John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 5

The angel shows in this chapter that whatever evils the Jews had suffered proceeded from the righteous judgment of God. Then he adds a consolation: that the Lord would at length alleviate or put an end to their evils when He had removed their iniquity far away. Interpreters have touched neither heaven nor earth in their explanation of this prophecy, for they have not considered the design of the Holy Spirit.

Some think that by the scroll are to be understood false and perverted interpretations, by which the purity of doctrine had been corrupted; but this view cannot be accepted at all. There is no doubt that God intended to show Zechariah that the Jews were justly punished, because the whole land was full of thefts and perjuries.

Since, then, religion had been despised, as well as equity and justice, he shows that it was no wonder a curse had prevailed throughout the whole land, the Jews having, through their impiety and other sins, extremely provoked the wrath of God. This is the meaning of the first part.

Then, as this vision was terrible, some relief is added by representing iniquity in a measure, with the mouth of the measure closed, and afterwards carried to the land of Shinar (that is, Chaldea), so that it might not remain in Judea.

Thus, in the former part, the Prophet’s design was to humble the Jews and encourage them to repent, so that they might acknowledge God had been justly angry. Then he gives them reason to entertain hope and fully expect an end to their evils, for the Lord would remove their iniquity far away, transferring it to Chaldea, so that Judea might be pure and free from all wickedness—both from thefts and acts of injustice—by which it had previously been polluted. But each sentence must be explained in order, so that the Prophet's meaning may be more clearly seen.

He says that he had returned; by this word, this vision is separated from the preceding visions. Those also of which we have previously spoken were not shown to the Prophet at the same time; he saw them at different times. From this, we may learn that some time intervened before the Lord presented to him the vision narrated in this chapter.

He adds that he raised up his eyes and looked; this is said so that we may know that what he narrates was shown to him by the prophetic Spirit. Zechariah very often raised up his eyes, though God did not immediately appear to him; but it was fitting for God’s servants, whenever they prepared themselves to teach, to withdraw themselves, as it were, from the society of men and to rise up above the world.

The raising up of the eyes then, mentioned by Zechariah, signified something special, as if he had said that he was prepared, for the Lord had inwardly roused him. The Prophets also, no doubt, were prepared in this manner by degrees when the Lord made Himself known to them. There was, then, the raising up of the eyes as a preparation to receive the celestial oracle.

He afterwards adds that he was asked by the angel what he saw. He might indeed have said that a scroll flying in the air appeared to him, but he did not yet understand what it meant; hence the angel performed the office of an interpreter. But he says that the scroll was twenty cubits long, and ten broad.

The Rabbis think that the figure of the court of the temple is represented here, for the length of the court was twenty cubits and its breadth was ten. Hence, they suppose that the scroll had issued from the temple, so that there might be more reason to believe that God had sent forth the scroll.

And this allusion, though not sufficiently grounded, is yet more probable than the allegory of the puerile Jerome, who thinks that this should be applied to Christ because He began to preach the gospel in His thirtieth year. Thus he meant to apply this number to the age of Christ when He began His ministry as a teacher.

But this is extremely trivial. I do not feel anxious to know why the length or the breadth is mentioned, for it seems not to be much connected with the main subject. But if it is proper to follow a probable conjecture, what I have already referred to is more acceptable: that the length and breadth of the scroll are stated so that the Jews might fully understand that nothing was set before them but what God Himself sanctioned, as they clearly perceived a figure of the court of the temple.

The angel then says that it was the curse that went forth over the face of the whole land. We must remember what I have just said: God’s judgment is presented here before the Jews so that they might know how justly both their fathers and they themselves had been so severely chastised by God, since they had brought such punishments upon themselves by their sins.

From the angel's saying that the scroll went through the whole land, we learn that not only were a few guilty, or only some corner of the land polluted, but that the wrath of God raged everywhere, as no part of the land was pure or free from wickedness. Since, then, Judea was full of pollutions, it was no wonder that the Lord poured out His wrath and overwhelmed the whole land, as if with a flood.

It afterwards follows, for every thief, or everyone who steals, shall on this as on that side, be punished, or receive his own reward; and everyone who swears, shall on this as on that side be punished.

