Zacharias 4:14
And he said: These are two sons of oil who stand before the Lord of the whole earth.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et dixit : Isti sunt duo filii olei, qui assistunt Dominatori universæ terræ.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν Οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοὶ τῆς πιότητος παρεστήκασιν κυρίῳ πάσης τῆς γῆς.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֵ֖לֶּה שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי הַיִּצְהָ֑ר הָעֹמְדִ֖ים עַל אֲד֥וֹן כָּל הָאָֽרֶץ
Haydock's commentary
Two sons of oil. That is, the two anointed ones of the Lord; viz., Jesus, the high priest, and Zorobabel, the prince. (Challoner)
The Hebrews have hot many adjectives. Thus they say, the son of perdition, for a lost son. Septuagint, "sons of fatness." Aquila and Theodotion, "of splendour;" two illustrious personages. (Haydock)
One was head in religious, the other in civil matters. (Calmet)
Both were appointed by God, and co-operated for the welfare of the people, as the church and state ought to act for the common good, and assist each other. (Haydock)
Jesus and Zorobabel were to repair the damages done by the Chaldeans. They were assisted by the seven administering spirits, Hebrews i. 14. (Calmet)
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
Tertullian The Five Books Against Marcion, The Same Conclusion Supported by the Transfiguration. Marcion Inconsistent in Associating with Christ in Glory Two Such Eminent Servants of the Creator as Moses and Elijah. St. Peter's Ignorance Accounted for on Montanist Principle
You ought to be very much ashamed of yourself on this account too, for permitting him to appear on the retired mountain in the company of Moses and Elias, whom he had come to destroy. This, to be sure, was what he wished to be understood as the meaning of that voice from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, hear Him”, Him , that is, not Moses or Elias any longer. The voice alone, therefore, was enough, without the display of Moses and Elias; for, by expressly mentioning whom they were to hear, he must have forbidden all others from being heard. …
St Victorinus of Pettau Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John, From the eleventh chapter
4. “These are the two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the earth.”] These two candlesticks and two olive trees He has to this end spoken of, and admonished you that if, when you have read of them elsewhere, you have not understood, you may understand here. For in Zechariah, one of the twelve prophets, it is thus written: “These are the two olive trees and two candlesticks which stand in the presence of the Lord of the earth;” that is, they are in paradise. Also, in another sense, standing in the presence of the lord of the earth, that is, in the presence of Antichrist. Therefore they must be slain by Antichrist.