Zeph 2:3 “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth.”
That is, all indeed, but you most especially who are humble and meek: beseeching him, rightly imploring God, and wearying him, as it were, with continual groanings, if perhaps you may be able to soften and appease him while he is indignant against the whole people.
Here note that no one can appease the wrath of God and render him favorable to an entire nation except the humble and the meek, such as Moses was (Num 12:3; Exod 32:32).
“You who have carried out his judgment.”
“Judgment” here means that which is equitable and just, namely what the Law establishes and commands. Thus in Psalm 118 the Law of God is frequently called judgment; so too St Jerome, explaining this, adds:
“Seek justice.”
Hebrew צֶדֶק (ṣedeq, “justice” or “righteousness”), that is, righteousness.
“Seek meekness.”
Hebrew עֲנָוָה (ʿănāwāh, “meekness,” “humility”). Pagnini renders it humility; others render it poverty.
The sense is: be just and meek; perform just works, and let your conduct be meek—let your way of life be just as well as gentle, modest, and composed in all actions, impulses, and manners. For this harmony of character is produced by humility and meekness. Thus Theodoret explains it.
St Jerome, Remigius, Albertus, and Haymo explain it differently: they understand justice and meekness to mean God himself, who is justice itself, uncreated and infinite, and meekness itself. The sense then is: seek God by performing judgment, that is, just works—for he himself is most just and likewise most meek. Therefore, because he is most just, he will regard just works; because he is most meek, he will mercifully receive penitents into grace. These two things—justice and meekness—will hide and protect you from his wrath and fury.
Zeph 3:12 “I will leave in your midst a poor and needy people.”
That is, in place of the boastful and proud scribes and Pharisees, I will give you my Apostles and disciples—poor, both literally and spiritually. For the first believers, having left all their possessions, followed Christ in poverty, together with the Apostles; and they were poor also in the sense of being meek and humble, as the Septuagint and Theodoret translate it. For poverty is a friend and mother of humility.
The Chaldean paraphrase renders it: those who endure violence and insult, as the Apostles and disciples endured harsh things for the faith of Christ—both words and blows. Thus St Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Vatablus, Arias, and others.
Zeph 3:13 “The remnant of Israel shall not commit iniquity.”
That is, the first believers and Christians called forth and gathered by Christ from Israel—few in number, especially the Apostles—lived so holily that they avoided, indeed abhorred, every sin: not only mortal sin, but even deliberate venial sin, deceit, and falsehood.
“For they shall pasture and lie down.”
That is, in the fold of Christ, namely in the Church, where, like sheep, they will be fed by Christ the Shepherd with doctrine, divine grace, and heavenly nourishment. These will make them holy as well as safe and secure, since they have placed all their hope in Christ, from whom they know they are ruled, fed, protected, and filled with every good—both in this life and even more in the life to come. Thus St Jerome, Remigius, and others.
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