Zechariah — Chapter 9

Exsulta satis filia Sion

'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king will come to thee, the just and saviour; he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.' À Lapide's commentary is exhaustive: he notes the four characteristics of the Messianic King—just (iustus), saving (salvator), poor (pauper), riding on an ass. Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15 cite this verse at the Triumphal Entry. He argues against Jewish interpreters who apply it to the Maccabees: the humility, peace (v.10), and universal dominion (from sea to sea) can only apply to Christ. The foal of an ass figures the Gentile nations newly tamed by the Gospel.

Et dissipabo quadrigam de Ephraim

'And I will destroy the chariot out of Ephraim and the horse out of Jerusalem, and the bow for war shall be broken; and he shall speak peace to the Gentiles, and his power shall be from sea to sea.' À Lapide reads the destruction of war-chariots as the peace of the Gospel superseding the age of conquest. The dominion from sea to sea is the Church's universal mission. He quotes Psalm 72:8 as the parallel Davidic text and notes Origen's reading: peace is the specific gift of Christ (John 14:27) that no earthly king can give.