II. JESUS, or Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, was the first High-Priest of the Jews, after they returned from the Babylonish captivity. We do not know very exactly how many years he exercised the High -Priesthood. His first care after his arrival at Jerusalem, was to restore the Sacrifices, to regulate the Offices and Order of the Priests and Levites; and, lastly, to rebuild the Ezra iv. 3, 8.Temple, as far as the condition, which the Jews were then in, would allow him to carry on such a work. The Prophets Haggai and Zechariah often mention Jesus the son of Jozadak. Haggai addresses himself Haggai i. 1, 2, &c.to him and Zerubbabel, exciting them to build the Temple after the death of Cyrus and Cambyses; and in the second year of Darius the son of Hystaspes, King of Persia, In the year of the World 3485, before J. C. 515, before the Vulgar Æra 519.the Spirit of the Lord animated Jesus and Zerubbabel, and Haggai prophesied to them by divine inspiration, that in a little time he would shake the heavens and the earth and the sea, the dry land, and all nations; that the desire of all nations should come into the world, and that the new House or new Temple which they raised, should be filled with glory.
Zech iii. 1.Zechariah relates, that the Lord shewed him the High-Priest Jeshua the son of Jozadak standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Angel of the Lord said to Satan, “ The Lord rebuke thee, “ even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem for his habitation, and hath, as “ we may say, pluck’d this brand out of “ the fire. Now Jeshua was clothed with “ filthy garments, and stood before the “ Angel, who said, Take away the filthy “ garments from him. And unto him, he “ said, Behold I have caused thine iniquity “ to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee “ with change of raiment.” At the same time he put a fair mitre upon his head, and the Angel said to him, “ If thou wilt “ walk in the ways of the Lord, thou “ shalt govern his House, and keep his “ Temple, and I will give thee an Angel “ to walk with thee.” Lastly, God promises him to send his servant the Branch, (See the Article BRANCH:) Adducam servum meum Orientem; that is to say, the Messiah, who accordingly appeared under the second Temple.
Zech iv. 2, 3, &c.The same Prophet having seen a vision of two Olive-trees, which were one on the right, the other on the left-hand of the golden Candlestick in the Temple, through which the oil ran into the lamps of this Candlestick, the Angel of the Lord told him, that these two Olive-trees were Jesus the son of Jozadak, and Zerubbabel the son of Salathiel, who are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Zechary received likewise orders Zech. vi. 11. Vide Euseb. Demonstr. l. 4.from the Lord to take the gold which the principal of the Jews offered to God, make crowns of it to place upon the head of Jesus the son of Jozadak, and promise him that the man surnamed the Branch, that is to say, the Messiah, should come, who should indeed build a Temple to the Lord, and there be seated on his throne. This new Temple, which he was to build to God, is the Christian Church, which he hath established, and in it hath placed his throne. Some, by the word Branch or East, as the original may be translated, understand literally Zerubbabel, who was a Theodor. ad Zech. iii. & vi. & Hieron. ibidem.branch of David’s family: but Zerubbabel being contemporary with Jesus or Jeshua, to promise his coming was very vain. They both returned together from the Babylonish captivity. Jesus the son of Sirach, Author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus, commends Ecclus. xlix. 14.Jesus the son of Josedec and Zerubbabel, as Signets on the Lord’s right hand, and as persons principally concerned in building the second Temple to God’s eternal Glory, when the Jews returned from the captivity of Babylon. Jesus the son of Josedec was succeeded in the High-Priesthood by his son Joachim, who was High-Priest in the reign of Xerxes. See Joseph. Antiq. l. xi. c. 5. initio.