Regarding the words, interpreters differ concerning the particles מזה כמוה (mese camue). Some understand the meaning to be, “by this scroll, as it is written,” while others interpret it as, “on this side of the scroll, as on the other,” for they think that the scroll was written on both sides and that God denounced punishment on thieves as well as on perjurers.

But I rather apply the words to the land, and I do not doubt that this is the Prophet's real meaning. Since, then, there is no partiality with God, the Prophet, after speaking of the whole land, says that no one who had sinned could anywhere escape unpunished, for God would summon all to judgment from one part to the other, without any exception.

Now the Prophet says that all perjurers, as well as thieves, shall be punished; and there is nothing strange in this, for God, who has forbidden stealing, has also forbidden swearing falsely. He is therefore the punisher of all transgressions. Those who think that this scroll was disapproved, as though it contained false and corrupt doctrine, bring this reason to prove its injustice: that the thief is as severely punished as the perjurer. But this is extremely trivial. For, as I have said already, God shows here that He will be the defender of His law, however men may have transgressed it.

We must therefore remember that saying of James: “He who forbids committing adultery also forbids stealing: whoever then offends in one thing is a transgressor of the whole law” (James 2:11).

For we should not simply consider what God either commands or forbids, but we should always fix our eyes on His majesty, as even the smallest detail in the Law ought to be reverently received by all. The laws themselves are not the only things to be regarded, but especially the Lawgiver.

Since, then, the majesty of God is dishonored when anyone steals, and when anyone transgresses in the least point, he clearly shows that the word of God is not much regarded by him. Therefore, it is right that thieves and perjurers should be punished alike.

Yet the Scripture, when it speaks this way, does not teach that sins are equal in severity, as the Stoics formerly, foolishly and falsely, taught. But the equality of punishment is not what is referred to here; the angel means only that neither thieves nor perjurers shall go unpunished, as they have transgressed the law of God.

We must also observe that the way of speaking adopted here is that of stating a part for the whole. For under the word 'theft' is included whatever is opposed to the duties of love, so that it is to be referred to the second table of the Law.

And the Prophet calls all those 'perjurers' who profane the worship of God; thus, perjury includes whatever is contrary to the first table of the Law and tends to pollute the service due to God. The meaning is that God, as I have said, will be the punisher of all kinds of wickedness, for He has not given His law in vain.

Those, then, are greatly deceived who flatter themselves, as if they can elude the judgment of God by evasions. For both thieves and perjurers shall be brought before God’s tribunal, so that no one can escape; that is, no wickedness shall remain unpunished. For not in vain has He once declared by His own mouth, cursed are all who do not fulfill whatever has been written (Deuteronomy 27:26).

And the same thing the Prophet more clearly expresses in the following verse, where God Himself declares what He would do: that He would cause the curse to go forth over the whole land. It is as if He had said, “I will really show that I have not given the law so that it may be despised; for what the law teaches shall be so effective that everyone who violates it shall find that he has to do, not with a mortal man, nor with sounds of words, but with the heavenly Judge; I will bring forth the curse over the whole land.”

I have said that the Prophet was instructed in the meaning of this vision so that all the Jews might know that it was nothing strange that they had been so severely chastised, since they had polluted the whole land by their sins, so that no part of the Law was observed by them. For on the one hand, they had corrupted the worship of God and departed from true religion; and on the other, they distressed one another by many wrongs and oppressed them by frauds. Since, then, no equity prevailed among the people, nor any true religion, God shows that He would punish them all, as none were guiltless.

He afterwards adds, It shall come into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely in My name; and it will reside there, and it shall consume the house, both the wood and the stones. Here the Prophet further stimulates the Jews to repentance by showing that the curse would fly so as to enter all their houses.

It is as if he had said, “In vain shall those who deserve punishment fortify or shut themselves up; for this curse, which I send forth, shall come to each individual, and it shall remain with him.” We know that hypocrites flatter themselves as if they could escape for the moment while God is angry and displeased.

But the Prophet shows here that such a hope is vain, for the curse would overtake all the ungodly and wholly overthrow them; indeed, it would consume their houses, both the wood and the stones. In short, he intimates that punishment does not end until men are reconciled to God.

And by these words he reminds us how terrible it is to fall into the hands of God, for He will punish the ungodly and the wicked until He reduces them to nothing. We now, then, comprehend the Prophet’s design and the meaning of the words.

