Commentary on Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah and Malachi John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
us. Since then we are by nature slothful and tender, and since inconstancy often creeps in, this is our only remedy, --- that when we seek to go on in the course of our calling to the end, we know that God will be ever a help to us; and this is what the Prophet now teaches us. He then applies what he had before promised to its legitimate purpose, --- to encourage the Jews to lay aside their fear, courageously to undertake their work, and to expect what was not yet evident, even a complete restoration. It follows ---
Zechariah 8:16, 17
16. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
16. Haec verba quae facieties (Haec sunt, nam nomen [{]}דבריםest supervacuum, Haec sunt igitur quae facietis,) Loquimini veritatem, quisque cum socio suo; veritatem et judicium pacis judicate in portis vestris;
17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord
17. Et vir (et quisque) malum socio suo ne cogitetis in cordibus vestris; et jusjurandum mendacii ne diligatis; quia omnia haec sunt quae odio habeo, dicit Iehova.
Zechariah exhorts them here to true repentance, by showing that more things were to be hoped for than what they saw with their eyes; and at the same time he shows that it was not enough for them assiduously to build the city and the temple; but he requires other things, even that they should observe integrity and justice towards one another. We indeed know that the Jews were so given to their own ceremonies, that they thought that holiness existed in them: and this error Zechariah had before condemned, and now he inculcates the same truth, --- that if they wished to have God propitious to them, and also wished to enjoy continually that goodness which they had already tasted, they were to strive to secure it not only by sacrifices and other ceremonies, but especially by attention to justice and equity.
But the Prophet does not here mention every part of an upright life, but only refers to some things. This mode of speaking is quite common, as we have already often noticed. The Prophet then states a part for the whole; but still he includes generally the whole of the second table, when he says that these things were to be observed, 242 even that they should speak the truth; that is, deal faithfully with one
242Literally it is, "These the words which ye shall do." The term "words" means here what the words contain, and may therefore be rendered, "commands," or "do" may be translated "observe:" — These are the commands which ye shall do, — Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor; The truth and the judgment of peace Pronounce in your gates. Instead of "Pronounce," Newcome has "Determine," and Henderson, as in our version, "Execute;" the more literal rendering is "Judge:" but the verb often means to decide, to determine, to declare a thing as a judge, or to pronounce sentence in a cause. What they were required here was to pronounce what was true and right according to the law, an dto give such a judgment as was calculated to promote peace and concord, "by deterring the litigious," as Newcome observes, "and punishing the evil doer." Jerome, Drusius, Pemble, Henry, and Grotius, give the same view of "the judgment of peace;" but Henderson agrees with Calvin, and renders it "sound judgment." The former view is most to be approved, as the latter is less distinct, for "true" and "sound" are nearly the same. "Let the judges," observes Henry, "that sit in the gates, in all their judicial proceedings have regard both to truth and to peace; let them take care to do justice, and to accommodate differences, and prevent vexatious suits. It must be a judgment of truth in order to peace; and a judgment of peace as far as is consistent with truth, and no further." The words, "speak the truth," Kimchi very beautifully explains thus, — "Speak not with one thing in your mouth and another thing in your heart." — Ed.