The Priestly Ministry of the Branch
The Lord prophesied “the Christmas Branch” long before the exile through Isaiah (chapter 4 and chapter 11) and around the time of the exile through Jeremiah (chapter 23 and chapter 33). He then expanded on the subject through the post-exilic prophet Zechariah (chapter 3 and chapter 6)
Most of the Branch prophecies are political in nature, having to do with the restoration of national Israel and Christ serving as the King of that nation and of the whole world. But other prophecies about the Branch are more personal and spiritual in nature. We see that same blend of Messianic ministries in the NT’s stories about Jesus’ birth. Most of them focus on his work as King. But we can’t forget what the angel told Joseph about the Baby Mary was carrying: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).
So, he’s a King who will save people from their sins? How does that work? The OT never explained how one person could do all the different works that were predicted about the Messiah. That’s why even Jesus’ first disciples didn’t understand the Cross—they were focused on his future glory as King but didn’t realize that he would have to go through intense suffering and even death in order to accomplish all of his ministries.
When we come to Zechariah, we see the ministries of the Branch beginning to meld together. Those who first heard Zechariah’s messages were probably mystified by some of the things he revealed. From a New Covenant standpoint, there are still some interpretive challenges, but we’re in a much better position to understand Zechariah’s prophecies.
Historical Background
The first job the Lord wanted done as his people returned from Babylon to their homeland of Judah was the building of the temple that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces. The people had started on that project right away, but they quickly became discouraged and distracted and left it unfinished for sixteen years. So the Lord raised up Haggai and Zechariah to stir them up to finish the job.
The preaching of these two men aimed at giving the people a vision for the importance of the temple they were contributing to. It wasn’t that mind-blowing things were going to happen there during their lifetimes. In fact, 4:10 calls their day “the day of small things.” The importance of their work was that in their time they were advancing the purposes of God that would one day culminate in Jerusalem and its temple becoming the center of Yahweh’s worldwide kingdom.
As Haggai and Zechariah spoke of these things, they targeted two men in particular, the two primary leaders of Judah. First, Zerubbabel was in the line of David, and he had been appointed as the governor of Judah by the Persian Empire. As such, he was the supervisor of the rebuilding efforts (4:9). The other man was Joshua. He was the high priest at the time, so naturally he would also be heavily involved in the construction of the temple.
Zechariah 1–6 records a series of eight visions the prophet saw in one night, and the two passages about the Messianic Branch occur in that context. Both focus on Joshua, and they connect the Branch with the kind of priestly ministry Joshua carried out. Thus, Zechariah concentrates on the priestly ministry of the Branch. Chapter 3 highlights one dimension of that priestly ministry, and chapter 6 highlights another dimension. In both chapters we find fascinating symbolism that leads to an explicit prediction about the Branch.
The priestly Branch will remove sin (3:1–10).
Symbolism (3:1–7)
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”
The angel or messenger of Yahweh may be the figure many scholars identify as a preincarnate appearance of Christ. That would certainly be appropriate in this context. We know who Satan is. His name means “adversary,” and here he’s showing his hostility in one of his favorite ways: accusing God’s people of sin (cf. Rev 12:10).
The person Satan is accusing is Joshua, but it’s not just a personal problem. The bigger problem is that if Joshua is unclean and guilty, he could not successfully carry out his work as a priest and represent others before the Lord.
The Lord responds to Satan with the truth of election. God had chosen Jerusalem as his city, and he would make sure all obstacles to his blessing of Jerusalem are taken out of the way. God had also chosen Joshua. He had plucked him out of the fire of the exile and called him to a special task.
But Satan was actually right about Joshua’s sins. What would be done about that?
3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.
In verse 3 the term translated “filthy” is a strong word for something vile and repulsive, excrement. Yet God worked out a way not only to remove the filth of Joshua’s sin but also to clothe him with pure vestments. Thus, he would be qualified to function as a mediator for God’s people.
