THE SMITTEN SHEPHERD 477
^ s The idea of nearest one (or fellow) involves not only ^ similarity in vocation, but community of physical or laa spiritual descent, according to which he whom God calls se - His neighbour cannot be a mere man, but can only be one m who participates in the Divine nature, or is essentially Cr - Divine. The Shepherd of Jehovah, whom the sword is to
- ta smite, is therefore no other than the Messiah, who is also
& , identified with Jehovah in chap. xii. I o ; or the Good in , Shepherd, who says of Himself, I and My Father are one -- (John x. 30)."
No, the Shepherd of this passage is the Good Shepherd, who, in chap. xi. 4-14, is mysteriously identified with Jehovah, the same over whom the nation will mourn with a deep universal mourning in the day when the spirit of grace and of supplication is poured upon them, and their eyes are opened to perceive that in piercing Him they pierced Jehovah. 1
The Jews accused our Lord Jesus of blasphemy, because He claimed not only to have come from God, but that He was " equal with God " ; or because when speaking of Himself as " the Good Shepherd " who layeth down His life for the sheep, He said (with probable allusion to this very passage in Zechariah) : " / and My Father are one"
It was indeed a mystery passing mere human compre hension how this could be true of a man who stood in their midst. But this mystery faces us, not only in the pages of the New Testament, but in the inspired Scriptures of the prophets. There, too, the promised Redeemer is depicted as a babe born in Bethlehem, " whose goings forth are from everlasting," 2 " a child born " in the midst of the Jewish nation, whose name is " Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace," 3 a son of David, yet Jehovah Tzidkenu, 4 a " man," and yet Jehovah s " Fellow," or equal. This mystery, like others in the pages of the Old and New Testaments, can be solved only by faith in things which are revealed, to the knowledge of
1 Chap. xii. 10. - Mic. v. 2.
3 Isa. ix. 6. 4 Jer. xxiii. 6.
