Catholic Commentary on Zechariah 13

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.” (Zechariah 13:7)

The Fountain of Cleansing; The Scattered Flock

On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me! declares the LORD Almighty. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land, a third will be struck down and perish; yet a third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.

Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7 at the Last Supper, applying it to his own arrest and the scattering of the disciples (Matthew 26:31). The Catechism identifies the striking of the shepherd as the figure of the Passion (CCC 557).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. The third that passes through the fire is not destroyed but refined. The testing is not the end; it is the process. The scattered sheep are not abandoned; they are being refined by the suffering the striking of the shepherd produced. You may be in the fire. You are being made silver.

Prayer

Lord God, refine us like silver and test us like gold. Bring us through the fire and hear us when we call. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

13
An End to Idolatry
“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity * 13:2 Or the unclean spirit from the land.
 
And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not remain alive, because you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD.’ When he prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will pierce him through.
 
And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth. 13:5 Or I am a farmer, for the land has been my livelihood since my youth.If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest 13:6 Literally between your hands?’ he will answer, ‘These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends.’
The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered
(Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31)
 
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
against the man who is My Companion,
declares the LORD of Hosts.
Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered,§ 13:7 Cited in Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27
and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
And in all the land,
declares the LORD,
two-thirds will be cut off and perish,
but a third will be left in it.
This third I will bring through the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.
They will call on My name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are My people,’
and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’ ”

*13:2 13:2 Or the unclean spirit

13:5 13:5 Or I am a farmer, for the land has been my livelihood since my youth.

13:6 13:6 Literally between your hands

§13:7 13:7 Cited in Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27