Zechariah gets involved in the drama—he calls for a clean turban to be put on Joshua. Zechariah would have known what the Lord had said about the priestly garments in Exodus 28. They included a turban with a golden plate inscribed with the words “Holy to the Lord.” This was part of the symbolism showing how a qualified priest carrying out the stipulated rituals could deal with sin so that God would accept his people.
The act of clothing Joshua was part of consecrating him for this priestly task. In fact, next he receives a brief commissioning:
6 And the angel of the LORD solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
Here we see the obedience that flows from grace. God had forgiven Joshua’s sins, but that didn’t mean those sins didn’t matter. He must now live an obedient lifestyle and stay faithful to God’s calling if he was going to have the privilege of serving as a priest for the post-exilic community. Thus, once Zechariah’s own sins have been dealt with, he could be used of God to deal with the sins of the people as well. The Lord is doing more than rebuilding the temple. He’s working to establish the leadership that would be needed for that building to function like he intended and for sinful people to enter his presence.
Beyond that immediate issue, it’s hard to look at this scenario and not think about the broader gospel message. You and I are guilty before God, and Satan’s accusations against us are accurate. There’s nothing we can do to defend ourselves or free ourselves from our sin. But the Lord himself steps in and by his grace completely removes our sin and imputes to us the righteousness of Christ. Then he sets us out on a life of obedience and service to him.
This story about high priest Joshua is wonderful news, but what does it have to do with the Branch prophecies? That’s what the rest of the passage is about.
Prediction (3:8–10)
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”
The friends or associates mentioned in verse 8 seem to be the priests that served under Joshua. Thus, the whole institution of priesthood serves as sign or pointer to “my servant the Branch.” Note that the Branch is called “my servant.” That’s a title for the Messiah that Isaiah filled out so richly—especially with his teaching in chapter 53 that the Servant of Yahweh would suffer as a substitute for sinners, taking upon himself the guilt and punishment we deserve.
But what is the stone of verse 9? There are different ways to interpret that, but the one that seems to fit the context best is that it’s a variation on the gemstones the high priest wore on his ephod. He wore those close to his heart, showing his affection for the people as he represented them before God (Exod 28:29–30).
What about the eyes on the stone? That’s hard too, but the term translated “eyes” could be translated “facets.” If so, we’re looking at a beautiful multifaceted precious stone showing how the priest treasures the people.
The stone also has an inscription. What is it? I find the NET’s answer compelling: “‘I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the LORD who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.’” Even if that isn’t the inscription, it brings us to the main point of these verses: the decisive and complete removal of sin.
When would that happen? If the focus is on the objective basis for forgiveness, that would happen on the day Jesus died on the Cross. But verse 9 seems to be speaking of subjective forgiveness, pointing to what Zechariah says about Israel in the end times: “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” (13:1). Both the objective and the subjective are vital, and the Lord will make sure they both happen.
Verse 10 then ends the passage with a moving OT way of describing the peace and prosperity that result from reconciliation to God: neighbors sitting together under trees.
Let’s review Zechariah 3. First, Joshua is cleansed from sin and clothed in pure garments so that he could carry out his ministry as priest for the Judeans in the post-exilic period. But he and his priesthood are a sign of something far greater: the Branch through whom God will entirely remove the iniquity of his people. This began to be fulfilled at Christmas! The Baby in Mary’s womb truly did come to save his people from their sins. That’s one of the glorious works of the Branch.
But there’s a major problem. According to Isaiah and Jeremiah, the Branch will come from the line of David. He will be a King. Yet according to the OT, kingship and priesthood were distinct roles from different family lines, and they had to be kept separate. In fact, King Uzziah was judged with lifelong leprosy because he proudly tried to offer incense as though he were a priest (2 Chron 26:16ff). How can the Branch function as both a King and a Priest? That’s what our final Branch passage deals with.
The priestly Branch will restore worship (6:9–15).
This passage isn’t recording one of Zechariah’s visions. It tells of a historical event that occurs after his eighth vision. Wrapping up all the visions, this event symbolizes a profound truth.
