(Matthew 23:35) How can Abel and Zechariah, separated by centuries, both be cited as if they belong back-to-back in a single bloodguilt narrative?

Context in Matthew 23:35

Matthew 23:35 reads: “And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” Jesus is addressing the scribes and Pharisees, denouncing their hypocrisy and connecting them to the heritage of those who killed the prophets before them. This verse raises a common question: Abel and Zechariah lived many centuries apart, so how do they stand side by side in a single bloodguilt narrative?

Identifying Abel and His Significance

Abel, whose story is recorded in Genesis 4, was murdered by his brother Cain. Genesis 4:8 says: “While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” Abel is often considered the first martyr because his death resulted from his righteous offering (Genesis 4:4) and Cain’s subsequent jealousy. Scripture continues to reference Abel as a model of righteous faith (cf. Hebrews 11:4). His death forms the earliest recorded shedding of innocent blood in biblical history.

Identifying Zechariah: Historical and Textual Considerations

The Zechariah mentioned in Matthew 23:35 is widely associated with the scene recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:20–22, where “Zechariah son of Jehoiada” is stoned to death in the temple courtyard. The text in Chronicles describes how he was a faithful prophet who rebuked the people for their apostasy, leading them to kill him “in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.”

1. Name Discrepancy: Matthew 23:35 refers to “Zechariah son of Berekiah.” Yet 2 Chronicles 24 refers to him as “Zechariah son of Jehoiada.” Several reconciliations have been proposed:

• Some scholars suggest “Berekiah” could be a familial or ancestral name, referring to Jehoiada by another name or referencing a grandfather’s name.

• Others note that genealogical listings in Scripture sometimes skip generations or use patronymic names interchangeably.

• A small number posit scribal confusion, though many conservative scholars argue that because Jesus is referencing the murder in the temple, He is indeed referring to the same Zechariah as in 2 Chronicles 24, with “Berekiah” being an alternate or familial reference.

2. Placement in the Canon: In the traditional Hebrew canon, Genesis is the first book, and 2 Chronicles is the final book. By citing Abel from Genesis and Zechariah from 2 Chronicles, Jesus effectively references a span from the first murder of an innocent man in Scripture to one of the last murders recounted in the Old Testament historical record.

Canonical Arrangement of the Old Testament

The Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) are typically arranged as Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Chronicles appears at the very end of the Ketuvim in standard Jewish canonical order. Therefore, Jesus’ phrase “from Abel to Zechariah” can be understood as an inclusio encompassing all righteous bloodshed recorded from the beginning of Genesis to the conclusion of the Old Testament historical narrative (in 2 Chronicles). This arrangement helps clarify how two individuals separated by centuries can stand back-to-back: they respectively represent the first and last recorded murders of God’s righteous followers in the entire span of the Hebrew Scriptures.

The Theological Significance of the “From Abel to Zechariah” Phrase

1. Culmination of Judgment: Jesus’ statement highlights that all acts of violence against God’s messengers—from the very first incident of spilled innocent blood—will be accounted for. The passage emphasizes a moral and communal guilt that stretches across generations, implicating those who continue the same pattern.

2. Continuity of Righteous Witness: Abel and Zechariah stand for faithfulness in different eras of biblical history. Both confronted wickedness: Abel through righteous worship, Zechariah through prophecy and public admonition. Though centuries apart, their collective witness ties together the persistent theme of godly individuals who are rejected and killed for righteousness’ sake.

3. Unity of Scripture: The single narrative Jesus presents underscores the consistent message of the Old Testament. Whether the stories took place early (Genesis) or late (Chronicles), God’s standard of righteousness does not waver, and neither does His concern for the blood of the innocent.

Archaeological and Historical Corroborations

1. Temple Complex Evidence: Excavations around the Temple Mount and old city of Jerusalem corroborate descriptions of temple courtyards, fitting the setting where Zechariah was killed (2 Chronicles 24:21).

2. Consistency of the Chronicles Record: Manuscript evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Text confirm the chronicling of Israel’s kings and prophets. Although direct archaeological evidence of Zechariah’s grave is lacking, the textual record demonstrates internal consistency with historical events and locations.

3. Scriptural Preservation: Due to meticulous copying by scribes over centuries, the reliability of 2 Chronicles in describing the death of Zechariah is supported by the weight of multiple manuscript traditions. The continuity of textual transmission adds confidence that the events described—though they happened centuries before Matthew’s Gospel—were known, preserved, and believed by the Jewish community.

Behavioral and Philosophical Considerations

Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:35 invite reflection on generational responsibility. While individuals are accountable for their own actions, societies can perpetuate patterns of violence and rebellion. The scribes and Pharisees were part of that lineage of rejection toward God’s messages and messengers. The reference to Abel and Zechariah illuminates how spiritual rebellion can remain consistent across the span of centuries, manifesting in the resistance to truth.

Conclusion

Abel and Zechariah appear side by side in Jesus’ indictment because they mark the broadest possible scriptural sweep of righteous bloodshed: from the earliest recorded murder in Genesis to one of the last recorded murders in 2 Chronicles. Despite the centuries in between, they form two bookends of prophetic witness within the Hebrew canon. Far from being a chronological contradiction, this pairing underscores the continuity of Scripture, pointing to the reality of humanity’s persistent rebellion against God through history and the sobering truth that all spilled righteous blood—whether in Genesis or Chronicles—carries an unbroken urgency before God.