Zechariah 4 in the early church

[Vulgate: Zacharias]

30 passages quote, allude to, or echo Zechariah 4, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 6 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 14

Zechariah 4:1

Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me, as a man is awakened from his sleep.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:1–3	Symposium 10.6 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd century

Zechariah 4:2

“What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:2	On the Making of the World 8 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century
Zech 4:2	Demonstration 19.11 · Aphrahat	quotation, high confidence	337-345
Zech 4:2–3	Letter 53.8 · Jerome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–419
Zech 4:2	On Jacob and the Happy Life 2.53 · Ambrose	allusion, low confidence	ca. 386-390
Zech 4:2	Tractates on Matthew 5.4 · Chromatius of Aquileia	allusion, high confidence	ca. 388–407
Zech 4:2	Letters 4.1 · Paulinus of Nola	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 394–413
Zech 4:2–3	Formulae of Spiritual Understanding 7 · Eucherius of Lyon	allusion, low confidence	ca. 420-430

Zechariah 4:3

There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:3	Heads against Gaius, fragment VI (on Matt 24:15-22) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 200-235
Zech 4:3	Against Marcion 4.22 · Tertullian	allusion, high confidence	207/208 (third edition, completed later)
Zech 4:3	Commentary on the Song of Songs 3.174 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)
Zech 4:3	Commentary on the Apocalypse 11.3 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century

Zechariah 4:5

“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:5	Letters to Serapion 1.11 · Athanasius of Alexandria	quotation, high confidence	ca. 357–360

Zechariah 4:6

So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:6	Demonstration 19.11 · Aphrahat	quotation, high confidence	337-345
Zech 4:6	Letters to Serapion 1.11 · Athanasius of Alexandria	quotation, high confidence	ca. 357–360

Zechariah 4:9

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:9	Demonstration 19.6 · Aphrahat	quotation, high confidence	337-345
Zech 4:9	Demonstration 19.11 · Aphrahat	quotation, high confidence	337-345
Zech 4:9	Book of Rules 7 · Tyconius	quotation, high confidence	ca. 380

Zechariah 4:10

For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:10	Miscellanies 5.6.35 · Clement of Alexandria	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 198–203
Zech 4:10	Fragments on Genesis, column 93 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 220-254
Zech 4:10	To Quirinus 1.20 · Cyprian of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later)
Zech 4:10	On the Making of the World 6 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, medium confidence	late 3rd century
Zech 4:10	On the Making of the World 8 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century
Zech 4:10	Catechetical Lecture 6.7 · Cyril of Jerusalem	quotation, high confidence	ca. 350
Zech 4:10	Oration 41.3 · Gregory of Nazianzus	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 362–383
Zech 4:10	Exposition of Psalm 118 1.12.1 · Ambrose	allusion, low confidence	ca. 386-397

Zechariah 4:11

Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:11–14	Symposium 10.6 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd century

Zechariah 4:14

So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of all the earth.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Zech 4:14	Heads against Gaius, fragment VI (on Matt 24:15-22) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 200-235
Zech 4:14	Against Marcion 4.22 · Tertullian	quotation, high confidence	207/208 (third edition, completed later)
Zech 4:14	Commentary on the Apocalypse 11.3 · Victorinus of Pettau	allusion, medium confidence	late 3rd century