Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Zechariah 3:9
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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.
For, behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua, etc.] Not the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; nor the first and foundation stone of the temple laid by him in the presence of Joshua; but Christ the Stone of Israel, whom the builders refused, the foundation and corner stone of the spiritual building the church: and this was laid before Joshua to build his faith upon, to view his safety and security on it, and to take comfort from it for himself; and to lay it before others, and instruct them in the nature and use of it, for their comfort also. It was prophetically laid before him in the prophecies of Christ, that went before; and typically, when the foundation of the temple was laid, (<150309>Ezra 3:9,10) the temple being a type of the church, and the foundation of it a type of Christ: and this being done by Jehovah, shows that he is the chief builder; that this stone must be an excellent one, that is of his laying; that that building must stand, which this is the foundation of; and that under builders have great encouragement to work; (see <232816>Isaiah 28:16). Vitringa, on the place referred to, interprets Joshua of Isaiah, who prophesied of this stone in the said place, and before whom it was laid by a spirit of prophecy; Isaiah and Joshua being words of the same signification and formation: but Isaiah was no high priest; for there is no room to think that Joshua, in this verse, is another and distinct from Joshua the high priest, in the former: upon one stone [shall be] seven eyes; meaning either the eyes of Christ himself, which he has, and are in him; for Christ is not only a Living Stone, but a seeing one, even all seeing; he is all eye. This may be an allusion to such stones that have the resemblance of eyes upon them: such a stone is that which Scheuchzerf76 speaks of, and calls “siliculus ommatias”, being found in the river Sila; which represents the fore part of the bulb of the eye, and the black pupil of the eye in a snowy white; and, after a small interstice, as surrounded with another black circle; with which may be compared the “achates”, in the middle of which is an onyx, resembling an eye, and is therefore named by Velschiusf77, “achates ommatias”, and “onych ophthalmos”. Some stones have on them the figures of the eyes of animals, and have their names from them; as the “oegophthalmos”, which is very much like the eye of a goat; and “lycophthalmos”, in the middle of which the black is surrounded with white, as the eyes of wolves, and in all respects like unto them; and “hyophthalmos”, which bears the likeness of the eyes of swine: and some resemble human eyes; there is one called “triophthalmos”, which is bred with the onyx, and represents three eyes of a man together; all which are made mention of by Plinyf78: but here is a stone with seven eyes in it, denoting perfection of sight in him as a divine Person, special oversight of his people, and fulness of grace in him as Mediator; for the fulness of the gifts and graces of the Spirit in him, for the use of his people, is signified by seven eyes, (<660506>Revelation 5:6) they may design the omniscience of Christ in general, which reaches to all persons and things, and greatly qualifies him to be the Head of the church, and Judge of the world; and likewise his special knowledge, care, and watchfulness of his own people, from everlasting, in time, at, and before, and after conversion, under all their trials and exercises: or they design the eyes which are looki…
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