John Gill Commentary Zechariah 13

In that day there shall be a fountain opened

Which Aben Ezra and Kimchi understand literally; but R. Moses the priest figuratively; and so the Targum, which interprets it of the doctrine of the law being open as a fountain of water; and so Abendana, who compares it with (Isaiah 2:3).

But rather it should be understood of the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of Gospel ordinances; though better of Christ himself, the fountain of gardens, and of living waters, from whose pierced side, of whom mention is made as pierced in the preceding chapter (Zechariah 12:10), sprung blood and water; blood for justification, remission, and cleansing, and water for sanctification.

And best of all of his blood particularly, called a "fountain", not so much for the quantity of blood shed, as for its full virtue and efficacy to answer the purposes for which it was shed; it being the blood not only of man, and of an innocent man, but of the Son of God; and may be said to be "opened", because of its continued virtue to cleanse from sin; it is not sealed, but opened, and always stands open; there is no hinderance or obstruction in coming to it; not the meanness or poverty of persons, they that have no money may come to these waters; nor their sinfulness, even though they are the chief of sinners; nor their being of this and the other nation, it is exposed to all; to all that the Father has given to Christ; to all sensible sinners.

Though it follows, to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; for this, as it may be literally understood of the Jews in the latter day, including their great men and common people, high and low, rich and poor; so mystically of all the family of Christ the son of David, and of all that belong to the heavenly Jerusalem, even the whole church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.

for sin, and for uncleanness; that is, for sin, which is uncleanness; sin is an unclean thing, and has defiled all human nature, and nothing can remove the pollution of it; but the blood of Christ can remove it, and that being shed makes atonement for it, procures the pardon of it, and justifies from it in the sight of God; and being sprinkled on the conscience, removes it from that.

The Targum interprets it mystically of the forgiveness of sins, paraphrasing it thus, ``I will forgive their iniquities, as they are cleansed with the water of sprinkling, and the ashes of the heifer, which is for sin.''

And it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord of
hosts

In the latter day, at the time of the conversion of the Jews, when they shall turn to the Lord, and their sins shall be forgiven, and washed away in the fountain of his blood; for this refers not to the times of the Babylonish captivity, and their deliverance from that, which was now over, when idolatry ceased among that people; nor to the times of Christ, when soon after the false prophets among the Heathens, and their lying oracles, ceased, and Paganism in the Roman empire was destroyed.

But to the times before mentioned, of which it is predicted by the Lord, saying, [that] I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and
they shall no more be remembered ; meaning the idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood; images of the Virgin Mary, and saints departed, worshipped by the Papists, (Revelation 9:20Revelation 9:21) for at this time mystical Babylon will fall, the idolatry of the church of Rome will be at an end, and will never be revived more.

And also I will cause the prophets, and the unclean spirit, to pass
out of the land ; by "the prophets" are meant false prophets, as the Targum explains it, even all the Popish hierarchy, pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests all that wretched body, which goes by the name of the false prophet, who at the battle of Armageddon will be taken, and with the beast cast alive into the lake of fire, (Revelation 19:20) and by "the unclean spirit", or "spirits", the singular for the plural, are meant the three unclean spirits like frogs, and which are the spirits of devils, that come out of the mouth of the dragon beast, and false prophet, the Jesuits, monks, and friars; these shall be no more then on the earth, after these times, (Revelation 16:13Revelation 16:14) .

Jarchi and Kimchi interpret "the unclean spirit" of the corruption of nature; but that will not cease as long as men are in a mortal state. This prophecy is, by the ancient Jews, ^F16 applied to the times of the Messiah.

FOOTNOTES:

• F16: Zohar in Gen, fol. 53. 4. & 73. 1.

