And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
//We’re still discussing which Zechariah Jesus was referring to when he mentioned a man killed between the altar and the temple. Four Zechariahs each seem to fit a little. Here are the four we’re considering, stepping backward in time:
Post 1: A man killed in the Zealot uprising of 66-70 AD.
Post 2: The father of John the Baptist.
Post 3: The prophet Zechariah, of the Bible book of Zechariah
Post 4 (today): A priest from the 8th century BC.
Let me give you the words of Jesus from Matthew one more time:
That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. –Matthew 23:35
Today’s verse, about Zechariah #4, seems to describe just such an incident. An Aramaic commentary on the Book of Lamentations (called the Targum Lamentations) also mentions a murder in the temple, of a high priest named Zechariah son of Iddo. This murder occurred on the Day of Atonement … the one day of the year that a man would be precisely where Jesus indicates: between the altar and the holy of holies. (We’re assuming Jesus means the alter of incense, not the big altar of sacrifice).
Recall that Zechariah #3 had a grandfather named Iddo (see yesterday’s post), so it’s possible the Targum is confused between the two. Lamentations was written before Zechariah #3 came on the scene, so it would be a bit odd that a commentary about Lamentations would mention Zechariah #3.
The event described in today’s verse happened in the first temple period. That’s long before Jesus, making it strange that he would refer to this incident, and where Zechariah #4 died in “the court of the house of the Lord” doesn’t quite match “between the temple and the altar,” and Zechariah #4 isn’t killed by priests as Jesus insinuates (for one thing, only a priest was allowed “between the temple and the altar”) but by officials of Judah who wanted to worship pagan deities. But there is one good reason for imagining that #4 is the right Zechariah. It’s that in the Hebrew Bible, Chronicles was the last book of the Old Testament. Thus, when Jesus says “from Abel to Zechariah,” he is saying “from the first book of the Bible to the last.”
The biggest problem with this conjecture, of course, is that Zechariah in #4 is the son of Jehoiada, whereas Matthew writes that he is the son of Berechiah. Oops! Well, it may have been a simple error on Jesus’ or Matthew’s part. Or on the part of a later copyist: some evidence exists that the verse may have originally not specified any “son of”, but merely said “Zechariah.” (The Codex Sinaiticus from the 4th century, considered the oldest complete Bible in existence, does not contain the phrase “son of Berechiah.”)
In the end, the majority of Bible scholars tend to lean toward Zechariah #4. My own opinion? It’s that all four are equally correct. Bible writers and copyists, as discussed in my books about John’s Gospel and Revelation, sometimes tended to see truth as cyclical, happening over and over. Thus, they saw each individual Zechariah’s story as a contribution to the whole.
i believe its the Zechariah #2
the fact being that, when Jesus was born, all the male children around his day were murdered by the command of herod. And John the pabtist, his son was been sought after to beheded. after a search to find him proved futile, his father was the next target. while He was ministering in the temple at that time, being murdered at the temple.
It was Zechariah the prophet, who being a priest besides a prophet, is positively identified by his legal Hebrew name in Zech.1:1. The intended scope of OT history would be actually CHRONOLOGICAL as opposed to CANONICAL( the exegetical logic normally presented). Besides, the Messianic prophetic content of Zechariah’s prophetic was possibly what our Lord was referring to in the Mt 23:35 passage, the context being further elucidated in v 37 “you who kill the prophets.” Jesus was referring to OT Scriptural examples, bookends, if you will. This would disqualify Zechariah, father of John the Baptizer. The 2Chr. Zechariah son of Jehoiada has the wrong name. Besides there is nothing said about his being a prophet. Incidentally Abel would also qualify as a prophet according to the writer of Heb. 11: 4 “…God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” (prophetic role and also a primeval priestly action.) Let’s do our exegetical homework and rightly divide the word of truth.
I pose no opinion, only to point out Zachariah #2, listed in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, says he was clothed with the Spirit of God and stood above the people and said, “Thus says God” – That is the action of a profit and furthermore he even says in his dying breath may the Lord see and avenge. So Jesus acknowledging that death could very well be the fulfillment of his request.
Also in the hebrew gospel, which is the Nazarenes use you will find instead of ‘son of barachiah’- ‘son of Jehoiada.’ who is the very same Zachariah #2
The Zachariah in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22 is said to have been moved by the spirit of God and spoke over the people. “Thus says God” that is the very action of a profit. I would also point you to the Hebrew gospel which the Nazarene‘s use where you will find instead of ‘son of Barachiah’ – ‘son of a Jehoiada.’ the very same Zachariah in 2 Chronicles.
Where can we find that gospel ?
Also I would like to point out that in the time of the writing of the greek gospel, Zachariah, son of Barachiah, was murdered and therefore could’ve been seen by the apostles as a prophetic fulfillment of Jesus’s later words by those who did not know the history of Zachariah Jehoiada. Certainly Jesus could’ve been speaking about both simultaneously since he, being God, knew all before the foundations of the earth.
I’m ready to study more. I will not comment until further investigation. I love this C.
Another words the Pharisees and the saduceesdescended not only from those who murdered Zechariah but from CAIN himselfwho was of the WICKED ONE the devil!Esua ws also one of their ancestors so it does make Abraham their ancestor by default but GOD HATED ESAU so their you go.
