John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 8:6

"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts." — Zechariah 8:6 (ASV)

He sharply reproves here the lack of faith in the people; for as men are accustomed to measure whatever is promised by their own understanding, the entrance for these prophecies was nearly closed when they saw that the fury of their enemies could by no means be pacified.

They had indeed tried in various ways to restrain them, or at least to appease them; and we know that many edicts had been proclaimed in favor of the Jews by the kings of Persia. But such was the common hatred toward them, that new enemies arose continually. On this account, the Prophet now blames their lack of faith; and he points out, as with a finger, the source of their unbelief when he says that they had no faith in God who spoke to them, because He promised more than what they could conceive to be possible.

And this deserves notice, for if we wish to pull up unbelief by the roots from our hearts, we must begin at this point: to raise up our thoughts above the world; indeed, to bid farewell to our own judgment, and simply to embrace what God promises. For His power ought to carry us up to such a height that we may entertain no doubt that what seems impossible to us will surely be accomplished.

What the Prophet calls “wonderful” is the same as impossible, for men often wonder at God’s words without believing them, and even under the false pretense of wonder deny His power. Hence, when God promises anything, doubts immediately creep in: “Can this be done?” If a reason does not appear, as the thing surpasses our comprehension, we instantly conclude that it cannot be. We thus see how men, pretending to wonder at God’s power, entirely obliterate it.

Therefore, when the Prophet now says, If this be wonderful in your eyes, shall it be so in Mine? it is as though he had said, “If you reject what I promise you, because it is not in accordance with your judgment, is it right that My power should be confined to what you can comprehend?” Thus we see that nothing is more preposterous than to seek to measure God’s power by our own understanding.

But he seems to say at the same time, that it is useful for us to raise our minds upward, and to be so filled with wonder while contemplating God’s infinite power, that nothing afterward may appear wonderful to us. We now perceive how it is fitting for us to wonder at God’s works, and yet not to regard anything wonderful in them.

There is no work of God so minute that it does not contain something wonderful, when it is considered as it should be. But yet, when raised up by faith, we apprehend the infinite power of God, which seems incredible to the understanding of the flesh; we look down, as it were, on the things below, for our faith ascends far above this world.

We now see the true source of unbelief and also of faith. The source of unbelief is this: when men confine God’s power to their own understanding. And the source of faith is this: when they ascribe to God the praise due to His infinite power, when they do not regard what is easy, but, being satisfied with His word alone, they are fully persuaded that God is true, and that what He promises is certain, because He is able to fulfill it.

So Paul teaches us, who says that Abraham’s faith was founded on this assurance: that he did not doubt that He who had spoken was able really to accomplish His word (Romans 4:20). Hence, so that the promises of God may penetrate into our hearts and strike deep roots there, we must bid farewell to our own judgment. For while we are wise in ourselves and rely on earthly means, the power of God vanishes, as it were, from our sight, and His truth also disappears at the same time.

In a word, we must regard not what is probable, not what nature brings, not what is usual, but what God can do, what His infinite power can effect. We ought then to emerge from the confined compass of our flesh and, by faith, as we have said, ascend above the world.

And he says, In the eyes of the remnant of this people, etc. By this sentence he seems to touch the Jews to the quick, who had already, in a measure, experienced the power of God in their restoration.

For, thirty years before, their freedom had been given to them by Cyrus and Darius; they regarded as a fable what God had promised them. They said that they were in a grave from which no exit could have been expected.

They had experienced how great and incredible God’s power was; and yet, as astonished people, they despaired of their future safety.

This ingratitude, then, is what Zechariah now indirectly reproves by calling them the remnant of His people. They were a small number; they had not raised their banner to go forth against the will of their enemies, but a way had been suddenly opened to them beyond all expectation.

Since, then, they had been taught by experience to know that God was able to do more than they could have imagined, the Prophet here justly condemns them for having formed so unworthy an idea of that power of God, which had been found by experience to be more than sufficient.

He afterwards adds—