Zacharias 11:15
And the Lord said to me: Take to thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et dixit Dominus ad me : Adhuc sume tibi vasa pastoris stulti.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς μέ Ἔτι λάβε σεαυτῷ σκεύη ποιμενικὰ ποιμένος ἀπείρου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י ע֣וֹד קַח לְךָ֔ כְּלִ֖י רֹעֶ֥ה אֱוִלִֽי
Haydock's commentary
A foolish shepherd. This was to represent the foolish, that is, the wicked princes and priests that should rule the people, before their utter desolation. (Challoner)
Caligula, Claudius, or Nero, monsters of stupidity, may also be meant. To such the Jews preferred to submit: but they soon found out their mistake, when it was too late. Caligula and Nero would be adored in the temple!
Where a note speaks of the Jewish people, the Church teaches that the Passion cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
The Shepherd of Hermas Book Third. Similitudes, Similitude Ninth. The Great Mysteries in the Building of the Militant and Triumphant Church
“But the other round stones, which had not yet been adapted to the building of the tower, and had not yet received the seal, were for this reason put back into their place, because they are exceedingly round. Now this age must be cut down in these things, and in the vanities of their riches, and then they will meet in the kingdom of God; for they must of necessity enter into the kingdom of God, because the Lord has blessed this innocent race. Of this race, therefore, no one will perish; for although any of them be tempted by the most wicked devil, and commit sin, he will quickly return to his Lord. I deem you happy, I, who am the messenger of repentance, whoever of you are innocent as children, because your part is good, and honourable before God. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Nepotian
4. To what end, you ask, these recondite references? To show that you need not expect from me boyish declamation, flowery sentiments, a meretricious style, and at the close of every paragraph the terse and pointed aphorisms which call forth approving shouts from those who hear them. Let Wisdom alone embrace me; let her nestle in my bosom, my Abishag who grows not old. Undefiled truly is she, and a virgin forever for although she daily conceives and unceasingly brings to the birth, like Mary she remains undeflowered. When the apostle says “be fervent in spirit,” he means “be true to wisdom.” And when our Lord in the gospel declares that in the end of the world, when the shepherd shall grow foolish, according to the prophecy of Zechariah, “the love of many shall wax cold,” He means that wisdom shall decay. …
St Gregory Nazianzen In Defence of His Flight to Pontus, and His Return, After His Ordination to the Priesthood, with an Exposition of the Character of the Priestly Office
117. Such is my defence: its reasonableness I have set forth: and may the God of peace, Who made both one, and has restored us to each other, Who setteth kings upon thrones, and raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, Who chose David His servant and took him away from the sheepfolds, though he was the least and youngest of the sons of Jesse, Who gave the word to those who preach the gospel with great power for the perfection of the gospel, may He Himself hold me by my right hand, and guide me with His counsel, and receive me with glory, Who is a Shepherd to shepherds and a Guide to guides: that we may feed His flock with knowledge, not with the instruments of a foolish shepherd, according to the blessing, and not according to the curse pronounced against the men of former days: may He give strength and power unto his people, and Himself present to …