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4. Connections Between Sections ofZechariah 1-14 263
see Petitjean and Meyers. 1 It remains true that, in the text that we
have, both figures 'rule' in some sense. Mason 2 suggests that it is
possible that Joshua was crowned symbolically before Zerubbabel had
come from Babylon. He makes some useful points:
1. As in the 'messianic' reference of 3.8, the 'Branch' is not
identified with Zerubbabel.
2. As in 3.8 the priestly line is seen as the guarantee of the
coming of the messianic ruler of the future.
3. The priests do meanwhile exercise the rule.
4. Even when the messianic ruler has come a joint rule with the
priestly line is envisaged.
5. Verse 14 suggests that the continuing rule of the priests in the
temple is a 'reminder' of God's promises for the community's
future.
6. The call to put the crown in the temple suggests a time later
than Zerubbabel's coming from Babylon. By the time the
temple was there in which to put the crown, he had done his
work.
He concludes that this suggests a moulding of the traditions after the
event to reflect the actual prominence of the priestly line.
In 6.15 the refrain, 'you shall know that Yahweh of hosts has sent
me to you' occurs. This has the effect of tying together this final
climax of the series of visions with the completion of the temple by
Zerubbabel (4.9) and the climax of the first three visions, the oracle
of 2.10-16. They all had to do with Jerusalem, and this fact is emphasized
by the refrain 'again choose Jerusalem' (1.17; 2.16, two final
phrases). In 3.2 this motif is picked up before the action proceeds to a
new subject: the cleansing of Judah and Jerusalem.
Thus, even without being sure of the meaning of every detail, we
can observe the logic of the whole construction. 3
1. Petitjean, Les oracles, pp. 279-82, 296-97; Meyers, Haggai, Zechariah,
pp. 336, 349-54.
2. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, pp. 62-63.
3. This gives some support to Schottler's labelling of V2 ('Die Entmachtung der
ausseren Feinde des Gottesvolkes' and V7 ('Die Beseitigung der inneren Feinde des
Gottesvolkes') (Gott inmitten seines Volkes, p. 327).