Q: In Matthew 21:4-5, the author claims that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. However, Zechariah 9:10-13 go on to describe the person mentioned in 9:9 as a military leader and the king of an earthly kingdom. Jesus doesnt seem to fulfill that part of Zechariahs prophecy.
A: At first read, Zechariahs prophecy looks like its about military activity and a military leader. But thats the thing about prophecies: they are capable of being fulfilled in unexpected ways. One of Matthew's recurring themes is that Jesus has fulfilled Messianic prophecies -- sometimes in the expected way, and sometimes not.
In Zechariah 9:10, even if one assumes that a military leader is envisaged, hes described in poetic, non-literal terms. A chariot will not be literally cut, and a horse will not be literally cut, and a bow will not be literally cut. In Zechariah 9:15, Judah will not be literally bent. A bow will not be literally filled with Ephraim. The passage is brimming with language that lends itself more readily to non-literal understandings than to literal ones. And theres nothing built into the text that precludes a non-literal fulfillment of its militaristic imagery.
Lets take a look at some features in Zechariah 9, and how they are fulfilled in Christ.
9:9 -- "Thy King comes unto thee: just and lowly, and riding upon a donkey, even upon a colt, the foal of a donkey." -- Fulfilled by Jesus during the Triumphal Entry.
9:10 -- "He shall speak peace unto the nations, and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." -- Jesus established the covenant of grace which is available for Jews and Gentiles alike; the church has expanded from sea to sea, and the gospel has been preached all over the world. (This verse, btw, is practically a quotation of Psalm 72:8, which is about the Lords Anointed King. This was fulfilled in no way by nobody subsequent to Zechariah's lifetime -- except as it was figuratively fulfilled by Jesus.)
9:11 -- By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the waterless pit. -- Through the sacrifice of Christ and the atonement provided through His blood (as He mentioned at the Last Supper), God has liberated those who were trapped in the pit of sin and guiltiness.
9:12 -- Turn ye to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee. -- Jesus will compensate His martyrs and confessors for their losses and hardships. He calls all those persecuted for the sake of the gospel to maintain their hope and faith in God, the ever-present refuge.
9:14-16 -- The LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south -- This part can be summed up in two words: eschatological scene.
9:17 -- Grain shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maidens. -- Bread and wine, the elements of the Lords Supper in the new covenant which was established through Jesus blood of the covenant (mentioned earlier in 9:11), give joy (among other feelings) to Gods people, reminding them that the price has been paid for their sins.
Theres no denying that militaristic imagery exists in the passage, but a careful reading will show that the militaristic imagery is focused on acts of the overseeing LORD, not the donkey-riding King in 9:9. It seems presumptuous to conclude that the King mentioned in 9:9 cannot be the king of a spiritual kingdom simply because a description of His entrance on a donkey is described alongside descriptions of divine activity described in militaristic imagery. The donkey-riding King speaks peace to the nations; He is not the one doing military deeds in verses 10-13 as the SAB-objection seems to imply. Again: the militaristic exploits described further on in the passage are acts of the LORD of hosts; He is the One described in militaristic terms here, not the King who appears on a donkey in 9:9.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: At first read, Zechariahs prophecy looks like its about military activity and a military leader. But thats the thing about prophecies: they are capable of being fulfilled in unexpected ways. One of Matthew's recurring themes is that Jesus has fulfilled Messianic prophecies -- sometimes in the expected way, and sometimes not.
In Zechariah 9:10, even if one assumes that a military leader is envisaged, hes described in poetic, non-literal terms. A chariot will not be literally cut, and a horse will not be literally cut, and a bow will not be literally cut. In Zechariah 9:15, Judah will not be literally bent. A bow will not be literally filled with Ephraim. The passage is brimming with language that lends itself more readily to non-literal understandings than to literal ones. And theres nothing built into the text that precludes a non-literal fulfillment of its militaristic imagery.
Lets take a look at some features in Zechariah 9, and how they are fulfilled in Christ.
9:9 -- "Thy King comes unto thee: just and lowly, and riding upon a donkey, even upon a colt, the foal of a donkey." -- Fulfilled by Jesus during the Triumphal Entry.
9:10 -- "He shall speak peace unto the nations, and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." -- Jesus established the covenant of grace which is available for Jews and Gentiles alike; the church has expanded from sea to sea, and the gospel has been preached all over the world. (This verse, btw, is practically a quotation of Psalm 72:8, which is about the Lords Anointed King. This was fulfilled in no way by nobody subsequent to Zechariah's lifetime -- except as it was figuratively fulfilled by Jesus.)
9:11 -- By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the waterless pit. -- Through the sacrifice of Christ and the atonement provided through His blood (as He mentioned at the Last Supper), God has liberated those who were trapped in the pit of sin and guiltiness.
9:12 -- Turn ye to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee. -- Jesus will compensate His martyrs and confessors for their losses and hardships. He calls all those persecuted for the sake of the gospel to maintain their hope and faith in God, the ever-present refuge.
9:14-16 -- The LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south -- This part can be summed up in two words: eschatological scene.
9:17 -- Grain shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maidens. -- Bread and wine, the elements of the Lords Supper in the new covenant which was established through Jesus blood of the covenant (mentioned earlier in 9:11), give joy (among other feelings) to Gods people, reminding them that the price has been paid for their sins.
Theres no denying that militaristic imagery exists in the passage, but a careful reading will show that the militaristic imagery is focused on acts of the overseeing LORD, not the donkey-riding King in 9:9. It seems presumptuous to conclude that the King mentioned in 9:9 cannot be the king of a spiritual kingdom simply because a description of His entrance on a donkey is described alongside descriptions of divine activity described in militaristic imagery. The donkey-riding King speaks peace to the nations; He is not the one doing military deeds in verses 10-13 as the SAB-objection seems to imply. Again: the militaristic exploits described further on in the passage are acts of the LORD of hosts; He is the One described in militaristic terms here, not the King who appears on a donkey in 9:9.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
