Zechariah 6:9–15

THE WORD OF THE LORD came to me: 10“Take ˻silver and gold˼ from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. 12Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. 13It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the LORD. 15Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”

Original Meaning

Exhortation (6:10–14)

THE LORD INSTRUCTS the prophet to “take . . . from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah. . . . Go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.” It is nearly impossible to ascertain the precise identities of these men, although most likely they are priests.6 Two of the men (Heldai, Josiah) have different names in the second list in verse 14 (Helem, Hen). Perhaps these are merely nicknames for these two individuals (meaning Strength, Grace); however, the second is probably a title for Josiah, designating him as the temple steward who cared for the donations for the temple.7 This view is strengthened by the fact that Josiah is called the “son of Zephaniah,” a powerful priest in the final days of the kingdom of Judah (Jer. 29:24–29; 2 Kings 25:18).

While the name Heldai (Helem) is not found elsewhere, Jedaiah is found in the list of priests who returned in the early Persian period (Ezra 2:36). According to 2:60, “descendants of . . . Tobiah” did return in the same period and because of concern over their lineage may have been of Levitical/priestly descent (2:59, 62).8 Further evidence that these four individuals are of priestly stock is suggested by the later practice of Ezra,9 who commissioned priests to transport silver and gold from Mesopotamia (8:24–32) into the care of priests at the temple in Jerusalem (8:33–34). Moreover, the introduction of the high priest Joshua in the next verse lends credence to the thesis that these individuals are priests.

Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah are “from the exiles” (haggolah), a term used for those taken away to Mesopotamia during the first quarter of the sixth century B.C. (e.g., Jer. 29:4; Ezek. 1:1).10 The phrase “who have arrived from Babylon” actually appears at the end of the verse after Josiah’s name, but it is a plural, so it cannot refer to Josiah alone. Perhaps it describes all four men, but its present placement is awkward. This difficulty is easily resolved by translating the Hebrew word ʾašer as “for” (causal particle, cf. 1 Kings 3:19) rather than “who” (relative pronoun). This clause gives the reason why the prophet is to escort the men to Josiah’s house (they have arrived from Babylon) and why the command is so vigorous: “Go the same day.”11

The clear identity of these individuals with the exilic community is key to this message, and thus the characters are introduced before even their precious cargo.12 This enhances the connection to the final night vision that announced release for the community exiled in “the land of the north” (Babylon; Zech. 6:8) and prepares the way for the interpretation in 6:15 that “those who are far away” will come (same verb as “arrived” in 6:10). This passage anticipates further arrivals from the exilic community and provides direction for the activity of those who come.

The prophet is then instructed to make a crown from their silver and gold and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. Joshua (cf. Ezra 3; Hag. 1–2; Zech. 3) played a significant role in the restoration of the temple service and structure. It is unclear whether Joshua is part of the caravan that just arrived with Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah.

The surprising feature of this verse, therefore, is not the appearance of Joshua, especially in a scene involving a priestly transfer of valuables for the temple project, but rather the symbolic act that is commanded. The prophet is told to make “crowns” (NIV “a crown”) and “set it on the head of” Joshua. There is no question that this phrase refers to placing a crown on the head of Joshua,13 but why would the prophet be asked to place such a symbol on the head of the high priest? Is this suggesting that the high priest will assume royal prerogatives?

In order to answer this question, we must examine closely the word “crown” (ine closely the word “croaṭarah).14 This Hebrew word usually refers to a literal crown on the head of a member of the royal court, usually the king (e.g., Ps. 21:3), but also the queen mother (Jer. 23:18) or an official (Est. 8:15). In most cases, however, the word is used metaphorically to denote honor or beauty (e.g., Isa. 28:1–5). In other words, the act of setting a crown on a high priest does not necessarily signify a royal coronation, even if it suggests a role for the high priest in the royal court.

After making crowns and placing one of them on the head of Joshua, God instructs the prophet to declare a prophetic word to the high priest (“Tell him”). This speech speaks of someone named ṣemaḥ (“Branch”).15 This oracle has precipitated even more debate among interpreters than the sign-act that precedes it.

Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15 use the title ṣemaḥ for a future figure who will grow from the royal line of David. Not surprisingly, royal imagery is used repeatedly in the lines associated with this ṣemaḥ in Zechariah 6:12–13: “clothed with majesty . . . sit . . . rule on his throne.” Confusing, however, is the apparent identification of Joshua the high priest with this figure, for the oracle about ṣemaḥ is directed to Joshua (“Tell him. . . . Here is the man”; 6:12), the string of descriptions of ṣemaḥ ends with the clause (“And he will be a priest on his throne,” 6:13), and a “crown” is placed on the head of Joshua (6:11).16 What one expects here is a reference to someone from the Davidic line and the most likely candidate, contemporary with Joshua, is Zerubbabel, grandson of the Davidic King Jehoiachin. Twice it is claimed that this ṣemaḥ will “build the temple of the Lord” (6:12–13), an activity linked to Zerubbabel in the oracle in 4:6b–10a as well as the tradition of the books of Haggai and Ezra.

There have been several approaches to clear up this confusion. Some have suggested oral or rhetorical solutions, in which Joshua’s speech is delivered in the presence of Zerubbabel and various sections of the speech are directed towards different people.17 The majority of scholars, however, have followed a trajectory set by Wellhausen, who posited the activity of editors who either substituted Joshua’s name here for the original Zerubbabel18 or inserted the oracle into a passage that originally focused on crowning the high priest or the returned exiles.19

The difficulty of this latter approach is that it is intertwined with views of sociological tension within this Jewish community. Some have highlighted the elevation of high priestly control over the civil affairs of the province in the later phases of the Persian period. It has been tempting to see 6:9–15 as “prophetic” legitimization for this later development. Others have been satisfied with a balance of royal and priestly interests here as it fits well with their view of a hierocratic-apocalyptic split in this period.20 Still others have noted the intense split between Samaritan and Yehudite factions in the Second Temple period and have seen 6:9–15 as an early attempt to heal this rift.21

It is not easy to resolve these intricate and intertwined issues, but we must begin with suspension of preconceived ideas about the sociology of this period. Because of the lack of historical evidence from this period, it is tempting to impose evidence from later periods onto this early Persian period, whether that means the Samaritan-Yehudite, the priestly-royal, or the hierocratic-apocalyptic rift of later periods. In addition, attempts to resolve the issue through appeal to scribal mistakes unattested in the textual witness should be avoided, as also should redactional theories that excise material that does not fit with one’s theory. Finally, attention must be given to the text itself, its vocabulary and imagery.

(1) Our point of departure is the conclusion of the speech to be delivered to Joshua. At the end of verse 13, Zechariah tells Joshua that “there will be harmony between the two” (lit., “there will be a counsel of peace between the two of them”). The key here is the final piece: “between the two of them,” which reveals that the preceding speech is somehow associated with two distinct people (cf. 2 Kings 2:11; Ex. 22:10).22

(2) Note the beginning of the speech to “him” (i.e., Joshua, Zech. 6:12a). The opening words are: “Behold a man, ṣemaḥ is his name” (NIV, “Here is the man whose name is Branch”). When the expression “Behold a man” appears in direct speech, it does not refer to the one addressed but rather to a third party (approaching, 2 Sam. 18:26; present, 1 Sam. 9:17; absent but accessible 9:6). Thus, ṣemaḥ cannot be Joshua but someone either present in or absent from the scene. This second possibility is strengthened by the fact that the one instance where the individual is present in the scene uses the article, “Behold the man” (1 Sam. 9:17), unlike Zechariah 6:12. That the referent is not in the scene accords well with the only other allusion to ṣemaḥ in Zechariah (3:8), in a speech also addressed to Joshua, which refers to ṣemaḥ as someone whom the Lord Almighty “is going to bring.”

