Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
For--expressing the ground for encouragement to the Jews in building the temple: I (Jehovah) have laid the (foundation) stone as the chief architect, before (in the presence of) Joshua, by "the hand of Zerubbabel" (Zechariah 4:10; Ezra 3:8-13), so that your labor in building shall not be vain. Antitypically, the (foundation) stone alluded to is Christ, before called "the Branch." Lest any should think from that term that His kingdom is weak, He now calls it "the stone," because of its solidity and strength whereby it is to be the foundation of the Church, and shall crush all the world kingdoms (Psalms 118:22; compare Isaiah 28:16; Daniel 2:45; Matthew 21:42; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:6-7). The angel pointing to the chief stone lying before Him, intimates that a deeper mystery than the material temple is symbolized. MOORE thinks the "stone" is the Jewish Church, which Jehovah engages watchfully to guard. The temple, rather, is that symbolically. But the antitype of the foundation-stone is Messiah.
upon one stone shall be seven eyes--namely, the watchful "eyes" of Jehovah's care ever fixed "upon" it (Zechariah 4:10) [MAURER]. The eye is the symbol of Providence: "seven," of perfection (Revelation 5:6; compare 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalms 32:8). Antitypically, "the seven eyes upon the stone" are the eyes of all angels (1 Timothy 3:16), and of all saints (John 3:14-15; John 12:32), and of the patriarchs and prophets (John 8:56; 1 Peter 1:10-11), fixed on Christ; above all, the eyes of the Father ever rest with delight on Him. CALVIN (perhaps better) considers the seven eyes to be carved on the stone, that is, not the eyes of the Father and of angels and saints ever fixed on Him, but His own sevenfold (perfect) fullness of grace, and of gifts of the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2-3; John 1:16; John 3:34; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9), and His watchful providence now for the Jews m building the temple, and always for His Church, His spiritual temple. Thus the "stone" is not as other stones senseless, but living and full of eyes of perfect intelligence (1 Peter 2:4, "a living stone"), who not only attracts the eyes (John 12:32) of His people, but emits illumination so as to direct them to Him.
engrave . . . graying--implying Messiah's exceeding beauty and preciousness; alluding to the polished stones of the temple: Christ excelled them, as much as God who "prepared His body" (Hebrews 10:5; compare John 2:21) is superior to all human builders.
remove . . . iniquity of that land in one day--that is, the iniquity and its consequences, namely the punishment to which the Jews heretofore had been subjected (Haggai 1:6, Haggai 1:9-11). The remission of sin is the fountain of every other blessing. The "one day" of its removal is primarily the day of national atonement celebrated after the completion of the temple (Leviticus 23:27) on the tenth day of the seventh month. Antitypically, the atonement by Messiah for all men, once for all ("one day") offered, needing no repetition like the Mosaic sacrifices (Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:14).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Leviticus 16:20-22
Song of Solomon 5:12
Jeremiah 6:2
Ezekiel 9:2
Zechariah 3:1
Zechariah 3:2
Zechariah 3:4
Zechariah 3:8
Zechariah 4:10
Zechariah 5:4
Colossians 1:20
Revelation 3:1
Revelation 12:7
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
E-mail this page