Thank all of you so much for this thread. Every reply is so helpful in understanding this. As a reader the murder of Zachariah son of Barachiah would mirror the murder of the high priest Zachariah and the writings calling out the murders of priests. In speaking of one, could Jesus be speaking of both or more? Now I need to read Zechariah and go back to NT and see!
If you believe Jesus is God that came as flesh and blood to dwell amongst men, why the controversy about which Zecharias? He is the Lord and never makes a mistake, He is perfect, man is imperfect. If in doubt, meditate, ask the Holy Spirit and He will enlighten you, except if you do not believe in the Holy Spirit. If it’s the latter, it’s impossible to be a Christian.
I agree that Jesus is essentially saying “from the beginning to the end” as stated above. This is one of two times Jesus validated the Hebrew Bible and our Old Testament. The second time he does it is in Luke 24:44;
44 ¶ And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
The lay out of a Hebrew Bible is, the law, then the prophets, and lastly the psalms. Genesis is the first book and 2Chronicles is the last.
Jesus is pointing out that unbelievers have been killing the prophets that were sent by God since the beginning to the end.
Today we would say “from Genesis to Revelation” because we have a completed Bible, Old Testament to New Testament.
The reason for Zechariah’s father having different names (Mt 23:35 Barachias, 2Chron 24:20 Jehoiada) is because Jewish people had up to three different given names. A good illustration is the names of the 12 apostles (King James Bible). Compare Mt 10:2-4, Mk 3:14-19, Lk 6:13-16 side by side. Notice it’s the same people but they have different names. Did you know there were two apostles named Judas? You wouldn’t if you only read Mt 10:2-4. Notice how many names Peter had.
One last thing, when Jesus validated the Old Testament by acknowledging the law, the prophets, and the psalms, notice he doesn’t include “the apocrypha”. Those are 15 books that the Roman Catholic church arbitrarily added to the Hebrew Bible text, and that exist in the Catholic bible today. They’re bogus!
I believe the Zachariah that Jesus referred to in Matthew 23:35 is Zachariah #3
The mention of Cain and Abel is in reference to the mark God placed on Cain when he was told he must leave. Cain was afraid that people would know and kill him. Because Cain was thinking of his Father at the time he killed his brother. Did God make intersession for him by making it clear that in the same manner his life would be dealt with would be the sentence of all the people 7 fold. And as far as Zacharia in our timeline. I believe it’s in reference to Abraham Lincoln. Emancipation proclamation and the unknown soldier. But it was captain Christian rath. Kept secret from others not military.
The reason Matthew says, “son of Berechiah” is that he knows he needs to disambiguate. There were two Zechariah’s who were killed in the temple complex.
The Bible says one was killed “in the court”. Whether that was the inner court or the outer court doesn’t matter. These courts were both outside the sacred area.
Zechariah, son of Berechiah, was killed between the Holy Place (Temple – central structure) and the Altar of Sacrifice. This murder of a prophet, in the sacred area, makes it a heinous act.
I don’t know why you’re all so worried about it really and it’s not like Zachariah was or was he I don’t know they were all related they did all kind of look alike here’s what I got to say about it Zachariah ben Jehoiada is how it would have actually said it in our original version that we have and it’s just weird anyways cuz it should have ben Yahoida it’s not a name it’s a title it would have been Zachariah son of jehoida or “God has remembered the son of God knows!”cuz I mean for real they were all sons of blessing and sons of thunder it’s just crazy that there would that many zecharias that all died the same way or similar ways it also even makes mention in the Bible of one who is taken out of the Bible from a very long time and then God remembers him he was the Melchizedek of God’s house of worship! I mean it would stand a reason that he would inherit that position considering that his his grandfather Ido was one of the only two people in the entire Bible that didn’t die ever he just was lifted up! I don’t know where you guys all get your information at but I actually have an Oxford edition from like 1863 or something like that and my family wrote Bibles for almost 2,000 years and they were all called John a Hertel Masonic blue letter edition/ they were also called John a Hertel red letter edition with new standard Bible reference or better known as the HBPCS You’re still published Bibles up until I don’t know the ’60s no when they changed them and then sued the shit out of my family for the rights, Zacharias son of jerebekaya actually means God has remembered the son of blessing and my name is Zakaryahuw Yah Ezeh Atsalyahuw
“God has remembered his young hard warrior angel!” The metatron you know the one that stands on the Earth and in the ocean. You know the voice that had priest the preacher the one whose name was taken out of the Bible until he remembered! Descendant of John Baptiste Hertel De Rouville! Awarded the order of saints the order of the the Knights of the Red Cross. Better known as the Iahsuit order of Korc! Given his title by Queen Anne at the Battle of Queen Anne here in St Louis also awarded into the order of Saint Louis cuz you know that’s why they never found John the Baptist! Or the last two remaining apostles cuz one of them was his nephew and one of them was him! That rise up in a nation yet a far off! How do you sync the last two living apostles themselves gave authority to King James himself to translate the Bible into English you know while he was yet a prince oh and yes it is possible for someone to live that long! The problem is they don’t live it here physically! And for you all information I am here and I remember every single blow cuz I still happen to live between The alter and the banquet House sitting out in the wilderness where he gave me to watch over the house!
And for your information I didn’t give up I got tired of trying to speak to you all who don’t listen cuz I’ve been calling for 7 years now it’s not like you can’t see the final Trumpet calling I mean 8 bullets missed him you know! No there’s only like 15 prophecies in the Bible that have not happened yet!