(3) A closer look at the speech reveals the identity and role of both figures. The phrases in Zech. 6:12–13 reflect the cadence of poetic verse; that is, they are arranged in couplets of relatively similar length. I have provided my own translation to highlight the Hebrew poetic structure:

Behold, a man, ṣemaḥ is his name//He will grow [ṣamaḥ] from his place

He will build the temple of the LORD//He, indeed, will build the temple of the LORD

He will be clothed with majesty//He will sit and rule on his throne

A priest will be on his throne//A counsel of peace will be between them

The first couplet introduces the figure ṣemaḥ in the first colon and then plays off the name with the verbal root (ṣamaḥ) in the second.23 The main focus of the activity of this ṣemaḥ is provided in the second couplet: He will build the temple. The third couplet makes explicit the royal character of the ṣemaḥ figure by using vocabulary often associated with the royal office: to “be clothed with majesty” (e.g., Ps. 21:5); to “sit and rule on his throne” (e.g., 1 Kings 1:46).

These first three couplets share many contacts in vocabulary with the ṣemaḥ prophecies of Jeremiah in Jer. 23:5–6 and 33:15–16, the only other passages in the Hebrew Bible where ṣemaḥ is used to refer to an individual who grows (ṣamaḥ).24 In both Jeremiah passages this individual is identified as a Davidic descendant, the revelation of whom is connected to God’s return of a remnant from captivity to a rebuilt and prosperous city filled with inhabitants (Jer. 23:3, 8; 33:7–13). Both Zechariah and Jeremiah (33:7–9) use the verb “build” to refer to the rebuilding of the land with special emphasis on Jerusalem. Jeremiah 22, a passage that prepares the way for the first of the two prophecies of ṣemaḥ in Jeremiah (23:5–6), speaks of the loss of “majesty” for Jehoiakim (22:18) and of the condemnation of his son Jehoiachin, whose sons will not “sit on the throne . . . or rule” (22:30).25 The revelation of ṣemaḥ in 23:5–6 is the answer to the disaster of the Davidic line proclaimed in Jeremiah 22.

This evidence associates the ṣemaḥ figure with rebuilding the land and restoring the Davidic house promised by Jeremiah. But there is still no evidence of the second figure assumed by the final phrase, “between the two” (Zech. 6:13). It is the fourth couplet that introduces this second figure and then defines the relationship between him and the dominant ṣemaḥ.

The fourth couplet introduces the second figure as “a priest” who will sit on a throne.26 Although “throne” is usually associated either literally or figuratively with kings (e.g., 1 Kings 16:11; 22:10; Jer. 1:15), others can occupy this seat, even a priest like Eli (1 Sam. 1:9; 4:13, 18). Interestingly, there are instances in which two people are seated on thrones in the same room, and in each case the king is receiving counsel, from another king (1 Kings 22:10) or the Queen Mother (1 Kings 2:19). In both instances one figure is clearly dominant over the other.

This evidence suggests that the priestly figure will give counsel, a role confirmed by the phrase “counsel of peace” (NIV “harmony”) in the second colon of the fourth couplet in Zech. 6:13 (cf. 2 Sam. 15:31, 34).27 The reference to peace suggests that this counsel will be either positive counsel or counsel that results in prosperity.

Such priestly counsel is important in light of the earlier practices of the monarchy. Note how both royal terms associated with the priest in this passage—“crown” (Zech. 6:11) and “throne” (6:13)—are used of the Queen Mother (1 Kings 2:19; Jer. 13:18), a figure who had considerable political power in preexilic royal courts (1 Kings 15:11–13; 2 Kings 11:1), but also led preexilic Davidic kings away from pure faith (1 Kings 15:13; 18–19). Zechariah 6:12–13 envisions a high priest who will sit with the king to offer advice and keep him faithful to the Lord.28

We have argued, then, that the two figures assumed in this prophetic speech are royal and priestly, with the latter offering counsel to the former. Although the identity of these figures is not revealed, the language used implies the imminent arrival of the royal figure while the address to Joshua suggests he is either the priestly figure or a symbol of that figure. Most likely these two figures are Joshua and Zerubbabel, the latter of which has not yet arrived from Babylon.

