Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 3:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And he answered, and spake, etc.] That is, the Angel of the Lord, before whom Joshua stood, answered to the accusations of Satan, and the entreaties of Joshua: and spake unto those that stood before him; not the fellows that sat before Joshua, (<380308>Zechariah 3:8) for the priests, who were Joshua’s fellows, could not take away sin; nor indeed can ministers of the Gospel, only ministerially or declaratively, as instruments, in bringing the good news of pardon to the comfort of distressed minds; whom the ministering angels may here represent, that stood before Christ the Archangel, the Head of all principalities and powers, and who are ministering spirits to him; and so the Targum paraphrases it, “and he said to them who ministered before him;” who, though they can not expiate sin, or make atonement for it, may bring the tidings of pardon to a poor fallen believer: saying, Take away the filthy garments from him; it may be observed, that the garments of the priests were to be new and fair, according to the Jewish canonsf57; and if they became filthy, they did not whiten them, nor wash them, but left them for threads (or wicks of candles), and put on new; and so orders are here given not to wash the filthy garments of Joshua, but to take them away: it is not, take him, Satan, the address is not to him; nor angels, who are spoken to, take away this filthy creature from me, I can not bear the sight of him; but take away his sins, not the being, power, or sense of them; nor does it signify making atonement for them, or removing them out of the sight of justice; but a taking them away out of Joshua’s sight, and giving him a sense of pardon, a comfortable view of it, in which angels and ministers of the word may be assisting; (see <230606>Isaiah 6:6,7 40:2) and is effectually done, when Christ, who has power to forgive sin, makes an application of forgiving grace himself, as follows: and unto him he said; that is, the Angel of the Lord said to Joshua: Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee; which shows that he had sinned, and interprets the filthy garments he was clothed with: Christ took his iniquity upon himself, bore and made satisfaction for it, and removed it as far from him as the east from the west; and now caused the guilt of it to pass from his conscience, and gave him a comfortable view of the free and full pardon of it. The word “behold” is prefixed to this declaration of pardon, to ascertain the truth of it, to fix his attention to it, and raise his admiration at it: and I will clothe thee with change of raiment; garments to put on and off; for, in those hot countries, they used to shift their garments often; and these do not design priestly garments, such as the high priest put on, on the day of atonement, when he put off his common garments, and, having done his work, shifted again, (<031623>Leviticus 16:23,24) such change of garments the high priest, indeed, had; and so had the common priests; for they did not wear the same garments, when out of service, as when in it; (see Gill on “<264214>Ezekiel 42:14”) (see Gill on “<264419>Ezekiel 44:19”); but priestly garments seem rather to be intended in the following verses, which were put on along with the mitre: change of raiment here rather signify such as used to be wore on festivals and holy days, rich, valuable, precious garments; such as men wore when they went abroad, and appeared in company, and upon return home put off again; and especially clean neat garme…
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