When God Treated His Shepherd

Like a False Prophet

A study of the Messiah in

Zechariah 13:2-9

by

Bruce Blum

for

Greg King's

Religion Seminar

May 25, 1998

"You will all fall away because of me this night, for it is written, "I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. (Matthew 26:31 NASB) With these words, Jesus accurately predicted the reaction of His disciples to His crucifixion. They were unprepared for such an end to their Master's life. He had done nothing deserving of death. As a leader He had been faithful in the face of the hypocrisy of the chief priests, and had rebuked king Herod's threats (Luke 13:32). He was the only true and innocent one of all the leaders of His day. Yet Jesus Himself seemed to know what was coming on Him through His reading of the scriptures. Could the disciples and others have known also if they had faithfully searched? This paper will show that they could have known, for the injustice they observed had been prefigured in the book of Zechariah, 500 years before in a personal, direct/typical prophecy (13:2-9).1

The range of interpretations of this passage among liberal scholars is wide. Few would see the book of Zechariah as the product of one author, often splintering the second half of Zechariah up into so many pieces with so many different redactors from different special interest groups that even the general messianic sense of the passage is lost.2 Other commentators do not say the passage is not messianic, but they indicate that the writer gained his inspiration "from Israel's tragic history."3 Thus this passage refers the death of a king possibly in the author's day. Interestingly, the linguistic and contextual information that links this passage with a future messiah is not addressed by many liberal scholars in their treatments of the passage.

This paper will show that Zechariah 13:2-9 cannot be understood apart from the literary structure and historical context of the entire book. Zechariah writes at the end of the Babylonian exile during the rebuilding of the temple under Zerubabel which began during the ministry of Haggai. He seems to be addressing the fears of the people regarding their continued favor with God. After the exile it would make sense for them to be asing, "How could Yahweh still be our God after what He allowed to happen to us?" The heart of the book contains a twofold message of 1. social/spiritual reform (1:4, 7:9-10) and 2. encouragement to the returning exiles (1:16, 8:3). Zechariah minces no words in telling them that the exile was their own fault (1:6). Yet, he assures them that they are still Yahweh's people, and He will still fulfill His purposes through them (8:11-13). Interestingly, in this book it becomes clear that God's purpose for His chosen people is that they will be a channel through which He will bless all nations (8:23, 9:10, 14:16).

The book is built on a three hinge structure, with three major passages serving as the hinges on which the rest of the book is hung.4 (See outline below.) These three passages are tied together by three elements. First, they all contain the "branch" theme.5 Second, the prophet Zechariah himself participates in each, even if the section is a vision. Third, they all contain actual historical individuals. The rest of the book only refers to symbolic figures or entire nations.

Perhaps most interesting is that these three sections with such remarkable literary correspondences are also structurally tied together. The first and last are the centerpieces of two seven-part chiasms, and the second is at the center of the entire book.6 As the pattern unfolds, we find in the first hinge that the priestly office points toward the future Messiah. In the second hinge the kingly office points toward the future Messiah, and in the third hinge the prophetic office points toward the future Messiah. But just as the people have not listened to the prophets, neither will they listen to the Messiah.

The rejection of Zechariah as shepherd in the third hinge (11:4-17) finds its thematic balance in the satanic accusation of the Joshua in the first hinge.7 Chapter eleven continues the story and shows us the result of rejecting the shepherd God has appointed.8 God acknowledges His people's rejection of the shepherd He has given them (11:8), and He predicts the end of divine favor and the end of national unity (11:10, 14). He and gives them the kind of shepherd they want, a foolish one who does not take care of them. There are two passages often regarded as Messianic after this point in the book, and both of them speak of Him as injured (12:10, 13:7).

Following is an outline of the book, showing the three hinges and the repeating a. b. a'. structure in the first and second half.

Intro I.	1:1-6

a.	1:7-17

A.	b.	1:18-21 (Hebrew 2:1-4)

A.	a'.	2:1-13 (Hebrew 2:5-17)

B.	1. priest who governs	3:1-10

a.	accused/installed	4:1-14

A'.	b.	5:1-11

a'.	6:1-8

B.	2. kingly priest	6:9-15

crowned

Intro II.	7:1-8:23

a.	9:1-17

A.	b.	10:1-4

A'.	a'.	10:5-11:3

B.	3. prophetic shepherd	11:4-17

a.	installed/rejected	12:1-13:1

A'.	b.	13:2-9

a'.	14:1-21

Our section is in italics in the outline. It is the last b. section in the book. All of the b. sections are significant because all of them are tied in one way or another to the central B. section that is at the heart of the book. Our section should rightly be interpreted in the light of all of the b. sections. One of the strongest arguments that our passage is messianic is that the three "hinge" sections are b. sections of their respective units, and all three are messianic passages. The first two say that the men in them are symbols of "the Branch" to come. The third, however, reveals what sort of reception this He will receive. His leadership will be rejected by the people, and God will turn them over to the sort of leadership they desire. Ours is the last messianic reference in the book, thus its message takes on extra significance.