This connection between royal and priestly figures has been encouraged by Zechariah’s reliance on the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 33:15–26 links the destiny of the Davidic house with the “priests, who are Levites” (see comments on Zech. 3). The arrival of the high priest Joshua presages the arrival of a royal figure, who will rebuild the temple. While assuring the priestly house that they will play a key role in the Davidic court, this prophecy reminds them of the preeminence of the royal line in authority and responsibility.

Instructions from God for the sign-act continue in Zech. 6:14. The two crowns are to be given to the four individuals as symbolic reminders of this prophetic action.29 The word “memorial” (zikkaron) is used elsewhere to designate objects that remind the people of someone or something (Ex. 13:9; 28:12, 29; 30:16; 39:7; Num. 10:10). The four men are to keep the crowns in safekeeping because the temple has not yet been constructed, but they are also key witnesses30 in this sign-act and representative of the community.

Bridging Contexts

AS ALREADY NOTED, the prophetic sign-act in 6:9–15 is important to the final literary message of the night visions of Zechariah (1:7–6:15), for it brings them “down to earth,” accentuating certain aspects of the message for Zechariah’s community. This immediately creates a challenge for those seeking to interpret this message for a twenty-first-century audience, for this literature was directed first to an ancient context. Rather than ignoring the ancient context, our goal is to identify the relevance of this message in its ancient context and then identify relevant connections to our experience today.

A message for Joshua. Zechariah 6:9–15 is first directed to a group of priests as they arrive in Palestine from exile in Babylon. The Lord instructs the prophet to perform a sign-act using treasures carried from Babylon. As the priests arrive in the land, the prophet ushers them off to the temple steward, Josiah, who will receive and catalogue gifts for the temple project. The gifts of silver and gold are made into two crowns, one of which is placed on the head of the high priest, Joshua. With this symbol atop Joshua, the prophet declares a message to the high priest in the hearing of these four men that prophesies the coming of another individual, a royal figure of David’s line, namely Zerubbabel, who will rebuild the temple and reestablish Davidic rule. The high priest will have a place of honor as chief counselor to Zerubbabel. The crowns are to be kept by the priests and eventually placed in the rebuilt temple as a reminder of this prophetic act.

This sign-act in its original oral context is designed to shape the actions of the priestly caste, who have already begun to return to the land. They must await the arrival of Zerubbabel, who will initiate the rebuilding project as representative of the Davidic house, which built the first temple. This timely message affirms the importance of the building project to those returning to the land. It reminds these priests of the need for cooperation between priestly and royal houses for this great project. It also offers hope to those who may be overwhelmed by the challenges of the building project that God will provide many others to assist in the work.

Loosed from that oral context, however, and placed into its present literary context, its meaning is expanded. It now follows the final night vision that describes the release of the exiles from Babylon and shapes the agenda of these returned exiles. God has released the exiles to rebuild the temple. He will provide leadership for this project, a royal figure with a priestly counselor, who signals a new era with the reappearance of figures linked to those responsible for the building of the temple in the early Davidic dynasty (Solomon, Zadok). The status of the priest is an important change from the royal court in the earlier era, for he now takes the rank of chief counselor to the king, an important safeguard to avoid the failures of previous Davidic kings and a strong reminder of the covenant priorities of the Lord.

In its new literary context, this message is appropriate for the community who are in the midst of the rebuilding project. It reveals that God has released them from bondage in Babylon to rebuild the temple, to which his presence will return. This clarifies what was only implicit in the oracle in Zech. 2:6–13, which applied the first three visions by calling the people to escape Babylon and rejoice that God’s presence was returning. This prophetic sign-act now focuses on the community’s role in rebuilding a residence for God’s glory.

This section also highlights and sustains the unity between the priestly and royal houses in Israel, an important exhortation as Joshua and Zerubbabel lead the community toward completion of the sanctuary. But it never loses sight of the community as a whole, reminding the leadership that they are not the only ones to return to the land, for it is “those who are far away” who have come and will continue to come to rebuild the temple. The view of the community in Zechariah 1–8 is one that remains hopeful of the ultimate return of the entire community to landed status in Yehud, even though this is not yet a completed reality. Thus, the restoration is not envisioned as a one-time event happening in 538 B.C. under Cyrus, but rather as a series of returns that continue for a time.33

The emphasis on the prophetic word at the end of the passage (6:15) reminds the audience of the need to obey God’s word revealed through the prophets. In this final position in the night vision complex, the conditional clause (“if . . .”) brings to mind the many lessons learned in the visions and oracles. The night visions have emphasized not only God’s grace and mercy toward his covenant people but also his desire for response and repentance. This response involves faith in the One who promised restoration and will protect and be present with them (2:4–5), courage to return to Palestine from the comfort of Babylon (2:6–13), and repentance from oppression of their fellow humanity (5:1–4) and infidelity against their God (5:5–11).

