Zechariah 13:6

Sometimes false prophets cut themselves to arouse prophetic ecstasy, to increase ritual potency, or to identify themselves with a particular god (cf. Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28; Jeremiah 16:6; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 48:37). If someone saw such marks on a false prophet’s body in that future day, the false prophet might claim that he had received his injuries by accident in a friend’s house. The modern practice of claiming, "I walked into a door," to avoid telling the real reason for an injury is similar.

Though some expositors believed this verse describes Messiah and His wounds, the preceding context and lack of any New Testament citation of the verse in relation to Messiah argue against this view. [Note: Ibid., pp. 228-30; and R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and D. Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 865; were proponents of the messianic interpretation.]

"This verse is best understood as an evasive reply of a false prophet in the last days. It carries on and concludes the subject begun in Zechariah 13:2. By no valid interpretation may it be referred to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no clear change of subject between Zechariah 13:5-6 such as exists between Zechariah 13:6-7. Christ would not claim that He was not a prophet (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15-18); He was not a farmer; He was not bought or sold from His youth. Zechariah 13:7 does speak of Christ, as Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27 attest." [Note: The New Scofield . . ., p. 975. Cf. Feinberg, "Zechariah," p. 910.]

"As is always the case with genuine conversion, there are both negative and positive aspects. The positive consists of the restoration to fellowship that takes place when sin has been forgiven (Zechariah 13:1). The negative involves the removal of those habits and attitudes that occasioned the interruption of fellowship between God and His people in the first place (Zechariah 13:2-6)." [Note: Merrill, p. 328.]