John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 2:1-4

"And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, by reason of the multitude of men and cattle therein." — Zechariah 2:1-4 (ASV)

Another vision is now added for the same purpose; not because the former was difficult to understand, but because there was a need for confirmation in such a disturbed state of affairs. For though the return of the people was significant evidence of God's goodness and favor, yet because Jerusalem was not flourishing as it once was, the temple was like a mere cottage, and there was no semblance of a kingdom and no grandeur, it was difficult to believe what had already been revealed.

This is why God confirms the same thing by many proofs; for we know how difficult the struggle is, due to the weakness of the flesh, when grievous and sharp trials assail us.

Therefore, Zechariah says that he saw in the hand of a man a measuring line. He calls him a man because he appeared in the form of a man; and it is well known and common for angels to be called men. Although they assumed a human form only for a time, yet because it was the Lord’s will for them to be seen in that form, they are called men, though this term is not strictly appropriate.

If it is asked whether angels truly assumed human nature, the obvious answer is that they never, strictly speaking, actually became men. But we know that God treats us as children, and the reason for this expression (calling them men) is similar to the reason for their appearance in human form. Why did angels appear in human form? It was so that their access to humans might be easier.

Therefore, God calls them men, as in this passage. Zechariah then says that an angel appeared to him in the form of a man, holding a measuring line in his hand.

He then asks him where he was going. The answer given is, to measure Jerusalem, to see what was its breadth and its length. The purpose of the prophecy is then stated: Behold, inhabited shall be Jerusalem throughout all its villages, because it could not contain so large a multitude of people within its walls. God then would so increase his people that they could not be contained within its walls, but the limits of the Church would be spacious. Inhabited then shall be Jerusalem throughout all its villages; that is, throughout the whole surrounding country. This is the meaning.

We now see the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Since only a small portion had returned from exile, the faithful might have become disheartened when they found that the restoration of the Church was far from being as splendid as what had been so often predicted and promised. It was therefore necessary for them to be encouraged, so that they might patiently wait while God was performing, by degrees and step by step, what he had testified.

So that they might not then limit God’s favor to a short period, or to a few days, the Prophet says here that the measure of Jerusalem was different in God's sight from what it was in human sight. Regarding the “line,” it was according to ancient custom; for we know that they did not then use a ten-foot pole or some similar measure, but a line.

The Prophet, by saying that he raised up his eyes and saw this man, reminds us that Jerusalem was to be regarded prospectively; for they could hardly be persuaded then to build the city as merely a small and obscure town. We therefore see that a distinction must be made here between the external appearance of Jerusalem, as it was then, and its future condition, for which they were to look, though it was not then visible. This then is the purpose of the prophecy, when it is said that when Zechariah raised up his eyes, he saw a measure or a line in the hand of a man.

He further reminds us that he was attentive to these visions, for by asking he proves that he was not asleep or indifferent, as many are who extinguish every light by their laziness. I wish there were no such lethargy prevailing among us today! For we justly suffer punishment for our contempt whenever we heedlessly and negligently attend to what God sets before us. Let us then learn greater attention and diligence from the Prophet’s example.

He asks where he was going; the answer given is, to measure. Then he shows what the measure of Jerusalem would be: that it would hereafter extend beyond the walls, as that perimeter would not contain the vast number of the people. “God will extend,” he says, “the holy city far and wide; it will no longer be confined as before to its own walls, but will be inhabited throughout all its villages.”

There is then no doubt that God intended here to bear witness concerning the propagation of his Church, which was to follow a long time afterwards, even after the coming of Christ. For although Jerusalem became wealthy and also large in its extent—and, as is well known, a triple city, and pagan writers say that it was among the foremost cities of the East when Babylon was still existing—yet this prophecy was not fulfilled in the state of Jerusalem, for it was not inhabited outside its walls, nor did it spread throughout the whole of Judea.

We therefore conclude that the spiritual Jerusalem is described here, which differs from all earthly cities.

It is said that the angel went forth, and that another angel met him. It therefore appears from all that the Prophet says how carefully God provides for the safety of his Church; for he always has angels as his messengers, who hasten at his command and aid the Church in its needs.

Since angels thus unite to secure the well-being of the Church, we therefore perceive how dear the faithful are to God, in whose favor he thus employs all his angels. We also see that it was the Lord’s will for this prophecy to be clear and manifest to all the godly: Go and run to that young man, he says, and tell him.

Zechariah had indeed asked for an explanation of the measure in the man’s hand. But from the fact that another angel met him, it appears, as I have already said, that God does not neglect the requests and prayers of his people, provided only that they desire to learn; he will then act as a true and faithful teacher towards them.

But the word “run” ought especially to be noticed: “Go,” he says, “and even hasten, lest the youth should doubt any longer, and explain the purpose of this prophecy.” He calls the Prophet a youth because he was then among angels. He would not call him a man of full age because he had previously called an angel a man. What rank could the Prophet hold among angels except that of a youth? This circumstance ought therefore to be observed as the reason Zechariah spoke disparagingly or humbly of himself.

Now, as to the meaning of the prophecy, we have already said that what is described here is the heavenly Jerusalem, which is surrounded by no walls but is open to the whole world. It does not depend on its own strength but dwells safely, though exposed on all sides to enemies. For the Prophet says, not without reason, through the villages shall Jerusalem be inhabited; that is, it shall be inhabited everywhere, so that it will have no need of defenses to restrain or hinder enemies from coming near. For a safe rest shall be given to it, when everyone shall quietly occupy his own place.