Zechariah 14:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is entirely fitting to anticipate the defeat of these foes and the eradication of those who oppress the faithful.

He narrates the unfolding of this theme: “This, says He, shall be the fall, whereby the Lord shall cut off all men that fight against Jerusalem: their flesh shall pass away, and their eyes shall expire, and their tongue shall pass away.” While the common and natural death affects all flesh, it is especially grievous when it involves the living who continue to stand defiantly, as their eyes fade and their speech is silenced. This fate shall befall those who embrace a life opposed to God and are accursed. Their punishment will extend beyond their transgressions against the saints; it will encompass the sensuality that led to their rejection of the faith and the unwillingness to lead godly lives, as well as their failure to cherish the glory found in Christ. Their hearts have become enslaved to immoral delights, hungrily desiring every visible temptation. Moreover, they have turned their tongues against Christ and launched blasphemous attacks on the sacred teachings of the Church. Thus, they rightly face punishment upon their bodies, their eyes, and their tongues.

Just as the woman who drank the water of reproach and broke her vow faced judgment upon her breast, which drew accusations of immorality—“her bosom shall be puffed up, her womb it is said, and her bosom shall fall away” (Num. 5:27)—those who persecute the holy city are destined to receive similar retribution against their flesh, their eyes, and their tongues. Their lives are marked by worldly desires, covetousness, and the seduction of their sight and speech.

Some may contend that the nations facing judgment will be those that continue in their hostility against Jerusalem, resplendent with gold and precious stones. However, we assert that all persecutors of the Lord's Church—past and future—have already, in this life, faced consequences for their actions. Reflecting on ecclesiastical histories, consider the misfortunes faced by Valerian, Decius, Diocletian, Maximian, the most vicious of all, and the even more recent Julian, and one will see in those events a clear affirmation of the prophecy's truth: their flesh rotted, and their tongues decayed.

If these words might suggest a portrayal of divine cruelty to some, let it be understood that such occurrences exist to ensure that, through the weakening of evil, goodness may flourish. Indeed, those who remain steadfast in the Lord will find their earthly nature diminished, allowing their spiritual essence to be renewed. Their eyes, which have gazed improperly, will give way to new sight, enabling them to behold the Lord, akin to the psalmist who declares, "I have lifted up my eyes to Thee who dwells in the heavens" (Psalm 122:1). The wicked tongue will also wither, making room for a new tongue that glorifies the Lord, proclaiming, "My tongue shall meditate on Thy righteousness, all the day long on Thy praise" (Ps. 34:28). Thus Simeon, holding the Child, proclaims His future: "Behold, He is destined for the fall and for the rise of many" (Lk. 2:34). The Lord affirms, "For judgment I have come into this world, that they who do not see may see, and they who see may be blind" (Jn. 9:39). The gentile nations were blind but, upon believing in Christ, began to see the light of Truth, which says through the prophet: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor; He sent Me to proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind" (Is. 61:1-2). It is written that a man's wisdom illuminates his face, and in the Psalms, we read that "The Lord opens the eyes of the blind," meaning He grants them wisdom (Psalms 145:8), as this latter phrase more accurately captures the meaning. The Jews had sight; however, due to their refusal to embrace the light, they remain enshrouded in eternal darkness.