Here I stop; I intended to add all the verses, but I can hardly finish the whole today. It will be enough for us to understand that this is the second part of the vision, in which the Prophet, in order to relieve or in some measure to mitigate the sorrow of the Jews, shows that God would not treat them with extreme rigor, so as to punish them as they deserved, but would chastise them with paternal moderation.

Therefore he says that a measure appeared to him and a woman in the measure. The woman was wickedness; there was also a covering of lead, a wide or an extended piece. The plate of lead was carried upwards when the woman was seen in the measure.

He then says that the measure was closed up, and that there impiety was kept hidden as a captive in prison. He afterward adds that it was driven away into the land of Shinar, very far from Judea, and that wickedness was thus turned over to the enemies of the chosen people.

We see that God, as I have already noticed, gives here a token of favor, for he says that wickedness was shut up in a measure. Though he had previously spoken severely, so that he might shake the Jews with dread, it was still his purpose soon to add some alleviation. For it was enough that they were proved guilty of their sins, so that they might humble themselves and suppliantly flee to God’s mercy, and also that repentance might really touch them, lest they should murmur, as we know they had done, but submit themselves to God and confess that they had suffered justly.

Since the angel had already shown that the curse had deservedly gone over the face of the whole land, because no corner was free from wickedness, the angel now adds that he came to show a new vision, saying, Raise now thine eyes, and see what this is which goes forth.

The Prophet was no doubt cast down with fear, so that he hardly dared to look any longer. Since the curse was flying and passing freely here and there, the Prophet was struck with horror, and not without reason, as he beheld the wrath of God spreading everywhere indiscriminately. This is the reason why the angel now animates him and bids him see what was going forth.

And he tells what was exhibited to him, for he saw a measure (which in Hebrew is איפה, aiphe). Some translate this as 'measure' or 'bushel,' others as 'firkin' or 'cask,' but this distinction is not critical here. When the Prophet saw this measure, he asked the angel what it was, for the vision would have been useless had he not been informed what the measure, the woman sitting in it, and the lead covering signified. He therefore asked what they were.

Then the angel answered, This is the measure that goes forth, and this is their eye in all the earth. By saying that the measure is 'their eye,' he no doubt means that the ungodly could not thus be carried away at their own pleasure, but that God restrained them whenever it seemed good to him, for they could not escape his sight. For by 'their eye,' he understands this to refer, in a passive sense, to God's power of seeing, by which he notices all the sins of the ungodly, so that he may check them when he pleases, when they hurry on without restraint.

But so that the meaning of the Prophet may be made clearer, let us first see what 'wickedness' means—whether it is to be taken for those sins which provoked God’s wrath against the Jews, or for those wrongs which pagan enemies had done. The latter is the view I prefer, though if we take it as the wickedness which had previously reigned in Judea, the meaning would not be unsuitable.

For as wickedness is hateful to God, his vengeance against the Jews could not have ceased except by cleansing them from their sins and by renewing them by his Spirit. For they had carried on war with him in such a way that there was no means of pacifying him but by departing from their sins.

And whenever God reconciles himself to them, he at the same time renews them by his Spirit; he not only blots out their sins, regarding the guilt, but also regenerates those who were before devoted to sin and the devil, so that he may treat them kindly and paternally.

Therefore, regarding the subject at hand, both views may be suitably adopted. We may consider the meaning to be: that God would take away iniquity from Judea by cleansing his Church from all defilements, since the Jews could not partake of his blessing unless iniquity were driven far away and banished.

Since God then designed to be propitious to his people, he justly says that he would cause wickedness to disappear from their midst. Yet the other view, as I have said, is more agreeable to the context: that wickedness would not be allowed freely to prevail as before, for we know that free rein had been given to the cruelty of their enemies, since the Jews had been exposed to the wrongs of all.

Since they had been so immoderately oppressed, God promises that all unjust violence should be driven far away and made to depart into the land of Shinar; that is, that the Lord would in turn chastise the Babylonians and reward them as they had deserved. The meaning of the whole is that God, who had chosen the seed of Abraham, would be propitious to the Jews, so as to finally put an end to their calamities.