Symbolism (3:9–11)
9 And the word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
The people of Judah returned to the land in several waves. These verses describe a group coming back and apparently bringing provisions for the rebuilding of the temple. The Lord tells Zechariah to take some of their silver and gold and make a crown. In Hebrew the term crown is plural but seems to be a plural of majesty—used to describe something especially magnificent. Even more important is the fact that this term is never used for something put on the head of a priest. It’s a symbol associated with royalty, yet Zechariah is to put it on the head of Joshua the high priest. What could that mean?
Prediction (3:12–13)
12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’
Here’s another long-term prophecy about the Branch. It unites with the other Branch passages in declaring that the Branch will have royal authority. More specifically, the Branch would build Yahweh’s temple. That’s not surprising because Solomon had built the original temple, and Zerubbabel was building the post-exilic temple. In the same way, in the end times the Branch will oversee the building of a climactic temple so that people can access God’s presence and give him the consummate worship he deserves.
Yet the Judeans would have been flabbergasted by what verse 13 says. The ESV says, “And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” The way the NASB puts it makes better sense of the verse: “Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”
One person who is both a King and a Priest, one who peacefully unites those two different offices? Yes, that’s why a royal crown was put on the head of the high priest Joshua—to symbolize that something new and different was coming.
This shouldn’t have been a total surprise to the people if they had been thinking of Psalm 110. In that passage Yahweh begins by describing the Messiah as a political ruler but then says to him: “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (v. 4). And Hebrews 5–7 tells us that this figure is none other than the Baby of Bethlehem, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Branch who at one and the same time serves as King and Priest!
As the ultimate Priest, Christ represents us before God. He presented his own death as a sacrifice to fully and forever atone for our sins. Then he arose from the dead, and to this day he lives to intercede for us. As the ultimate King, Christ rules our lives now, and in the end he will bring the final form of the kingdom of God. In that kingdom he will enable us to worship the Triune God and enjoy his presence.
How was this grand expectation to affect the lives of God’s people in the post-exilic temple? That question is answered as our passage ends.
Application (3:14–15)
14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
The crown was to be removed from Joshua’s head and placed in the temple that he was helping to rebuild. It would serve as a reminder of what God had in store for the whole sequence of temples built on that spot. Verse 25 seemingly comes back to the temple of Joshua’s day as an application of God’s plans for the Branch and the temple.
The Lord assures Joshua that more people would come and join him and complete the post-exilic temple. But he needed to obey the Lord and not give up on his work, even though it seemed difficult and like it wasn’t amounting to much. Joshua’s motivation needed to be not so much what was happening in his own day but the final goal his work was advancing: the arrival of the Branch, how he would unite the kingly and priestly offices, and how he would build a temple where perfect worship would be offered to the Lord. Joshua needed to serve faithfully now in light of that glorious future.
The same applies to our own work for the Lord today. We may or may not see amazing things happening now. But God is using us to advance a plan that’s much bigger than ourselves.
When I think of this core message of Zechariah, I recall a famous, though perhaps apocryphal, anecdote regarding the great English architect Sir Christopher Wren. He saw three bricklayers working on St. Paul’s cathedral in London and asked them what they were doing. The first man focused on his immediate task—he was cutting a stone. The second man replied in terms of the immediate personal result—he was working to feed his family. But the third man responded, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build St. Paul’s Cathedral for The Almighty.”
That’s the attitude Zechariah is nurturing in God’s people. Whether our contribution is big or small, what matters is what we are contributing to: the divine plan of redemption that in the end will encompass the entire world and will result in the worldwide worship of God! Thus, the message of Christmas prepares us for a new year of service. The Branch has come and has carried out his priestly work so that our sins can be forgiven. One day he will return, and we will have the bliss of forming part of his global kingdom of righteousness and peace. In light of the past, present, and future ministries of the Branch, we can serve him with confidence and fervency in the meantime!
