John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 8:23

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." — Zechariah 8:23 (ASV)

He pursues the same subject in this verse. For as he had previously said that the nations would willingly come to worship God, and that each would encourage his brother to undertake this pious and holy expedition, so he now adds that ten men would lay hold of the border of a Jew’s garment: Ten men shall then take hold of the skirt of a Jew.

He shows here more clearly what I have briefly referred to: that there would be no need of arms or any compulsion to draw or compel the nations to engage in God’s service. For even ten would willingly accompany one Jew, and it is a proof of very great readiness when ten surrender themselves to be ruled by one.

Since one Jew could not be sufficient to draw so many nations, the Prophet declares that there would be a universal union of faith, so that those previously wholly alienated from God would desire to join themselves as friends, or rather as companions, to the Jews.

He says, From all languages. By these words he amplifies the miracle, for there cannot be a union between men far distant, especially when they speak different languages, as they are barbarians to one another.

When the Prophet then says that they would come from all languages and unite, it more fully appears to be God’s work, for there is nothing here to be ascribed to human contrivances.

It must then be that the hearts of those who cannot express their minds, and can hardly give a sign, are united by the hidden power of the Spirit. We now perceive the Prophet’s object in this verse.

But he uses in the last clause a phrase different from the one he employed before: Let us go with you, for we have heard that with you is God. He had said, Let us go to seek Jehovah, and to entreat his face; but now he says, Let us go with you. Yet he handles and confirms the same thing, for the nations could not have sought God without following the Jews who went before them.

For when anyone separates himself from others, it often happens that he is led astray and feeds on much that is very absurd, as we see to be the case with proud and morose men who invent strange and monstrous things; for they shun society and do not seem wise to themselves until they cast off every feeling of humanity.

The character of faith, then, also has this in it: that the elect, while they themselves obey God, desire to have many associates in this obedience and many fellow-disciples in true religion.

The Prophet thus intended to point out two things: he had said before, Let us go to seek God; and now, We will go with you. What else is this but to seek God?

But he expresses more now: that the nations declare that they would come to seek God for this purpose—that they might learn from others, like raw beginners who have their fellow-scholars as their teachers; so that everyone who had made some progress was to preside over others, and those as yet commencing and still in the first elements of knowledge were humbly to connect themselves with others better informed.

Shame prevents many from making any advancement in this manner, and so they always remain sunk in ignorance.

The Prophet at the same time not only commends humility but also exhorts all God’s children to cultivate unity and concord. For whoever tears asunder the Church of God disunites himself from Christ, who is the head and who would have all his members be united.

We now then understand that God ought to be sought so that He may be rightly worshipped by us; and also, that He ought to be sought in this way, not so that each may have his own peculiar religion, but that we may be united, and that everyone who sees his brethren going before and excelling in gifts may be prepared to follow them and to seek benefit from their labors.

It is indeed true that we ought to disregard the whole world and embrace only the truth of God, for it is a hundred times better to renounce the society of all mortals and union with them than to withdraw ourselves from God.

But when God shows Himself as our leader, the Prophet teaches us that we ought mutually to stretch forth our hand and unitedly follow Him.

We have again to notice at the end of the verse what I have already referred to: that the nations would come, not compelled by force of arms or by violence, but drawn by hearing alone. We have heard.

By hearing, the Prophet here means the doctrine of salvation diffused everywhere, for there would be no care or concern for worshipping if we were not taught.

For faith, as Paul says, is by hearing; and so prayer proceeds from faith (Romans 10:17). In short, the Prophet means that the knowledge of religion would come through the preaching of the truth, which would rouse all nations to the duty of worshipping God.

He now again confirms what we have also mentioned: that the Jews would have precedence over all nations, for it appears that God would be among them.

We therefore see that primacy is not ascribed to the Jews as leaders to others because they excelled others by their own virtue or dignity, but because God presided over them.

Then God is always to be sought, though we may avail ourselves of the labors of men and follow them when they show us the right way.

We must always bear this in mind: that only those exhort truly and honestly who not only do so by word but who also really prove what they feel by their conduct, according to what the Prophet has said, Go will I also; and he says the same now, Let us go, or, we shall go with you.

For there are many who are strenuous enough in stimulating others, but their vain talkativeness becomes evident; for while they bid others to run, they are standing still, and while they vehemently encourage others, they themselves delay and take their rest.