Commentary on the Twelve Prophets, Volume 3

Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Ten

COMMENTARY ON ZECHARIAH, CHAPTER TEN Ask from the Lord timely rain, early and late (v.1). HAT IS TO say, just as without labor there would be no grain in the fields or a fruitful vineyard producing wine, so too there would be no spiritual fertility in us unless God shed the revelation of his own sayings like rain on mind and heart, and, as it were, bedewed us with knowledge of the old and new Scriptures, namely, the Law and the Gospels , such being early and late rain. Now, the fact that knowledge and spiritual appreciation of the Law is not without benefit the Savior himself confirms by saying to the Jewish crowds, “Do not think that I shall accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. In fact, if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.”1 He also said somewhere in reference to the scribes (430) and Pharisees, on the grounds of their being called from the teachings of the Law to something better, namely, the Gospel, “Therefore, every scribe trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his storehouse new things and old.”2 So in seeking from God knowledge both of the Law and of the Gospel, and presenting ourselves in a condition worthy to receive it, we shall definitely receive it and fill the storehouse of our mind, amassing both old things and new, and stocking our minds with the greatest degree of spiritual fruitfulness. The Lord caused visions, and will give them winter rain, to each one a plant in the field. Because the diviners spoke of trouble and the seers spoke of false visions and false dreams, they offered empty consolation . Hence they dried up because of having no rain, and were abused like sheep because there was no healing (vv.1–2). The text is preg199 1. Jn 5.45–46. 2. Mt 13.52. 200 CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA nant with a hidden meaning, and in my view requires clear explication ; studious readers would understand the drift of the prophet’s words in the following way.3 His statement, you see, had reference to the saints, whom he called “holy stones” and said that “grain” was particularly appropriate for them for their vigor as “young men,” and as well sweet-smelling “wine” on account of their being “maidens,” that is, holy and sacred. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus,” remember, “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” as the divinely inspired Paul says.4 (431) Now, he bade them ask for early and late rain; then, after inserting a reference to those who had gone astray, as it were, he gives an explanation of why they had neither grain nor wine, instead being bereft of spiritual rain with the result that they lacked a plant in the field. While the passage pretends to deal with material things, these contain a very subtle and refined level of meaning. It says, in fact, that God causes visions, that is, lightning flashes, and sheds winter rain on the soil, which is beneficial, and to each one—of the beasts in the field, obviously—he gives a plant. The diviners —that is, those that were lying and fraudulent—delivered oracles from their own hearts; they spoke of trouble, that is, what was not conducive to rest for the people believing them, instead obliging them to suffer for offending God and being ignored by him. The seers and the false dreams offered consolation, making comforting sounds and exciting them with lavish promises, but saying nothing true. Instead, they led them into deceit and error, giving them hardly a glimpse of the giver and source of spiritual gifts, urging them to seek contentment rather from the false gods—hence his remark, They dried up because of having no rain, and were abused like sheep. That is, there was no plant, there was no healing: there was no one among them to bind up what was broken , to restore what was fractured, to revive what was abused. Notice should be taken, therefore, not of those practicing empty divination, (432) liars, flatterers, and seers, but rather of 3. While it is typical of Cyril to direct his more studious readers to the skopos of a text so as to plumb its meaning, he himself is handicapped in this case by the LXX’s seeing “visions...