Zechariah the Prophet

In short

He has his own book (Zechariah), but he and Haggai (another prophet with a book) both appear in Ezra (chapters 5-6) to motivate the people to rebuild the temple (Ezra 6:14). Zechariah is also a priest (Neh 12:12,16).

Why he is important

His prophecies are legendary in the New Testament, quoted or alluded to dozens of times, especially as they relate to Christ.

The book of Zechariah

Lots of prophesies and crazy visions. But there are two big sections:

1. Chapters 1-8 – the people in Zechariah’s day need to get right
2. Chapters 9-14 – prophecy as we think of it, using poetry and far-out visions

The book of Zechariah is considered a “minor prophet,” meaning not as long as the “major prophets.” But the book is 14 chapters (more than Daniel, one of the major prophets)! This is an epic work.

Which Zechariah does Jesus refer to in Matthew 23:35?

“Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar,” Matt 23:34-35.

I realize now that there are no fewer than four Zechariahs in the Bible, including two in Ezra alone.

1. Son of Jehoiada the priest, In the days of king Joash (2Ch 24:20-22)
2. Son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo (Zech 1:1) – the one we are talking about today
3. Various others (I think) in Ezra and Nehemiah
4. Father of John the Baptist (in the New Testament, Luke 1:5)
5. And then there is apparently someone outside of the Bible that was famous in Jesus’ day, apparently

You would think it’s our guy today, #2 in the list (son of Berechiah/Barachiah). But scholars doubt this – I guess for the simple reason that his death is not recorded anywhere. Other options are #1, since apparently “Jehoiada” and “Barachiah” mean the same thing, or #5. Frankly, I just don’t get why you would not think it’s #2, but I don’t do this for a living.

So, my hopes of making this cool connection to Jesus were dashed today.