Zechariah Sermon Series: Sermon 31
3-23-25 – Jerry Mongello
Zechariah 11, Part 3
Announcement
Sunrise Service – April 20, 2025
- Start Time: 5:45 A.M.
Resurrection Breakfast – 6:45 A.M.
Resurrection Service – 9:00 A.M.
Pastor Martin’s Prayer
Prayer:
Before moving on to Zechariah 11:12, I would like to discuss verse 11, recognizing that the last sentence was profound.
[Zechariah 11:11 NKJV]
“So it was broken on that day. Thus the poor of the flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD.”
It is amazing to me that most of the wealthy, highly educated, and religious leaders did not recognize that the works and words of Jesus identified Him as the Messiah. I believe they did not want to know and could not open their hearts to perceive the word of God. They were tares among the wheat, without the Spirit of God, and the word of God made no sense to them. Jesus told them that they were doing the works of their father, the Devil.
[John 8:38–44 NKJV]
38 “I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
This doesn’t mean that the unsaved are helpless and cannot believe, because the word of God can penetrate any willing heart and convict even unwilling hearts.
[Hebrews 4:12 NKJV]
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The poor, brokenhearted, blind, deaf, lame, and crippled — some of the Pharisees and some priests — were walking and listening to the actual Word of God, and they believed and recognized the Word who became flesh.
[John 1:1–5 NKJV]
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
[John 1:14 NKJV]
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
[John 17:3 NKJV]
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
Examples of Believers:
- The Blind Man
(John 9:25–33 NKJV) - The Ten Lepers
(Luke 17:11–19 NKJV) - The Samaritan Woman
(John 4:4–26 NKJV)
Key excerpt [John 4:25–26]:
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
Moving to Zechariah 11:12–13
[Zechariah 11:12–13 NKJV]
12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter.
There is much to bring out in this passage:
- Zechariah is still acting out the prophecy, asking for his wages.
- They give him thirty pieces of silver — an amount many of you will recognize, which we will discuss more shortly.
- The LORD commands Zechariah to “throw it to the potter,” sarcastically referring to “that princely price” they valued him at.
- Thirty pieces of silver was the price set for a slave killed by a neighbor’s ox.
[Exodus 21:32 NKJV]
“If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.”
Thus, they regarded Zechariah — and prophetically, Jesus — as worth no more than a slave.
Prophecy Fulfilled in Jesus
This passage is fulfilled in the betrayal of Jesus:
[Matthew 26:14–16 NKJV]
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.
16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Later:
[Matthew 27:3–10 NKJV]
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful (but not repentant) and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”
7 They consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet.
The betrayal money — Jesus’ purchase price — bought the potter’s field. A potter’s field was a place for broken, rejected vessels — fitting, because Jesus came to purchase a people who are broken, rejected, and scattered across the world. He sanctifies us and forms us into new creations, conforming us to His image.
Zechariah 11:14
[Zechariah 11:14 NKJV]
“Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.”
After the exchange for thirty pieces of silver, the staff of Bonds (symbolizing unity) was broken. This was fulfilled when Israel was scattered by the Romans after their rejection of their Shepherd, Jesus.
Ending on a Hopeful Note
[Romans 11:26–29 NKJV]
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Would you also like me to help format this into a printable outline or teaching handout for easy reference during the service?
