Matthew Henry Commentary Zechariah 3:1-5

"And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Jehovah rebuke thee, O Satan; yea, Jehovah that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel. And I said, Let them set a clean mitre upon his head. So they set a clean mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments; and the angel of Jehovah was standing by." — Zechariah 3:1-5 (ASV)

The angel showed Joshua, the high priest, to Zechariah, in a vision. Guilt and corruption are great discouragements when we stand before God. Because of the guilt of the sins we have committed, we are liable to God's justice; because of the power of sin that dwells in us, we are abhorrent to God's holiness. Even God's Israel are in danger on these accounts, but they have relief from Jesus Christ, who, by God, has been made for us both righteousness and sanctification.

Joshua, the high priest, is accused as a criminal but is justified. When we stand before God to minister to God, or to stand up for God, we must expect to meet all the resistance that Satan's subtlety and malice can offer. Satan is checked by one who has conquered him and has many times silenced him. Those who belong to Christ will find Christ ready to appear for them when Satan appears most strongly against them.

A converted soul is a brand plucked out of the fire by a miracle of free grace and therefore will not be left as prey to Satan. Joshua appears as one polluted but is purified; he represents the Israel of God, who are all as an unclean thing until they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Israel was now free from idolatry, but many things were still amiss among them.

There were spiritual enemies warring against them, more dangerous than any neighboring nations. Christ loathed the filthiness of Joshua's garments, yet he did not reject him. This is how God, by his grace, deals with those whom he chooses to be priests to himself. The guilt of sin is taken away by pardoning mercy, and its power is broken by renewing grace.

Thus Christ washes those from their sins in his own blood, whom he makes kings and priests to our God. Those whom Christ makes spiritual priests are clothed with the spotless robe of his righteousness and appear before God in that robe, and with the graces of his Spirit, which are their ornaments. The righteousness of saints, both imputed and implanted, is the fine linen, clean and white, with which the bride, the Lamb's wife, is arrayed (Revelation 19:8). Joshua is restored to his former honors and positions of trust. The crown of the priesthood is put on him.

When the Lord intends to restore and revive religion, he stirs up prophets and people to pray for it.