[1] In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
A fountain — The blood of Christ.
Opened — The spouse is to Christ a fountain sealed, but Christ is to sinners a fountain opened.
Inhabitants of Jerusalem — The inhabitants of Jerusalem are all to whom the gospel is preached.
For uncleanness — For purging away all manner of sins and uncleannesses.
Verse 2
[2] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
Cut off — I will utterly destroy idols and idolatry.
The prophets — The false prophets.
The unclean spirit — The devil who sets the false prophets to work.
Verse 3
[3] And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
Prophesy — Falsely.
His father — His dearest friends.
Shall thrust him through — That is, shall wound, shall chastise him with stripes that may leave their marks behind.
Verse 4
[4] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
A rough garment — Such as the true prophets were wont to wear.
Verse 6
[6] And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
With which I was wounded — To recover me from ruining myself and others by imposture, see verse 3.
Verse 7
[7] Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
O sword — Afflictions, persecutions, and the cross.
My shepherd — Who is my faithful shepherd, and will lay down his life for my sheep.
My fellow — This speaks Christ; man with us, and God with his father, God-man in one person.
The shepherd — This great and good shepherd.
Turn mine hand — God will turn his hand in favour, and for protection will keep the new, and weak disciples.
Verse 8
[8] And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Two parts — Not precisely two, but the greater part shall die a temporal death, by the sword of Titus, or in eternal death under unbelief.
The third — A remnant, the lesser part, shall escape or be preserved.
Zechariah 13 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
A fountain — The blood of Christ.
Opened — The spouse is to Christ a fountain sealed, but Christ is to sinners a fountain opened.
Inhabitants of Jerusalem — The inhabitants of Jerusalem are all to whom the gospel is preached.
For uncleanness — For purging away all manner of sins and uncleannesses.
Verse 2
[2] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
Cut off — I will utterly destroy idols and idolatry.
The prophets — The false prophets.
The unclean spirit — The devil who sets the false prophets to work.
Verse 3
[3] And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
Prophesy — Falsely.
His father — His dearest friends.
Shall thrust him through — That is, shall wound, shall chastise him with stripes that may leave their marks behind.
Verse 4
[4] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
A rough garment — Such as the true prophets were wont to wear.
Verse 6
[6] And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
With which I was wounded — To recover me from ruining myself and others by imposture, see verse 3.
Verse 7
[7] Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
O sword — Afflictions, persecutions, and the cross.
My shepherd — Who is my faithful shepherd, and will lay down his life for my sheep.
My fellow — This speaks Christ; man with us, and God with his father, God-man in one person.
The shepherd — This great and good shepherd.
Turn mine hand — God will turn his hand in favour, and for protection will keep the new, and weak disciples.
Verse 8
[8] And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Two parts — Not precisely two, but the greater part shall die a temporal death, by the sword of Titus, or in eternal death under unbelief.
The third — A remnant, the lesser part, shall escape or be preserved.