Barachiah
The Reference in Matthew
In Matthew 23:35, Jesus pronounces judgment on the scribes and Pharisees, declaring that upon them would come "all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar." This statement spans the entire Old Testament narrative, from the first murder in Genesis to one of the last recorded martyrdoms in the Hebrew Bible's traditional ordering.
The Identity Question
The identification of Zechariah son of Barachiah has generated considerable discussion among scholars. The most commonly cited candidate is Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, whose murder is recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22. King Joash ordered Zechariah stoned to death in the courtyard of the temple because the prophet had rebuked the people for their idolatry. As he died, Zechariah cried out, "May the LORD see and avenge!" Since 2 Chronicles is the last book in the traditional Hebrew Bible ordering, Jesus' reference to Abel and Zechariah would encompass the entire Old Testament canon from first to last.
The Difficulty with the Name
The challenge is that 2 Chronicles identifies this Zechariah's father as Jehoiada, not Barachiah. Several explanations have been proposed. Some scholars suggest that Jehoiada had two names, with Barachiah being an alternate designation. Others note that the prophet Zechariah, author of the biblical book bearing his name, was indeed the son of Berechiah (Zechariah 1:1), and suggest that Jesus or Matthew may be referring to a tradition about this later prophet's death not recorded in the Old Testament. Luke's parallel passage (Luke 11:51) simply refers to "Zechariah" without naming his father, sidestepping the difficulty.
Another Possible Zechariah
The Jewish historian Josephus records that a Zechariah son of Baruch was killed in the temple during the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. Some have wondered whether this is a prophetic reference, though the chronological difficulties make this unlikely since Jesus was speaking of past events. The most straightforward reading remains that Jesus was referring to the Zechariah of 2 Chronicles, with Barachiah being either an alternate name for Jehoiada or reflecting a tradition unknown to us.
The Theological Point
Regardless of the precise identification, Jesus' theological point is clear and powerful. He was declaring that the religious leaders of His day stood in a long line of those who persecuted and killed God's messengers. From the very first murder recorded in Scripture to the final martyrdom in the Hebrew canon, the pattern of rejecting God's spokespeople was consistent. This indictment reached its climax in their impending rejection of Jesus Himself.
Biblical Context
Barachiah appears only in Matthew 23:35, in Jesus' denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees. The parallel passage in Luke 11:51 omits the father's name. The murder of Zechariah son of Jehoiada is recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22. The prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah is introduced in Zechariah 1:1.
Theological Significance
The reference to Barachiah's son being murdered in the temple is part of Jesus' sweeping indictment of religious leadership that rejects God's prophets. It establishes a biblical pattern of righteous suffering that stretches across the entire Old Testament and culminates in the rejection of Christ. The passage teaches that God holds accountable those who persecute His messengers.
Historical Background
The murder of Zechariah son of Jehoiada occurred during the reign of King Joash of Judah, around 800 BC. The temple courtyard where the killing took place was considered sacred ground, making the murder particularly heinous. Josephus records a similar incident during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in AD 70, when a Zechariah son of Baruch was killed by Zealots in the temple, creating an eerie historical echo.