The night visions have consistently placed the prophetic word at the fore. Not only is the prophet the one chosen to reveal God’s response to his people, but in the center vision (ch. 4) the prophetic word functions as the oil that fuels the presence and rule of God on earth. This role is depicted in the oracles declared by Zechariah to Zerubbabel as he commences the building of the temple in 4:6b–10a and again is pictured in Zechariah’s interaction with Joshua and his priestly associates in chapter 3 and 6:9–15.

A message for today. In what way is this time-bound revelation relevant to the church today? We must start with its redemptive-historical significance. This sign-act signals the reinstatement of priestly and royal houses out of the ashes of the Exile, an act intimately linked to restoration of the temple. For those under the new covenant, it is easy to see the importance of the reinstatement of the royal house because of an emphasis on the Davidic roots of Jesus in the New Testament. But it is difficult to grasp why the priesthood and temple will be resurrected if God’s ultimate intention was to transition from a physical temple to a spiritual community and from an exclusive priesthood of Aaron/Levi to a messianic priesthood of Melchizedek (Heb. 4:14–9:28) and an inclusive priesthood of the new covenant community (1 Peter 2:5, 9).34

It is important to remind ourselves that the timeline of the history of redemption is not the same as that of the history of revelation. Although the biblical corpus sheds little light on the period after the time of Nehemiah, the covenant community continued to live by faith in what is often dubbed the Intertestamental Period. We must not forget that the temporal interval between Zechariah’s time and the coming of Jesus (520 years) is more than the interval between Zechariah’s time and the kingship of David (450 years). Although canonically we may feel as if we are on the cusp of the New Testament era, historically we are far from it.

God restores his people to life in the land and provides priests to sustain this remnant community for many years until the arrival of Jesus. The New Testament reveals the role of the temple and its worship in nurturing the messianic hope. Thus in Luke 2:21–40 we meet two individuals in the temple courts who are awaiting the arrival of Christ: Simeon and Anna. They are representatives of the remnant community who were sustained through the ministry of the temple and priests established in Zechariah’s time.

Thus, the message of Zech. 6:9–15 points to the redemptive-historical acts of God as much as Moses’ exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s victory in Canaan, David’s conquest of Jerusalem, or Solomon’s building of the temple. From the ashes of the Exile, God builds a new community by restoring the temple through the priestly and royal lines. Ultimately he will bring his Messiah to supersede temple, priest, and king and create the eschatological people of God, the church.

Through Christ we are linked to Zechariah’s community and can listen again to the timeless aspects of his message. The sign-act reveals patterns that are well attested throughout redemptive history and should be incorporated into our lives and communities. (1) The sign-act reveals that we are saved for a purpose. God’s salvation from exile is linked in 6:9–15 to the rebuilding of the temple, God’s place of residence, from which he exercises his rule on earth. This was true of the Israelites of old, who were saved out of Egypt in order to build a sanctuary for God, the tabernacle, and to worship the Lord God. This was true of David, who, after being given the throne, passionately pursued the establishment of the worship of God in his kingdom by bringing the ark to Jerusalem and preparing materials for the temple. So also Christians are redeemed by God in order to worship him and proclaim his kingship through the gospel.

(2) The sign-act reveals the importance of unity for accomplishing this great purpose. As God calls priestly and royal lines to unite to accomplish the great task of rebuilding, he highlights a principle important throughout the history of redemption: God works through his unified people to accomplish his redemptive work on earth.

