Zechariah 7:8-12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:9

Verse 9 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, (71) saying, The judgment of truth judge, and kindness and mercies show, every one to his brother. We have seen what the Prophet said of fasting, when messengers were sent by the exiles to enquire on the subject. It was a suitable opportunity for handling the question. For, as we then said, the people were so devoted to their ceremonies, as to think that the whole of religion consisted in fasting and in similar exercises. And as we are by nature prone to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:10

Verse 10 He mentions here some other duties, but for the same purpose of showing, that the fear of God is not proved by ceremonies, but by acting justly towards our brethren, and not by abstaining only from doing wrong, but by being ready to help the miserable. As widows, and orphans, and strangers are exposed as it were to plunder, Moses often in the law recommends them to favor, and shows that God cares for them, and will be their defender, when by one injured. So also the Prophet speaks here... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:11

Verse 11 The Prophet here by referring to the fathers more sharply reproves the Jews of his age; for he saw that they differed but little from their fathers. The sum of what he says is, that the Jews in all ages dealt unfaithfully and perversely with God; for how much soever they boasted of their care and zeal for religion they yet sought to satisfy God only by vain trifles. This then was the Prophet’s object. For it is certain that there ever had been some pretense to religion in that nation... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Zechariah 7:12

Verse 12 He then comes to the heart, They made, he says, their heart adamant, or the very hardest stone. Some render it steel, and others flint. It means sometimes a thorn; but in this place, as in Ezekiel 3:9, and in Jeremiah 17:1, it is to be taken for adamant, or the hardest stone. (75) We now see that the Prophet’s object was to show that the Jews had no excuse, as if they had fallen away through error or ignorance, but had ever wilfully and perversely rejected sound doctrine. The Prophet... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:1-14

God and men. I. THE UNITY OF GOD 'S PURPOSE . God's thoughts do not vary, though he varies his methods. His end for nations and individuals is always the same—advancement, not merely in knowledge and culture, but in moral goodness. II. THE MERCIFULNESS OF GOD 'S WARNINGS . At no time hath God left himself without wirelesses. By word and providence and in countless ways his warnings come. We see this in the past. ( Zechariah 7:7 , "former prophets.") So in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:8

Unto Zechariah. The prophet speaks of himself in the third person, as in Zechariah 1:1 . A further explanation of God's answer is next given. Some critics suppose that this verse is an interpolation, and that Zechariah 1:9 , Zechariah 1:10 are "the words" referred to in Zechariah 1:7 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:8-14

§ 8. The people are further reminded that they had been disobedient in old time, and had been punished by exile. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:8-14

Hypocrisy warned. "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts," etc. The severe rebuke of the previous verses seems followed up in these verses by a very solemn yet very merciful warning, intended apparently to save the Jews from the various evils to which their hypocrisy had exposed them. The language of God to their fathers, as referred to in verse 7, appears still (note "thus spake ," according to Pusey, Wardlaw, and others, in verse 9) the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:8-14

Religion, genuine and spurious. "And the Word of the Lord," etc. From this passage we infer three facts. I. GENUINE RELIGION IS PHILANTHROPIC . ( Isaiah 1:16 , Isaiah 1:17 ; Isaiah 58:6 , Isaiah 58:7 ; Matthew 5:44 .) "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute tree judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother," etc. Here is the ritual, the manifestation, the proof of genuine religion, and it is practical philanthropy. The sign and evidence... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 7:9

Thus speaketh; thus saith. The Lord hath always so said, and saith so now. Revised Version, thus hath the Lord of hosts spoken, saying. Execute true judgment; literally, judge ye judgment of truth; i.e. judge according to truth without bias or partiality. The same phrase occurs in Ezekiel 18:8 . Exhortations to this effect are often found; e.g. Exodus 23:6 , etc.; Deuteronomy 24:14 ; Isaiah 1:17 ; Jeremiah 7:5-7 ; Jeremiah 22:3 . Show mercy. Kindness and love in... read more

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