Now the Prophet says that wickedness, when first seen, was in mid-air, and in a measure; but at the same time he calls the measure the 'eye of the ungodly,' for though wickedness extends itself to all parts, yet God confines it within a hidden measure. This he designates by 'eyes,' by which he seems to allude to a former prophecy that we have explained. For he had said that there were seven eyes in the stone of the high priest, because God would carry on by his providence the building of the temple. So also he says that God’s eyes are upon all the ungodly, according to what is said in the book of Psalms:

The eyes of the Lord are over the wicked, to destroy their memory from the earth (Psalms 34:17).

And this mode of speaking often occurs in Scripture. The meaning then is that though wickedness spreads and extends through the whole earth, it is still in a measure; but this measure is not always closed up. However this may be, God still knows how to regulate all things, so that impiety shall not exceed its limits.

And this is most true, whatever view is taken; for when enemies harass the church, though they may be carried along in the air (that is, though God may not immediately restrain their wrongs), they still sit in a measure and are ruled by the eyes of God, so that they cannot move a finger, except so far as they are permitted.

In short, let us understand that in a state of things completely disordered, God watches, and his eyes are vigilant, to put an end to injustices. The same also may be said when God gives up to a reprobate mind those who deserve such a punishment; for though he casts them away, and Satan takes possession of them, yet this remains true: that they sit in a measure.

They are not indeed shut in; but we should not, as I have said, suppose that God is indifferent in heaven, or that sins prevail in the world as if he did not see them, for his forbearance is not blindness. The eyes of God then mark and observe whatever sins are committed in the world.

Now the angel adds that a thin piece of lead was cast over the mouth of the measure, and that wickedness was cast into the measure. The expression that wickedness was thrown into the measure may be explained in two ways:

1. That God would not permit so much liberty to the devil to lead the Jews to sin as before (for how does it happen that men abandon themselves to every evil, except that God forsakes them and at the same time delivers them up to Satan, so that he may exercise his tyranny over them?).

2. Or, that a bridle would be used to restrain foreign enemies, so that they might not in their wantonness oppress the miserable people and exercise extreme violence.

God, then, intending to deliver them from their sins or to check wrongs, shuts up wickedness, as it were, in a measure. Then he adds a cover; and it is said to have been a thin piece, or a weight of lead, because it was heavy, as though the Prophet had said that whenever it pleased God, iniquity would be taken captive, so that it could not go forth from its confinement or its prison.

The Prophet says here that the change of things would be such that God would in turn afflict the Chaldeans, who had so cruelly treated the chosen people. This is the reason I think that iniquity should be understood as the violent injustice and plunder which pagan enemies had inflicted upon the Jews. For when he says that a house would be for iniquity in the land of Shinar, it is as if he had said, “As Judea has for a long time been plundered by enemies and exposed to their outrages, so the Chaldeans in their turn shall be punished—not once, nor for a short time, but perpetually, for God will establish a dwelling place for wickedness in their land.”

From this, we see the purpose of the vision: that when God had mercy on His Church, its enemies would have to give an account, and they would not escape God’s hand, even though He had used them to chastise His people.

He says then that wickedness was taken away so that a house might be made for it—that is, so that it might have a fixed and permanent dwelling in the land of Shinar (which means among the Chaldeans, who had been persistent enemies of the Jews). Since Babylon was the capital of that empire, he includes under this term all the ungodly who opposed or persecuted the children of God.

It is not clear to me why God represents the measure as being carried away by women rather than by men, except perhaps so that the Jews might know that there was no need for any warlike preparations. Instead, their strongest enemies could be laid low by weak and feeble instruments; thus, under the appearance of weakness, His own power would be made evident.

The Prophet saw women with wings because the change would be sudden, so that in one day, as we will soon see, wickedness was taken away. By the wings of a stork, either swiftness or strength is indicated. This is the essence of the whole matter.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You threaten us with severe punishment to restrain us from sin, we may heed Your judgment and not abuse Your long-suffering in sparing us for a time. Also, whenever You chastise us, may we seriously consider that we deserve Your displeasure, as we have in various ways provoked Your wrath. May we not at the same time despair or be broken down, but learn so to rely on Your mercy as not to doubt that there will be a timely end to our troubles. May we trust that You will not only lessen the severity of punishment as far as necessary for our comfort, but will also punish our enemies. In this way, may we know that nothing is better for us, or more desirable, than to be chastised by Your hand—not that You might destroy us, but to recall us to the way of salvation, until we are at last made capable of receiving that favor which has been stored up for us in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.