(3) Finally, the power of the prophetic word cannot be overlooked. These vignettes remind us that one of God’s greatest gifts to his people is his prophetic word, whether that means encouragement or warning, promising or judging. The very fact that God reveals himself to humanity is an incredible expression of grace. God works through communities that pursue his priorities communicated through his Word. For those of us under the new covenant, this Word consists of the canonical expressions of God’s servants in the Old and New Testaments. But God continues to raise up his voices empowered to proclaim and practice this Word with relevance in the present generation. Thus Peter can say with confidence that those with speaking gifts are able to speak “as one speaking the very words of God” (1 Peter 4:11).

Contemporary Significance

SAVED WITH A PURPOSE. It is difficult today to lead the church without using vision, mission, or purpose statements. Trips to various churches reveals, however, the diversity of such statements, which change from community to community. Even in my own church I have seen two different vision statements over the past five years. On one level this shows the incarnational quality of the gospel as it speaks relevantly to various contexts, calling humanity in all of its diversity to God through Christ. On another level, however, it seems to reflect confusion over the purpose of the church.

What is the ultimate purpose of the church? Why has God redeemed us from bondage to sin? For some that purpose is evangelism: to proclaim the gospel to all nations. For many it is worship: to glorify God’s name. For others it is service: to provide for the physical needs of the community. For still others it is discipleship: to teach and equip the saints. These and many other priorities are reflected in the variety of statements that accentuate one of these over the others. But is there a purpose that lies at the core of God’s redemptive community?

I am convinced that the main purpose of the redeemed people of God is to participate in the restoration of God’s rule in this world. Zechariah’s community participated in this purpose by rebuilding the temple as the symbol of his presence and rule. Christ came proclaiming this rule of God (“kingdom of God”) and inaugurated it through his death, resurrection, and ascension. Today, Christ exercises and extends his rule through the church. Thus, as the church proclaims the gospel, it is fulfilling this purpose by announcing the kingdom. As the church worships the Lord, it attests to this rule on earth. As the church serves its community, it extends the kingdom. As the church equips the saints by teaching them obedience to Christ, it is expanding the rule of God qualitatively deeper into the life of a community of faith.

The early church was well aware of its role in extending the reign of God. They saw themselves as God’s temple (1 Cor. 3:16–17; Eph. 2:22), bringing God’s rule into everyday life. As they met opposition, they equated it with opposition against the reign of God and his Messiah described in Psalm 2 (Acts 4:23–31). The message of God’s rule was on their lips as they proclaimed the gospel. In Romans 10:14–15 Paul links the proclamation of the gospel to that of the messengers in Isaiah 52:7, who declared the victory of God through his powerful arm. That message of peace, good tidings, and salvation was simply: “Your God reigns.”

Thus, God’s rule is extended through a businesswoman who portrays the qualities of God’s character in her work. This means not only sharing the message of the gospel to fellow workers, but more importantly bringing Christian perspective, conscience, and behavior to a world where compromise is often the norm. God’s rule is extended through a plumber who exercises the creativity he possesses through the redeemed image of God within to provide the necessities of life. God’s rule is extended through the family, which provides for their community an example of God’s grace in relationships. We often miss the greatest opportunities for extending the reign of God in our world by limiting our vision to what are often considered vocational ministry positions such as missionaries, pastors, and evangelists. God has called all of us to extend his kingdom, bringing his presence into the entire world through word and deed.

Through the sign-act of Zech. 6:9–15, the prophet reminds the people that they have been redeemed from captivity for a purpose. As they give of their resources to the rebuilding project, they are participating in God’s redemptive program to bring his presence and rule on earth.

Unified for that purpose. Closely related is the theme of unity, which reminds us of the crucial role that the community plays in accomplishing this purpose. In the early church the reign of God was extended not through lone rangers traipsing across the Roman empire but through groups living and even travelling in fellowship (e.g., Acts 13:1–5). Jesus lay the foundation for this principle by sending out his disciples “two by two” during his earthly ministry (Luke 10:1). He continued this trend after his ascension by inaugurating his mission through the church at a gathering of his followers in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Although several main characters emerged from this community throughout Acts (Peter, John, James, Paul), these characters are firmly rooted in the community from which they were sent to extend the kingdom and to which they returned to find support (e.g., Acts 4:23–31). Their unity extended to even the sharing of financial resources (4:32–35).

