The Bare Facts --
Overviews and Outlines --
Bible Studies: Whole Book -- Part of Book --
Sermons -- Bibliographies
One of the more mystifying books in the Old Testament, Zechariah contains two major sections. In the first eight chapters we encounter a series of "Night Visions" in which a variety of spiritual truths are revealed to the prophet through some quite bizarre imagery, including a giant flying scroll.
One of the more critically contentious books, Zechariah is widely held by liberal critics to be the work of two hands: Zechariah and Deutero-Zechariah. The rationale for this division, however, is rather feeble, resting on the absence of specific historical allusions in the second part and the lack of mentions of the prophet's name in chapters 9 through 14. (It is, in fact, mentioned in only chapters 1 and 7.) The other chief argument involves the incredibly subjective realm of style analysis. In the end, no compelling reason emerges to divide the book.
Left:A 16th century illuminated manuscript portraying Zechariah's vision of the High Priest and Satan. Apparently, that is Zechariah in the lower right.
The Bare Facts
Who: Zechariah's name means "Yahweh remembers." From
Nehemiah 12:1,16 we know that he was a Levite (perhaps a priest), born in
Babylon, who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. Verse 2:4 tells us
that Zechariah is young.
Where: Presumably he wrote from Jerusalem.
When: "In the eighth month of the second year of Darius."
This spots Zechariah's work beginning in 520 B.C. He continued through
about 489. Those who insist on dividing the book among two authors assign
chapters 9-14 to the 3rd century BC.
What: The book falls into two parts. Chapters 1 through 8
contain a series of visions, apocalyptic in nature. Chapters 9-14 contain
oracles on the nations and on Israel. Because these two sections differ
markedly, many liberal scholars have assumed them to be the product of different
authors and different periods. After all, one writer cannot possibly write
in two styles.
Memorable Passages
3:1-10
Messianic prophecy.
4:6
Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.
9:9
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion. Messianic
prophecy.
Overviews and Outlines
- An Introduction to the
Book of Zechariah
- An outlined overview by David Malick.
- An Argument of the
Book of Zechariah
- One of David Malick's rhetorical outlines.
- The Grace
Institute: Zechariah
- A well-rounded overview from a Eugene Oregon church.
- The Book of
Zechariah
- An introduction from Quartz Hill School of Theology.
- About Bible
Prophecy: Zechariah
- A list and discussion of the prophecies and their fulfillments.
Created by a team of Catholics and Wisconsin-Synod Lutherans.
-
Bible Commentary: Zechariah
- A brief introduction and outline by Arend Remmers.
-
Jewish Encyclopedia
- An article from the 1901-06 reference work. Generally liberal in its
critical presuppositions.
- Bible Basics
- A very brief list of facts, but it includes a wav file pronouncing the
book's title.
- Easton Bible Dictionary:
Zechariah
- The article from M.G. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
- Catholic
Encyclopedia: Zacharias
- The appropriate entry from the public domain edition of this venerable
reference work.
- Columbia
Encyclopedia: Zechariah
- A brief article from the 2001 edition of this reference work.
- Bible Explained
- This is a commentary by an energetic fellow named Ted Wade. He
provides brief notes on each chapter and most verses for the entire Bible.
-
Luther Productions
- A very brief overview including key verses.
- The Blue
Letter Bible
- An excellent source for text, cross-references, concordance, language
helps, commentaries, and more.
-
City of God
- A brief note from Augustine's great theological work.
- Jewish Bible (JPS
1917)
- Three versions of the text in Hebrew.
- Zechariah
- The proper page from Aaron Rittmaster's Hebrew Prophets Web.
Bible Studies: Whole Book
- The
Apocalypse of the Old Testament
- A study of Zechariah by Chuck Missler.
- The Minor Prophets:
Zechariah
- Number 12 of Hampton Keathley, IV's 13-lesson study.
- Zechariah Bible Series
- A 6-segment Bible study.
-
RTOT: Zechariah
- The relevant chapter from Barry Bandstra's online book Reading the Old
Testament.
- John Calvin's Commentary
- The commentary of the 16th-century
French reformer.
- John
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
- The commentary of the 17th century Baptist theologian.
- The Minor Prophets:
Zechariah
- A study by Al Maxey.
- Zechariah and Jewish
Renewal: From Gloom to Glory
- A commentary by a Fred Miller (or Moeller--it's kind of confusing.)
- Zechariah Commentary
- A commentary by Eugene Merrill in four sections.
- Love the Lord
Bible Studies: Zechariah
- A fourteen-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry.
They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if
they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.
- Talks for Growing
Christians
- A nifty study, which includes a brief sermon, question, and answers.
A project from Talks for Growing Christians.
-
Zechariah Bible Study
- A 7-lesson study from a Florida Church of Christ.
- The Grace
Institute: Zechariah
- A well-rounded overview from a Eugene Oregon church.
-
Zechariah: I Am Zealous for Zion
- An executable outline from Mark Copeland.
- Geneva Notes
- In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study
Bible. These are the notes from that edition.
- Coffman's
Commentary
- A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church
of Christ scholar.
- Matthew Henry's
Commentary
- The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by
the great English Puritan writer..
-
John Wesley Notes
- Over his career, the
founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire
Bible.
-
JFB Commentary
- The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).
-
L.M. Grant Commentary
- A lengthy commentary by a Brethren-affiliated writer.
- Clarke's
Commentary
- The first chapter for this book from
Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century
commentary.
