is unexpectedly destroyed. Furthermore, ‘the earth shall mourn for the tribes, and their wives for themselves.’ It is evident that the blessed prophet did not intend to convey that men and women from each tribe would separate and weep in isolation, for this would seem unnecessary and aimless. Rather, he conveys that each tribe, accompanied by their wives, would have unique grounds for sorrow. Consequently, he states, ‘and the tribe of the house of David will mourn for themselves, and their wives for themselves.’ Let us now briefly consider the anguish faced by each tribe. Some from the tribe of David or Judah, mourning the loss of their esteemed kingdom, weep profusely for the demise of such radiant glory. Others from the tribe of Levi, stripped of their priestly honors, will grieve alongside their wives. There are also those from the tribe of Nathan, originally a prophet, though false, who now lament the inability to prophesy deceitful things, unable to mislead with their own words under the guise of divine inspiration, thus forfeiting their gains. Tradition holds that the judges of that time were men of understanding and knowledge of the law who were derived from the tribe of Simeon. They too have reasons to mourn, as they failed to judge righteously and did not strive to uphold God’s commands, instead becoming self-serving and corrupt. As the prophet notes, ‘Her princes are roaring lions’ (Zephaniah 3:3). Alongside these tribes, others share in the weeping, having lost their cherished traditions and facing the reality of death looming above them, with famine approaching like an enemy’s blade.

The tribe of David will mourn individually, along with their women; the tribe of Judah will grieve separately, and their women; the tribe of Nathan will weep apart, as will their women; the tribe of Levi will mourn independently, along with their women; the tribe of Simeon will also be separate from their women; and all other tribes will grieve apart, along with their women. Adadremmon refers to an ancient city near Israel, known as Maximianopolis in the field of Megiddo, where King Josiah fell in battle against Pharaoh Necho, a sorrow chronicled by Jeremiah in Lamentations, further verified by accounts in the book of Chronicles.

Just as the hope of the people rested in Josiah after other kings had turned away from God, and a great lament arose upon his death—reflected in Lamentations 4:20, which states "The breath of our lips, our anointed one, was taken away in our sins"—so too will there be mourning in Jerusalem following the crucifixion of the Savior, reminiscent of the weeping in Adadremmon at Megiddo. The emphasis on families mourning separately underscores that in times of grief and suffering, marital concerns and domestic affairs should take a backseat. Therefore, Joel, anticipating approaching captivity, proclaims that "the bridegroom will come out of his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room" (Joel 2:16), and in the context of the flood, God instructed Noah to enter the ark with his family (Genesis 6:18), and later to exit it (Genesis 8:16). This separation during peril allowed them to resume the lineage upon returning to the earth.

This applies not only in moments of distress but also in times of fervent prayer, as the Apostle conveys in his epistle to the Corinthians, advising against neglecting one another except by mutual agreement for the sake of prayer (1 Corinthians 7:5). Thus, members of the tribes of David, Nathan, Levi, and Simeon will separate from their wives to mourn for the only begotten Lord Jesus, for whom they declared, "His blood be on us and on our children" (Matthew 27:25). David represents the royal lineage of Judah, Nathan signifies the prophetic lineage, Levi denotes the priesthood, and Simeon symbolizes the teachers, as this tribe produced many educators. The mention of the other tribes is absent, signifying they did not hold similar esteemed positions. The reference to "all the other tribes, each tribe separately, and their women separately" encompasses all without detailing them.

It is also important to clarify that the term used in the Septuagint does not solely denote a pomegranate tree but refers to a place filled with such trees, as reflected in the Song of Songs, where the bridegroom expresses his desire to see if the vines and pomegranates have blossomed (Song of Songs 6:10). The Savior descended into the waters of this age, with His prototype Elijah saying He would drink from them (1 Kings 17:2-8), to gather the fruits of the vineyard and quench the thirst of His Church, who responds, "Thou wilt give me drink of the wine of fragrance with the wine of my pomegranate apples" (Song of Songs 8:2). Such drink not only alleviates the pain of the soul but provides healing and comfort. The beauty of the pomegranate reflects the Church's modesty, and the arrangement of its seeds symbolizes the various members of the Body of Christ, each fulfilling their distinct roles.

When the Savior discovers no fruit in such a vineyard, He declares, "The Father will remove every branch that does not bear fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit will be pruned to produce even more" (John 15:2). Moreover, John the Baptist warns, "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees" (Matthew 3:10) and affirms that every tree failing to yield good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire (Luke 3:9). At the time of judgment, when the vices are being eradicated, every earthly title will be shed as the Scripture is fulfilled: "Behold, a man and his works; the wheat will be separated from the chaff" (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17). There will be a great lament in Jerusalem, as judgment will commence with the saints, and leaders, priests, prophets, and teachers will beat their breasts upon realizing that their perceived beautiful fruits have been cut away while the one they pierced reigns in His majesty and that of His Father.

What then will be the sign of His return, so that the opposing forces dare not imitate Him? Christ declares that then the sign of the Son of man will manifest in heaven. The true emblem, the Cross of Christ, heralds His coming. This luminous symbol precedes the King, who was crucified long ago, so that when the Jews who had once pierced Him and conspired against Him see it, all from every tribe will weep, exclaiming, ‘This is He whom they strangled; this is He whose face they spat upon; this is He whom they bound; this is He whom they crucified and humbled.’ They ask, 'Where shall we escape from Thy wrath?' Surrounded by hosts of angels, there is nowhere to flee. The Cross serves as dread for the foes of Jesus, yet brings joy to His faithful friends, those who believe in Him, proclaim Him, or endure suffering for His name.