Working and living in unity with others to accomplish God’s purpose takes humility. Joshua is given special privileges in Zechariah 6:9–15, but he is reminded at the same time that another will soon arrive who will take leadership in the rebuilding project. Obedience to this word means preferring one another for the sake of the kingdom. There is little room for those who grasp after position or honor.

This is a constant temptation for leaders within the church today, young or old. When I was a youth pastor, a key leader and I would take a short canoe outing during our annual pastor’s retreat. It was an opportunity to just relax and talk about life, but it also served as teachable moments, at least for me. One year as I contemplated my future, my mentor told me of a lesson he had learned in his life: “Mark, deepen your ministry where you are and allow God to broaden it.” To an impatient young man tempted to grasp after “greater” things, this was a poignant reminder that my life and times are in God’s hands and that my grasping only distracts me from the most important priority of deepening my life and ministry.

Joshua is exhorted to define himself in terms of another (ṣemaḥ); that is, he will have to learn how to play the harmony rather than the melody. Similarly, we are called to do the same in life and ministry, whether that means serving our spouse or children and placing their needs above our own or serving our fellow workers whether above or below us on the corporate or ecclesial flow chart. This echoes the teaching of Jesus on leadership. When a dispute arose among the disciples over who would wield the most authority and power, Jesus contrasted the leadership approach of the Gentiles, who “lord it over them,” and his kingdom: “The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:24–30; cf. Matt. 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45).

Unity is often thwarted by grasping after position and honor, but it also cannot be assured through vision statements. No doubt one of the greatest priorities of church leadership today is the creation and adoption of vision and mission statements. But such statements do not necessarily guarantee unity within the ranks of the church. If the adoption of these statements is not accompanied by love and humility from leaders, they will be rendered ineffective.

I remember another mentor exhorting me to love my people in the early phases of my ministry in a church. He encouraged me to continue the programs that were presently in place for at least a year and focus attention on loving the people under my care. Although frustrating for a strong leader, such patient shepherding creates the necessary conditions for the transformation of vision and mission. One must earn the right to lead God’s people, which comes through competence accompanied by love. In this way vision and mission can move ahead in unity.

Such sensitivity to the issue of unity is important as a community of faith embarks on new phases of ministry. Once I led a pastoral staff through a vision/mission exercise that caught the imagination of many on the staff. They were ready to pursue a unified vision rather than merely sustain past familiar practices. However, not everyone was prepared to sign on, and some noted that key lay leaders needed to participate in the process as well. Although disappointing for those who had embraced new vision, it was wise for this staff to pursue a longer process to ensure that all leadership as well as the congregation would own the vision. It took two more years, but the result was greater ownership and unity within that community of faith.

In the New Testament the apostle Paul spends considerable time speaking to the issue of relationships within the church, for he was convinced of the centrality of the church in furthering Christ’s kingdom in this world. Paul was passionate for mission, but he knew that such mission would never be accomplished through disunified communities. This message is echoed in Zechariah 6:9–15 as the prophet calls the priestly community to await the coming ṣemaḥ and follow his leadership.

Proclaiming that purpose. Obedience to the prophetic word is strongly urged at the end of 6:9–15. We have already touched on this theme, which appears regularly throughout chapters 1–8. Zechariah traces his word back to the God who sent him. He speaks not on his own authority or initiative but rather as a spokesperson for Almighty God. Similarly, Christ has raised up the church as his prophetic voice in this generation. When he sent forth the church in the power of the Spirit at Pentecost, Peter taught that this was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel (Acts 2). Interestingly, Joel’s prophecy speaks of God’s pouring out his Spirit so that his people will prophesy. The events of Pentecost, therefore, are interpreted as the ultimate fulfillment of the prophetic office in redemptive history. Through the Spirit-indwelt church God proclaims his rule in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Zechariah’s confidence is based exclusively on the fact that he has been “sent” by God. He does not act on his own authority but on God’s authority. This authority, however, is derived from the fact that his words find their origin in the mind of God. For the church today, commissioned to proclaim his rule in the present generation, this means passionate pursuit of God and his Word. Through Scripture and prayer God invites us into his throne room to shape our minds and fill our tongues with a timely and relevant message for our generation.