- John Gill's Exposition of the
Entire Bible
- The commentary of the
17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.
- Scofield
Reference Notes
- The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible. From a
dispensationalist viewpoint.
-
Old Testament Life and Literature:
Zechariah
-
Deutero-Zechariah
- Gerald Larue's 1968 overview of the Old Testament. Two chapters are
included here since, following his universally liberal critical viewpoint,
Larue asserts the existence of two Zechariahs.
- Treasury
of Scripture Knowledge
- A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference.
Developed by
R.A. Torrey.
- David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible
- David Guzik, a former senior pastor at Clavary Chapel Simi Valley in
California, provides a verse-by-verse commentary. Currently Guzik directs the
Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany.
-
Notes on Zechariah
- A set of class-support notes by Thomas Constable.
- The Jerome Bible
Commentary
- A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D. Is English
isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy. Although Catholic in
orientation, this source has some good material for study.
-
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: Back in the Land
- A study by W. Gunther Plaut hosted at MyJewishLearning.com.
Bible Studies: Part of Book
- Eight
Visions of a Young Man (ch. 1-6)
- A study, subtitled "Constructive Answers to Anxious Questions," by Michael
Hardt.
- Zechariah's Eight Visions
for Israel
- A study by Clarence Wagner.
-
Return to the Lord and He Will Return to You (ch. 1)
- A lesson adapted from a sermon (itself perhaps adapted from Ray C.
Stedman's sermon).
- How Long? (1:8)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- The Rider of the
Red Horse (1:8)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- The Rider of the
Red Horse II (1:8)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
-
Morning and Evening (1:8)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
-
Morning and Evening (1:12-13)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
- How Long?
(1:13-17)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- Messianic Avenger
(1:18-21)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
-
Morning and Evening (1:20)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
- Evangel of the
Messianic Angel (2:1-13)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- Evangel of the
Messianic Angel II (2:6-13)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- The Servant and
the Serpent (ch. 3)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- The Servant and
the Serpent II (ch. 3)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
-
Morning and Evening (3:1)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
- By My Spirit (ch.
4)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology. Subtitled "The Spirit and the Menorah."
- By My Spirit II
(ch. 4)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology. Subtitled "The Spirit and the Messiah."
- By My Spirit III
(ch. 4)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology. This apparently continues the "Spirit and the
Messiah" section.
-
Morning and Evening (4:10)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
- Sermon
57 (4:10)
- A 1770 sermon by George Whitefield.
- Two Sons of Oil
(4:14)
- A lecture by Samuel Wylie, a reformed pastor.
- Anathema (ch. 5)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- MARANA THA
(6:1-8)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
- The Exaltation
of Christ (6:9-15)
- An exposition by Meredith G. Kline from Kerux: The Online Journal of
Biblical Theology.
-
Morning and Evening (6:13)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
-
Justin Martyr (9:9)
- A section from The First Apology of Justin Martyr examining "Other
Fulfilled Prophecies."
-
AboutBibleProphecy (9:9)
- A brief article on the entrance of the Messiah into Jerusalem.
- Praise to
God's Chosen (9:9-10)
- A Catholic study by Larry Broding
-
Lectionary Notes (9:9-12)
- Brief notes from Ralph Klein.
-
Morning and Evening (11:2)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
-
AboutBibleProphecy (11:12-13)
- A brief article on the betrayal of Jesus.
-
Preterism and Zechariah 12-14
- An account of an exchange between a dispensationalist and a preterist,
written by the former.
-
Another Case of Rabbinical Revisionism (12:10)
- An article from The Refiner's Fire, a Messianic Jewish site.
-
Zechariah 14 and the Coming of Christ
- A preterist article by Gary DeMar.
-
Dispensationalism and Zechariah 14
- An article by Wayne Jackson from Christian Courier.
-
Morning and Evening (14:7)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
-
Morning and Evening (14:8)
- An entry from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.
- Sermon upon
Zechariah 14:9
- A lone sermon by
Thomas Manton.
- Conceptions of
Davidic Hope in Ezekiel, Zechariah, Haggai, and the Chronicles
- The final lesson from the six-part series Regal Images from Scripture by
Greg Herrick.
Sermons
- Zechariah: You
Return to Me . . . I'll Return to You!
- The appropriate sermon from
Ray C. Stedman's Adventuring through the Bible series.
- There Shall be a
Fountain Opened
- An overview sermon by John Piper.
- Phil
Newton
- A ten-sermon series by this reformed Baptist pastor.
-
Steven J. Cole
- Seventeen sermons by an Arizona pastor.
- Max Forsythe
- Sermons from a series on the minor prophets. Look for the
appropriate sermon(s) on this page, which contains all twelve.
- C.H. Spurgeon
- A listing of sermons, some of which are available online, by the
great British Baptist.
- Sermon
Outlines
- Links to sermon outlines from
SermonLinks.
Books and Bibliographies
- The Battles
of Armageddon, Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley from the Bronze Age to the
Nuclear Age
- An article from Biblical Interpretation by Eric Cline.
-
Two-Age Bibliography
- A list of recommended sources, mostly scholarly in nature, provided by a
website devoted to the "Redemptive Historical" school of theology.
-
Zechariah Bibliography
- A list of books provided by Cumberland College.
-
Denver Seminary Bibliography
- This will take you to the top of the "Commentary" section. You'll
need to scroll down to find the relevant section.
Memorable Passages