Zechariah 11:7-14 - Homiletics

A final opportunity.

"And I will feed the flock of slaughter," etc. Although the "flock" of Israel was ripe for "slaughter"—as we saw in our last—there was to be, nevertheless, a certain measure of pause before that slaughter began. Israel should hear again, if only once more, an offer of peace. Our present very difficult passage may, perhaps, be understood as describing how such an offer was made to rebellious Israel—just previously to that destruction of Jerusalem which seems predicted in the preceding verses—by our Lord himself (the good Shepherd) and his apostles. Also it seems to describe to us how that final offer was met. These, accordingly, are the two points on which we would speak; viz.

I. THE NATURE OF THIS FINAL OFFER . This Seems to be represented to us:

1 . By the good Shepherd's resolve. "I will feed the flock"—I will attend to them carefully; I will offer them all they require. Also:

2 . By the good Shepherd's implements. These are two, we read, called "Beauty" and "Bands," By the one we may, perhaps, understand (see Psalms 90:17 ; Psalms 27:4 ; Zechariah 9:17 , supra; Isaiah 52:7 ) the abounding favour and grace and love of the message of Christ. Though he came to a "generation" altogether deserving condemnation and death ( Matthew 12:34 , Matthew 12:39 ; Matthew 23:32 , Matthew 23:33 ; Acts 2:40 ), he came not to condemn, but to save ( John 3:17 ; John 12:47 ; Luke 9:56 ). By the other we may, perhaps, understand the special limitation of the personal message of Christ ( Matthew 15:24 ); as also, in the first instance, of that of his apostles ( Matthew 10:5 , Matthew 10:6 ; Acts 13:46 ). There was especial favour—there was almost exclusive favor—in this final offer of Christ to "his own" ( John 1:11 , second clause).

II. ITS MOMENTOUS RESULTS . These appear to have been of two very different kinds.

1 . In the case of the Jewish teachers and people at large they proved to be of a very painful and calamitous kind. On the one hand, these teachers and people contemptuously rejected the gracious offers of Christ. To them there was no degree whatever of "beauty," either in his character or his teaching (see Zechariah 11:8 , end; and comp. Isaiah 53:2 ; John 7:12 , John 7:13 ; John 19:7 ; Matthew 26:66 ; Matthew 27:63 ). By them, therefore, the peculiar favour he offered was utterly scorned ( John 19:15 ; John 18:40 ; and such passages as Acts 13:45 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:15 , etc.); and he himself, in a certain most remarkable and significant manner, only estimated and valued at the price of a slave ( Zechariah 11:12 , Zechariah 11:13 ; Matthew 26:15 ; Matthew 27:9 , Matthew 27:10 ; Exodus 21:32 ). On the other hand, this being so, both the Saviour's feelings and conduct towards them became changed. Instead of favour there comes" loathing"; instead of a special offer of mercy, the coming down of special judgment, in a singularly rapid and terrible manner, on the highest persons or classes amongst them ("three shepherds in one month"); instead of deliverance, utter desertion ( Zechariah 11:9 compared with Matthew 23:38 ; Luke 21:22-24 ); and instead of the limitation of favour to them, the manifest transference of it from them to the rest of mankind ( Acts 13:46 ; Acts 18:6 ; Acts 28:28 ; Romans 11:11 ).

2 . At the same time, in the case of the less esteemed and less eminent portion of the flock of Israel, there were results of a different kind. In their case the Shepherd's gracious offer was not only made, but also received. As he resolved ("I will feed even you, O poor of the flock") in their case, so he did. In their case, again, the Shepherd's message was duly honoured and highly prized as being indeed "the Word of the Lord" ( Zechariah 11:11 , end; comp. Matthew 16:16 ; John 6:68 ; John 16:30 ). Even that comparative and temporary rejection of the Jews, which we suppose to be described in Zechariah 11:8 , Zechariah 11:9 , Zechariah 11:10 , and Zechariah 11:14 , contributed greatly among the "poor" of the Gentiles to their establishment in this faith (see, again, Zechariah 11:11 , and such passages as Romans 11:11 , Romans 11:25 , beginning of 28, 30; 1 Corinthians 1:26 ).

From this view of the passage—or, at any rate, from this review of those undoubted New Testament facts to which we have supposed it to point—two concluding reflections seem to arise.

1 . How obdurate is man ' s nature! We have become so familiar with the story of the rejection of Christ by his own people, that it does not always surprise us as it ought. Yet how exceedingly surprising it is! Greater power, greater wisdom, greater goodness, could not possibly have been combined. Should we not also have said, at first, that they could not possibly have been resisted? No wonder the apostle speaks with such evident amazement as he does in John h 11 ( supra ); see also John 12:11 , John 12:37 ,

2 . How wonderful are God ' s ways! The rejection of Christianity by those to whom it first came has been overruled to furnish its best evidence in the eyes of the rest of mankind. By crucifying their Messiah the Jews crowned him as ours. It reminds us of the words of the poet—

"From seeming evil still educing good,

And better thence again, and better still,

In infinite progression."