Zechariah 3:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The agrarian workers who put the Lord to death would be expelled from the vineyard, which would then be entrusted to others—specifically, the Holy Apostles and Evangelists, who would nurture it to become bountiful and thriving. "For a righteous king shall reign, and princes will rule with justice," as the prophet declared (Is. 32:1). Another priest will arise, not from the lineage of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek, "a minister of the saints and of the true sanctuary, which the Lord set up, not man" (Heb. 8:2). Our Lord Jesus Christ entered the Most Holy Place "not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:12) and "by one sacrifice He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Heb. 10:14).

Thus, for God to avoid being perceived as deceptive in promising that the legal priesthood would perpetually oversee and judge in its domain, it was essential for Him to prefigure the mystery of Christ, revealing that the legal rites would come to an end and that He would judge His house through His own lineage—that is, by His Son. In this way, He authenticates Jesus and those in proximity to Him, referring to the Levites and priests, for the Levites were appointed to serve the high priest. Among them, the priests, as the most esteemed according to the law, were privileged to be members of the Sanhedrin; they were often referred to as seers due to their constant desire for signs and inclination towards miracles, a tendency inherent in the Jewish people.

When Christ crafted a whip from cords and drove everyone out of the temple, asserting, "Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of merchandise" (John 2:16), they questioned Him, "What sign do you show us, since you do these things?" (John 2:18), and "Who gave you this authority?" Others also approached Him, asking, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you" (Matt. 12:38). Thus, He indicated that, as men favored by God, they should recognize the future and almighty performer of miracles, which they constantly sought. Who is He? "Behold, I bring My servant, the Rising Sun." As God in essence and the Only-begotten of the Father, He appeared, and as such, He is unbound; yet He "humbled Himself" according to Scripture, taking on the form of a servant for humanity's sake, although He is God and Lord of all. He was also the Rising Sun, the true light; He came to illuminate those dwelling in darkness and who, because of worldly indulgences, were ensnared in spiritual slumber. He awakened us and shone upon us with His grace.

Therefore, the wise Paul reminds us: "The night is far gone, and the day is at hand; let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime" (Rom. 13:12-13); and again, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Eph. 5:14). He thus foreshadows the magnificent deeds of our Savior, which He accomplished at His coming. He refers to Him as a servant, reflecting His humbled form while naming Him the Rising Sun as the authentic light, the day spring that ignites souls and enlightens hearts. Additionally, He refers to Him as a stone, asserting that it was placed before Jesus, signifying that He bears seven eyes. The legitimate priesthood, which we regard as embodied in Jesus, was to have continually before it "a chosen stone, a precious cornerstone laid for the foundation of Zion" (Isa. 28:16), constantly watched over, with seven eyes representing perfect observance; thus, it is said that "the barren has borne seven" (1 Sam. 2:5).

Who can deny that the divine and ineffable nature of the Son—having thousands of eyes—oversees all things and keeps watch over us? "The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account," as it is written (Heb. 4:12-13).

The divining men accompanying Jesus, the high priest, son of Josedech, symbolically represent the holy Apostles, the followers of Christ, to whom the spirit of the prophet clearly directs our attention to Christ, declaring, "Behold, I am sending My servant the East." According to some interpretations, the Prophets are referred to as the men favored by the Almighty.

Conversely, our tradition maintains that the names Jesus, the great priest, the East, and the stone represent different aspects of Christ. Yet, it is challenging to comprehend how He can refer to Himself as though He is another.

Those interpreting this text as referring to Jesus the son of Josedech, the great priest, along with his companions who sit in his presence, might imply his disciples and prophets. For prophets are indeed appointed to proclaim what is to come. Therefore, what does it mean for Jesus and his companions to hear the statement, "I will bring my servant East"? Historically, God had assured Jesus, the son of Josedech, the great priest, that if he adhered to His ways and commandments, He would oversee his household and protect his sanctuary, granting him ministers akin to angels. Now, it is revealed to him the complete joy and perfect blessing that will arrive when the East comes, of whom it is said, "Behold the man, the East is his name" (Zech. 6:12), and in Malachi: "The sun of righteousness shall rise upon you who fear My name, and healing will be found in His wings" (Mal. 4:2). Likewise, in Numbers, it is written, "A star shall arise out of Jacob, and a man shall rise from Israel" (Num. 24:17).

In the Gospel we also clearly read about Christ: "The East has visited us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79). This East is identified as the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20), for it unites two nations and merges them into one household. To those without faith, it becomes the stone of stumbling referred to in the Psalms: "The stone which the builders rejected, this stone has become the head of the corner. The Lord has done this" (Psalms 117:22-23). The seven eyes on this stone are spoken of in Isaiah: "A shoot will spring up from the root of Jesse, and a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord will fill Him" (Isa. 11:1-3).

Those interpreting the words pertaining to the great priest and his companions as referring to the Lord Redeemer view the miracle witnesses and prophets as the Apostles, who discern divine mysteries and understand the future through their present experiences. Additionally, in the man born blind, the restoration of sight (John 9) symbolizes the Gentiles, while the woman healed of her bleeding (Matthew 9) represents the Church liberated from sinful actions. The phrase, "Therefore, this is the stone I have placed before Jesus," is understood by those who appreciate history as a reference to Christ, asserting that post-Jesus, son of Josedech, the Christ has arrived. To be situated before Jesus, that is, in his presence, signifies prophesying the future, and he is called a stone due to the strength and stability with which he will shatter all kingdoms. Of this stone, we also read in Daniel that it was cut out of a mountain without human hands (Dan. 2:34).