And it shall come to pass, [that] when any shall yet prophesy

Or attempt to prophesy, or propagate their idolatrous religion and principles after this time, when they shall be abundantly detected and exposed: then his father and his mother that begat him; of whom he is born, and who, as his parents, must be supposed to have the most tender regard unto him, even to these the imposture will be so flagrant, that they will not encourage him, but, on the contrary, shall say unto him, You shall not live;

but die, according to the law against the false prophet in (Deuteronomy 18:20): for you speak lies in the name of the Lord; which is the very character of the followers of the man of sin, who speak lies in hypocrisy, pretending that they are of God, and carrying a show of truth; religion, and holiness, (1 Timothy 4:1 1 Timothy 4:2):

and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth; so great will be their love to God, and to his truth, that, notwithstanding the nearness of blood, their hands will be upon him first, and either beat him, or put him to death; a son, according to the law, not being to be spared in such a case, (Deuteronomy 13:6–10).

And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the prophets shall be ashamed, everyone of his vision, when he has prophesied, &c.] He shall be ashamed of the doctrines he has delivered, they will appear to all men so ridiculous and absurd; as the doctrines of merit, and the works of supererogation; of transubstantiation and purgatory; of pardons, penance, &c: neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive; or, "a hairy garment" ^F17; such as the first and ancient inhabitants of the earth wore, who used the skins of beasts for covering, as Diodorus Siculus ^F18 observes: and Pausanias ^F19 says of the first natives of Locris, not knowing how to weave and make garments, used to cover their bodies, to preserve them from the cold, with the undressed skins of beasts, turning the hair outward, as more becoming: and such a hairy garment, or much like it, Elijah wore; hence he is called a hairy man, (2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist, who came in the power and spirit of that prophet, appeared in a like habit, clothed with camel's hair, (Matthew 3:4) and in like manner good men, especially in times of distress and trouble, used to wander about in sheepskins and goatskins, (Hebrews 11:37) which seem to be the same sort of raiment: and now, in imitation of such like good men, and true prophets of the Lord, particularly Elijah, the false prophets, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe, in order to deceive the people, and pass for true prophets, put on such rough and hairy garments, as if they were very humble and self denying men.

Braunius ^F20 thinks the prophet may have respect to a custom among the idolatrous prophets, who used to clothe themselves with the skins of the sacrifices, and lie on them in their temples, in order to obtain dreams, and be able to foretell future things; of which (See Gill on Amos 2:8) but it seems to have respect to the habits of the monks and friars, and of the different orders by which they are distinguished as religious persons, and gain respect and veneration among men; and under the guise of sanctity and devotion, and of an austere and mortified life, impose their lies and deceptions upon them; but now will lay their habits aside, as being ashamed of their profession and principles.

FOOTNOTES:

• F17: (rev trda) "pallio pili", Montanus; "piloso", Pagninus; "chlamyde pilosa", Munster; "pallium ex pilis", Cocceius; "pallium pili", Burkius.
• F18: Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 21.
• F19: Phocica, sive. l. 10. p. 685.
• F20: De Vestitu Sacerdot. Heb. l. 1. c. 4. sect. 9. p. 97.

But he shall say, I [am] no prophet
That he is not of the Romish clergy, or of any of their religious orders, having laid aside his habit:

I [am] an husbandman ;
he shall put on the habit of a husbandman, and work for his bread; for he will not be able to support himself, as before, with the sale of pardons and indulgences, and by praying souls out of purgatory; for no man hereafter will buy of his merchandise, (Revelation 18:11)

and he will be ashamed of his former calling and traffic, and will not own that he was ever concerned therein; but will affirm that he was never of the Romish clergy, but always a layman, and employed in husbandry:

for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth ;
he will say he was brought up to husbandry, or in some mechanic business, from his youth, and never was in any convent or monastery, or of any religious order: it may be rendered, "for man made me to work from my youth" ^F21 ; and is not to be restrained to keeping cattle, or any particular employment.

FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (ynnqh) "fecerunt me operari", Noldius; "homo operari fecit me", De Dieu, Burkius.