Zechariah 4:12

“And I answered again, and said unto him, etc.] Before he could have an answer to the former question, he puts the following, as being of the same import: What [be these] two olive branches; which grew upon the olive trees, and were nearest to the candlestick, and the pipes that were to the lamps: these, in (<380414>Zechariah 4:14), are interpreted of the two anointed ones, or sons of oil, and may design the ministers of the word, if, by the “golden oil” after mentioned, is meant the Gospel; even a set of evangelical preachers in Gospel times, in the various periods of the church; Christ’s faithful witnesses, who stand on each side of the bowl, and receive out of Christ’s fulness gifts and…”

“through--literally, "by the hand of," that is, by the agency of. branches--literally, "ears"; so the olive branches are called, because as ears are full of grain, so the olive branches are full of olives. golden oil--literally, "gold," that is, gold-like liquor. out of themselves--Ordinances and ministers are channels of grace, not the grace itself. The supply comes not from a dead reservoir of oil, but through living olive trees (Psa 52:8; Rom 12:1) fed by God.”

“What are the two spikes of the olive? - Comparing the extreme branches of the olive-tree, laden with their fruit, to the ears of corn, which “were by or in the hand of the golden pipes, which empty forth the golden oil from themselves.” Zechariah’s expression, in the hand of or, if so be, by the hand of the two pipes, shows that these two were symbols of living agents, for it is nowhere, used except of a living agent, or of that which it personified as such. return to 'Top of Page'”

“I answered - l went on to discourse. Unto him - The angel. What be these - Two principal branches, one in each tree, fuller of berries, and hanging over the golden pipes. Through the pipes - These were fastened to the bowl, on each side one, with a hole through the sides of the bowl, to let the oil that distilled from those olive - branches run into the bowl. Out of themselves - An emblem of supernatural grace; these branches filled from the true olive - tree, ever empty themselves, and are ever full; so are the gospel - ordinances. Zechariah 4:14”

“What be: Mat 20:23; Rev 11:4 through: Hag 1:1 \*marg. Heb. by the hand of empty: etc. or, empty out of themselves oil into gold the golden: Heb. the gold Zechariah 4:13”