2 Chronicles 24 · a question people ask
Is the Zachariah Jesus speaks of (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51) the Zechariah of this chapter?
The verses can be set side by side. This chapter says, "The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest" (24:20), and "They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the LORD’s house" (24:21). Joash "didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son" (24:22), and "When he died, he said" (24:22), "May the LORD look at it, and repay it" (24:22). In Matthew, speaking of the prophets he sends, "Some of them you will kill and crucify" (Matthew 23:34), Jesus says, "that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar" (Matthew 23:35). In Luke he says, "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary" (Luke 11:51). Matthew names Zachariah's father Barachiah; this chapter names Zechariah's father Jehoiada (24:20); Luke names no father. Matthew says "between the sanctuary and the altar" (Matthew 23:35), Luke "between the altar and the sanctuary" (Luke 11:51), and this chapter "in the court of the LORD’s house" (24:21). Neither Gospel names 2 Chronicles. These notes set the verses side by side, as the introduction to 2 Chronicles promised, and don't decide whether Jesus speaks of the Zechariah of 2 Chronicles 24.
The verses
“The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “God says, ‘Why do you disobey the LORD’s commandments, so that you can’t prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.’” They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the LORD’s house. Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May the LORD look at it, and repay it.””
“Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.”
“from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.”