The Book of Zechariah, attributed to the prophet Zechariah, is included in the Twelve Minor
Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and is the penultimate book of the Old Testament of the Christian
Bible.
Historical context Zechariah’s ministry took place during the
reign of Darius the Great, and was contemporary with Haggai in a post-exilic world after the
fall of Jerusalem in 587/6 BC. Ezekiel and Jeremiah wrote prior to the fall of Jerusalem,
while continuing to prophesy in the early exile period. Scholars believe Ezekiel, with
his blending of ceremony and vision, heavily influenced the visionary works of Zechariah
1–8. Zechariah is specific about dating his writing.
During the Exile many Judahites and Benjaminites were taken to Babylon, where the prophets
told them to make their homes, suggesting they would spend a long period of time there.
Eventually freedom did come to many Israelites, when Cyrus the Great overtook the Babylonians
in 539 BC. In 538 BC, the famous Edict of Cyrus was released, and the first return took
place under Sheshbazzar. After the death of Cyrus in 530 BC, Darius consolidated power
and took office in 522 BC. His system divided the different colonies of the empire into
easily manageable districts overseen by governors. Zerubbabel comes into the story, appointed
by Darius as governor over the district of Yehud Medinata.
Under the reign of Darius, Zechariah also emerged, centering around the rebuilding of
the Temple. Unlike the Babylonians, the Persian Empire went to great lengths to keep “cordial
relations” between vassal and lord. The rebuilding of the Temple was encouraged by
the leaders of the empire in hopes that it would strengthen the authorities in local
contexts. This policy was good politics on the part of the Persians, and the Jews viewed
it as a blessing from God. Prophet
The name of "Zechariah" means "Yahweh has remembered." Not much is known about Zechariah’s
life other than what may be inferred from the book. It has been speculated that his
ancestor Iddo was the head of a priestly family who returned with Zerubbabel, and that Zechariah
may himself have been a priest as well as a prophet. This is supported by Zechariah's
interest in the Temple and the priesthood, and from Iddo's preaching in the Books of
Chronicles. Authorship
Some scholars accept the book as the writings of one individual. For example, George Livingstone
Robinson's dissertation on chapters 9–14 concluded that those chapters had their origin
in the period between 518 and 516 BC and stand in close relation to chapters 1–8,
having most probably been composed by Zechariah himself. However, most modern scholars believe
the book of Zechariah was written by at least two different people.
Zechariah 1–8, sometimes referred to as First Zechariah, was written in the 6th century
BC. Zechariah 9–14, often called Second Zechariah, contains within the text no datable
references to specific events or individuals but most scholars give the text a date in
the fifth century BCE. Second Zechariah, in the opinion of some scholars, appears to make
use of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, the Deuteronomistic History, and
the themes from First Zechariah. This has led some to believe that the writer(s) or
editor(s) of Second Zechariah may have been a disciple of the prophet Zechariah. There
are some scholars who go even further and divide Second Zechariah into Second Zechariah
and Third Zechariah since each begins with a heading oracle.
Composition
The return from exile is the theological premise of the prophet's visions in chapters 1–6.
Chapters 7–8 address the quality of life God wants his renewed people to enjoy, containing
many encouraging promises to them. Chapters 9–14 comprise two "oracles" of the future.
Chapters 1 to 6 The book begins with a preface, which recalls
the nation's history, for the purpose of presenting a solemn warning to the present generation.
Then follows a series of eight visions, succeeding one another in one night, which may be regarded
as a symbolical history of Israel, intended to furnish consolation to the returned exiles
and stir up hope in their minds. The symbolic action, the crowning of Joshua, describes
how the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of God's Messiah.
Chapters 7 and 8 Chapters 7 and 8, delivered two years later,
are an answer to the question whether the days of mourning for the destruction of the
city should be kept any longer, and an encouraging address to the people, assuring them of God's
presence and blessing. Chapters 9 to 14
This section consists of two "oracles" or "burdens":
The first oracle gives an outline of the course of God's providential dealings with his people
down to the time of the coming of the Messiah. The second oracle points out the glories that
await Israel in "the latter day", the final conflict and triumph of God's kingdom.
Themes The purpose of this book is not strictly historical
but theological and pastoral. The main emphasis is that God is at work and plans to live again
with His people in Jerusalem. He will save them from their enemies and cleanse them from
sin. Zechariah's concern for purity is apparent
in the temple, priesthood and all areas of life as the prophecy gradually eliminates
the influence of the governor in favour of the high priest, and the sanctuary becomes
ever more clearly the centre of messianic fulfillment. The prominence of prophecy is
quite apparent in Zechariah, but it is also true that Zechariah allows prophecy to yield
to the priesthood; this is particularly apparent in comparing Zechariah to "Third Isaiah",
whose author was active sometime after the first return from exile.
Most Christian commentators read the series of predictions in chapters 7 to 14 as Messianic
prophecies, either directly or indirectly. These chapters helped the writers of the Gospels
understand Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection, which they quoted as they wrote of Jesus’
final days. Much of the Book of Revelation, which narrates the denouement of history,
is also colored by images in Zechariah. Apocalyptic literature
Chapters 9–14 of the Book of Zechariah are an early example of apocalyptic literature.
Although not as fully developed as the apocalyptic visions described in the Book of Daniel, the
"oracles", as they are titled in Zechariah 9–14, contain apocalyptic elements. One
theme these oracles contain is descriptions of the Day of the Lord, when "the Lord will
go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle". These
chapters also contain "pessimism about the present, but optimism for the future based
on the expectation of an ultimate divine victory and the subsequent transformation of the cosmos".
The final word in Zechariah proclaims that on the Day of the Lord "There will be no Canaanite
in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day", proclaiming the need for purity in the
Temple, which would come when God judges at the end of time. The Revised Standard Version
has this: "There will be no trader in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day." In
the Masoretic Text it is: "and in that day there shall be no more a trafficker in the
house of the Lord of hosts." Footnotes
Sources The Student Bible, NIV. Michigan: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1992. D. Guthrie, New Bible Commentary. New York:
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970. Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion And Dynasty:
A Theology Of The Hebrew Bible. Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2003. ISBN 978-0-8308-2615-5
Carroll Stuhlmueller, Haggai and Zechariah: Rebuilding With Hope. Edinburgh: The Handsel
Press Ltd., 1988. ISBN 978-0-905312-75-0. This article incorporates text from a publication
now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George. "article name needed". Easton's Bible
Dictionary. T. Nelson and Sons. External links
Translations Zechariah translation [with Rashi's commentary]
at Chabad.org Online Bible at GospelHall.org