This is true for laity in the church as well, on whom the world will look and hopefully echo the Sanhedrin’s evaluation of Peter and John: “They took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). It is also true for those commissioned by God to feed his flock through the preaching and teaching of the Word that their gospel may come “not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1 Thess. 1:5).

Obeying that purpose. Zechariah’s message ends with the hope that this “will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God” (Zech. 6:15). As we will discover in chapters 7–8, even though there are positive signs in the response of the people in 1:6b, this community is still struggling with disobedience. This is an important reminder to the new covenant community that they are not only sent to proclaim the prophetic Word of the gospel with faithfulness, but also exhorted to listen to the Word of God with obedience.

God continues to speak through his prophetic Word, the Scriptures, and sends generation after generation of interpreters who are gifted in translating this word into contemporary idiom. As the church we are called to bend our knees before God’s Word, to search the Scriptures to check the accuracy of teaching, and to fulfill its demands. God promises much blessing to the kind of community who adopts the posture of submission before his Word, even the blessing of the presence of the ultimate ṣemaḥ, Jesus Christ.

This is often difficult in a world that constantly distracts our attention from the message and values of the Word. This explains why the prophet expresses this final phrase so strongly (“diligently obey”). He knows how easy it is to lose sight of biblical priorities. Note that this call to diligent obedience is prefaced by an emphasis on the source of the Word; that is, God’s people must obey diligently because this is a word from God. This shows us the importance of our theology of Scripture to obedience.

When we accept that these words are “God-breathed,” then it is not surprising that they are “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). When we grasp “that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,” then we will “do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19–21). Diligent obedience to God’s Word is based on acceptance of the authority of the Word.

For the new covenant community, this acceptance and obedience are based on an exciting development in New Testament theology, namely, that the source of the Word, the Spirit of God, indwells us and empowers us to accept it and fulfill its demands (Gal. 5:25). Diligent obedience involves a life of trust in the source of all obedience, the Spirit of Christ, who animates us to reject the “acts of the sinful nature” and to bear “the fruit of the Spirit” (5:19–23).

Original Meaning

Explanation (6:15)

WITH 6:15 WE finally move from exhortation to explanation of the sign-act. The explanation focuses attention on the fact that there are still many to return to the land from Babylon and that when they come, building will begin on the temple. Although the Hebrew word “those who are far away” is used to speak of foreign nations (e.g., Deut. 13:8), it is also used for those who are away from the land in exile (Dan. 9:7; cf. Isa. 66:19), which is likely the case here.

This is not meant to discourage those who have already arrived, but rather to encourage them that God will bring even more resources, both material and human, than those already delivered. Such resources will enable the community to “build the temple of the LORD,” echoing the phrase used in Zech. 6:12–13 of ṣemaḥ and highlighting his key role, while expanding the scope to include a whole community gathered around this royal figure.

The appearance of these material and human resources and the beginning of the temple project is linked to the integrity of the prophet Zechariah: “You will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.” This rhetorical technique (cf. 2:9, 11; 4:9) does not function merely as a prediction of future accolades for the prophet. Instead, it is designed to strengthen the prophetic word, subtly reminding the people that these words are not the remarks of a human acting on his own initiative but the declarations of one sent by the Lord.31

But there is a role also for those who see and hear the message of the sign-act. The fulfillment of the prophecy is linked to their obedience: “This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.” The Hebrew construction puts great stress on the act of obedience (“diligently obey”), but what is the focus of this obedience? Presumably, the prophet is exhorting them to await the arrival of others—especially the one named ṣemaḥ—who must be present before the temple rebuilding project is initiated.32 It is entirely appropriate for the priests to be passionate about beginning the temple project, especially since it is their livelihood. But the prophet exhorts them to await the fulfillment of his prophecy.

Bridging Contexts

Contemporary Significance