Zec 3:8-9 | TNotes | STEP | 3:8 The high priest Jeshua and the other priests were symbols of greater realities. • Servant and Branch are both titles for the Messiah (Isa 42:1 ; 53:2 ; Jer 23:5 ; 33:15 ). As servant, the Messiah obeys God’s will by becoming a sin offering so that many might be made righteous (Isa 53:11 ; see Acts 3:13 ; 4:27 ). The Branch is a metaphor for kingship that identifies the Messiah as David’s descendant (Isa 11:1 ; Jer 23:5 ).

3:8 ^a The high priest Jeshua and the other priests were symbols of greater realities.

• Servant and Branch are both titles for the Messiah (Isa 42:1 ^b; 53:2 ^c; Jer 23:5 ^d; 33:15 ^e). As servant, the Messiah obeys God’s will by becoming a sin offering so that many might be made righteous (Isa 53:11 ^f; see Acts 3:13 ^g; 4:27 ^h). The Branch is a metaphor for kingship that identifies the Messiah as David’s descendant (Isa 11:1 ⁱ; Jer 23:5 ^j).
3:9 ^k The single stone signifies authority. It might refer to the final stone of the Temple laid by Zerubbabel (4:7 ^l), the “foundation stone” of the restored Jerusalem (Isa 28:16 ^m), or the precious stones on the ephod of the high priests (Exod 25:7 ⁿ; 35:9 ^o).

• The seven facets (literally seven eyes) of the stone imply perfection and completeness of knowledge and wisdom. They might relate to the seven lamps of the golden lampstand (Zech 4:2 ^p) or to God’s “sevenfold Spirit” (Rev 1:4 ^q).

• The inscription is reminiscent of the names of the tribes inscribed on the stones of the high priest’s shoulder-pieces (Exod 39:6 ^r).

• The removal of Israel’s sin in a single day alludes to the Day of Atonement (Lev 16 ^s). It foreshadows Christ’s crucifixion, when the Lamb of God would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29 ^t).