Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
candlestick—symbolizing the Jewish theocracy; and ultimately, the Church of which the Jewish portion is to be the head: the light-bearer (so the original is of "lights," Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15) to the world.
all . . . gold—all pure in doctrine and practice, precious and indestructible; such is the true ideal of the Church; such she shall be (Psalms 45:13).
bowl upon the top—In the candlestick of the tabernacle the plural is used, bowls (Exo. 25:1-31:18). The Hebrew implies that it was the fountain of supply of oil to the lamps. Christ at the head ("on the top") of the Church is the true fountain, of whose fulness of the Spirit all we receive grace (John 1:16).
his seven lamps—united in one stem; so in Exodus 25:32. But in Revelation 1:12 the seven candlesticks are separate. The Gentile churches will not realize their unity till the Jewish Church as the stem unites all the lamps in one candlestick (Romans 11:16-24). The "seven lamps," in Revelation 4:5, are the "seven Spirits of God."
seven pipes—feeding tubes, seven apiece from the "bowl" to each lamp (see Margin) [MAURER and CALVIN]; literally, "seven and seven": forty-nine in all. The greater the number of oil-feeding pipes, the brighter the light of the lamps. The explanation in Zechariah 4:6 is, that man's power by itself can neither retard nor advance God's work, that the real motive-power is God's Spirit. The seven times seven imply the manifold modes by which the Spirit's grace is imparted to the Church in her manifold work of enlightening the world.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Zechariah 4:2:
Zechariah 4:1
Zechariah 4:11-12
Matthew 25:4
Revelation 1:12
Revelation 11:3
Revelation 11:4
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