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Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Zechariah 7

1 a Which conteined parte of Nouember and parte of December.

2 b That is, the rest of the people that remained yet in Caldea, sent ot the Church at Jerusalem for the resoluiton of these questions, because these feasts were consented vpon by the agrement of the whole Church, the one in the moneth, that the Temple was destroyed, and the other when Gedaliah was slaine, {Jere. 41:2}.

3 e Which was now since the time the Temple was destroyed.

3 c By weping, and mourning appeare what exercises thei vsed in their fasting.

3 d That is, prepare my self with all deuocion to this fast.

5 f For there were bothe of the people, and of the Priests, which douted at touching this controuersie, besides them which as yet remained in Caldea, & reasoned of it as of one of the chief points of their religion.

5 g For they thoght they had deserved toward God because of this fast, which they invented of them selves: and thogh fasting of it self be good, yet because they thoght it a service towarde God, and trusted therein, it is here reproued.

6 h Did ye not eat, and drinke for your owne commoditie, & necessitie? and so likewise ye did absteine according to your owne fantasies, and not after the prescript of my Law?

7 i Hereby he condemneth their hypocrisie, which thoght by their fasting to please God, and by suche things as they invented, and in the meane season wolde not serve him as he had commanded.

9 k He sheweth, that thei did not fast with a syncere heart, but for an hypocrisie, & that it was not done of a pure religion, because that they lacked these offices of charitie, which shulde haue declared that thei were godlie, {Mat. 23,23}.

11 l And wolde not cary the Lords burden, which was swete and easy, but wolde beare their owne, which was heauie & grieuous to the flesh, thinking to merit thereby: which similitude is taken of oxen, which shrinke at the yoke, {Nehem. 9,19}.

11 ! The rebellion of the people is the cause of their affliction.

12 m Which declareth, that they rebelled not onely against the Prophetes but against the Spirit of God that spake in them.

14 o By their sinnes whereby they prouoked Gods angre.