As has been noted, from here to the end of the book the glimpses of the Messiah that we see are dark ones. Chapter 12:10 speaks of mourning over the one they have pierced. Chapter 13 gives us a picture of the Lord's Shepherd being struck by the sword. It's interesting to note that in the first parallel b. passage in chapter 1, the imagery is of the sanctuary altar (1:18-21). This was the place of sacrifice prefiguring the cross.

The next b. passage is in chapter 5. It is a dual vision about true and false worship. Its first section talks about the purging of those who swear falsely from the land (5:4), as the first part of our passage refers to the purging of those who speak falsely (13:3). The second part of chapter 5 is a description of false worship. It uses symbolism to make a mockery of the false worship of God's people. This competing religion of wickedness is weak and connected with the Babylonian exile.9 Perhaps it is not too far off to infer that the same falsity that leads to exile will lead to the sword awakening against the Shepherd of Yahweh.

The next b. passage is 10:1-4. Here we see the dual pattern of false worship and true again. The idols and false prophets are condemned, as in 13:2, while the house of Judah is prepared for its role as the source of "the conerstone, the tent peg, the bow of battle, every ruler, all of them together." (NASB) This fits with other messianic predictions that Judah will be the source of the messiah.

Our passage has some unique characteristics. It is set up in two parts. First is the removal of false prophets, second the sword awaking against Yahweh's shepherd. Some question whether the removal of false prophets does not go a little too far, so that even true prophets fear for their lives. The most obvious reason for inferring this bis that the language of verse 6, "lit. wounds between your hands" and "in the house of my friends" are very tempting passages for the interpreter who would like to find even more messianic references here. This seems to be stretching the meaning, however, and the true understanding might be best seen through contrast. What is shocking is that the fate that came over the false prophets seems to be the same fate that comes upon the Lord's shepherd. The false prophets are killed by family members, Yahweh's shepherd is offered up by Yahweh Himself. It's as if he accepted the rejection of the shepherd He appointed in chapter 11, and is actually letting the results of their rejection take place. His shepherd is killed.10 The sword that appeared in chapter 11 to prey on the worthless shepherd here appears and preys on the Lord's shepherd. What injustice is this? No other leader receives such injustice with God's approval but the suffering servant of Isaiah 53.

Some say that the shepherd imagery refers to human leaders, but not the Messiah. Three arguments stand against this. 1. Time. This passage, and indeed all the messianic passages in Zechariah, point to a future fulfillment. 2. Context. This passage is linked strucurally to the other references to the "Branch." 3. Language. The shepherd here is decribed as Yahweh's associate. The Hebrew expression is one of familiarity and friendship among equals. This could only describe Yahweh's relationship to a very special Shepherd, the God/Man, not a divine-human relationship.11

This is what could have been going through the minds of the disciples if they had read and understood the scriptures. They could have seen the result of the nation's rejection of the one they had come to know as the Son of God. The rest of the passage describes the result of this Shepherd's demise. The flock is scattered. This is not an uncommon image. It happened at the exile, but here would refer to the scattering of the disciples the night of Jesus' trial. The next phrase and I will turn my had against the little ones (NASB) is in parallel with the phrase about scattering. It is enigmatic, but in other uses in the Old Testament it seems to be a reference to judgment. The "little ones" in verse seven is another obscure expression, but seems to be indicating that the striking of the Shepherd will be a trying time for all involved.

The following section describes in figurative language the refining effect of the Shepherd's death on the people of God. The The crucifixion certainly had this effect on the disciples, an effect parallel to the Babylonian captivity, and parallel to the testing of the church Paul writes about in 1 Cor 3.12 The end result is that the people who are left will communicate with God and remain in a personal relationship with Him.

For a people wondering if they are still acceptable to God, the message of Zechariah must have been puzzling, but would have been very encouraging if properly understood. Here is the crux of the Messianic passages: Just as God has allowed His favored people to be stricken, so He will allow His Shepherd (the Lord is my Shepherd?) to be stricken. The implication is clear. He will no more reject them than He would reject His own Shepherd. In fact, He Himself will share in their suffering as their Shepherd. What a comfort and encouragement!

Bibliography

Baldwin, Joyce. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries vol. 24. Downers Grove, Ill.: Intervarsity Press, 1972.

Floyd, Michael H. "The Evil in the Ephah." Catholic Bilbiical Quarterly. vol. 58 (1996): 51, 18p.

Hill, Andrew E. & Walton, John E. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan, 1991.

Kaiser, Walter C. The Messiah in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan, 1995.

Kline, Meredith G. "The Structure of the Book of Zechariah." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. vol. 34 (1991): 179-193.

Smith, Ralph L. Micah-Malachi. Word Biblical Commentary. vol. 32. Waco, Tx.: Word Books, 1984.

Meyers, Carol L. and Eric M. Zechariah 9-14. The Anchor Bible vol. 25c. New York: Doubleday, 1993.