Zechariah 9:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If the murderers of the body receive no mercy, facing just punishments, what can be said of those who corrupt and destroy souls? Even the finest of the Greeks, who embraced the honor of worldly wisdom by discussing the divine hierarchy and coaxing worship toward creations rather than the Creator, and attributing to every element a divine renown, fall into this category. They misled individuals not just in their earthly journeys but also in what follows; for thereafter, countless souls perished, seduced by their falsehoods and enchanted by their frivolous tales. Ultimately, these misguiders will face ruin. The impurity of their texts will fade, their fables will become meaningless, and their essence consumed; struck down by the steadfastness of truth's doctrines, they are enveloped in them, and the obliteration of their audacious words has become a pleasing aroma to God.

In their drunkenness, it will not be the defeated who are intoxicated by their own blood, but the victors, who will engage in battle as if in despair, achieving acceptance before God, likened to the horns of the altar and its sacrificial offerings. This refers to the large vessels used for pouring offerings on the altar. The Lord will deliver them like the flock of His people, for they will confront the Macedonians not as a battle-hardened army, but as a flock prepared for sacrifice, relying solely on divine assistance for victory. The stones of the saints, who endure great trials and possess strong spirits, will emerge from their state of humiliation to shine in His land. Alternatively, the holy ones from a priestly lineage, journeying across various lands, will triumph, granted this by the Lord. We should also consider the deeper significance of this prophecy, which is filled with mysteries. The Lord will help the children of Zion overcome their enemies, which refers to the Greeks, and they will launch stones at them, turning their adversaries into obedient subjects of the Scriptures, for there is nothing more compelling than the Word of God, which strikes like a stone cast forth from a sling. The Septuagint reading states they will "drink their blood as wine," while in the Hebrew, it conveys that when they are drunk, they will be as intoxicated as with wine, echoing the invitation in the Song of Songs: "Drink, friends, and be drunk" (Song of Songs 5:1). Their inebriation will be made pleasing as a sacrifice upon the altar, and the horns—referring to the corners of the altar—symbolize God’s salvation for them as the flock of His people, because the sacred stones will move forward so eagerly, needing no waiting hands of builders; they will hasten to be placed upon the foundation of Christ, upheld by the cornerstone, as the Apostle Peter states: "As living stones, you are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God" (1 Pet. 2:5). These are the stones that will shout out when the Jewish people are silent (Lk. 19:40), moving upon the earth while still encased in earthly bodies, for such an existence encumbers the spirit with many concerns (Eccl. 9:15). Thus, the saint in the flesh laments, "Who will give me wings like a dove?" (Ps. 54:7); he struggles and reaches for the heights, yet is held back by the frailty of his mortal form. The earth upon which these stones move is the same earth we read about: "Sing to the Lord, all the earth" (Ps. 95:1), and "All the earth will worship You and sing Your praises" (Ps. 65:4).